Fees and allowances

We have increased all of our fees and allowances and launched council tax exemption to our Foster Carers who live in or outside of our city. In addition, we are also offering new annual allowances to help our Foster Carers celebrate significant events in the lives of the children they are caring for.

Our new financial package of rewards was launched in April 2023 and is part of our commitment to financially support our Foster Carers in recognition of the invaluable care they provide to our city’s most vulnerable children and young adults.

New Council Tax exemption

Our Foster Carers will be exempt from paying council tax from April 2023 as we try to help make their fostering homes more affordable. This is available to both Southend-on-Sea and out of city residents. For anyone living in Southend City the maximum exemption is up to Band D. For anyone living outside of our city the maximum exemption is up to the Band D equivalent where they live.

*To benefit from this exemption our in- house Foster Carers have to remain available to provide care, have provided care for a Southend-on-Sea Child for at least 26 weeks in the year and to have met required training, support and development standards.

Fees and allowances

Payments to Foster Carers are made on a weekly basis.

New weekly payments

The table below shows what Foster Carers will receive for each child they look after based on their level of experience, the training they have completed and the needs of the children they are caring for.

Child’s age	Foster Care (This weekly amount is paid when you are looking after one child. It includes your fee and an allowance to help cover the costs of caring for one child)	Foster Care Enhanced (This weekly amount is paid when you are looking after one child who has more complex needs. It includes your fee and an allowance to help cover the costs of caring for one child)	Foster Care Specialist (This weekly amount is paid when you are looking after one child who has high care needs. It includes your fee and an allowance to help cover the cost of caring for one child)

0-4	£373	£473	£573
5-10	£395	£495	£595
11-15	£441	£541	£641
16-18	£491	£591	£691

We pay a fee and allowance for every child you look after so the weekly payments will increase if you are caring for more than one child based on the level of care each child needs.

What's included in these payments:-

These payments include your fee which is paid for every child you look after and care for.

Foster Care Fee – £200
Foster Care Enhanced Fee – £300
Foster Care Specialist Fee - £400

The rest of the weekly payment is an allowance to help cover the cost of caring for a child or young person. You will receive the below allowance as part of your weekly payment for every child you look after.

Child’s age	Weekly allowance for each child

0-4	£173
5-10	£195
11-15	£241
16-18	£291

New annual allowances

In addition to the weekly allowance our Foster Carers will also receive new allowances paid every year to help towards the cost of celebrating significant events in the lives of the children they are caring for. These payments will automatically be paid on an annual basis for every child our foster carers care for.

To help celebrate religious or cultural festivals e.g., Eid, Diwali, Christmas – £100
To help with the cost of birthday gifts/celebrations - £200
Two weeks additional allowances to help contribute to a family holiday
To help contribute to prom attendance at age 16 - £200

We review all fees and allowances each year. Most Foster Carers do not pay tax on their fostering income. Information is available on foster carer tax, benefits and pensions at GOV.UK: Foster carers and The Fostering Network website.