- Foster Carer Enquiries: 0800 023 4561
- General Enquiries: 0800 085 2225
Fostering allowances and fees
FCA's fostering payments are provided to cover living costs and offer a reward element in recognition of the demands of becoming a foster carer. Fostering allowances and fees provided by FCA take into account the professionalism and significance of the role that foster carers play in the lives of looked after children and young people.
FCA considers foster care as a career, and we believe that our foster carers should be rewarded accordingly. FCA foster carer's allowances and fees are therefore set at a competitive rate.
The amount of allowance/fees that foster carers receive is highly dependent upon the type of placement that is provided. Factors such as the age of the looked after child or young person and if they should have any behavioural difficulties are taken into account.
Cost of living fostering allowances
The fostering allowance fee takes into account the following costs of living:
- Food
- Clothing
- Basic travel
- Household bills
- Everyday living
Foster carer tax relief - fostering allowances and fees
FCA foster carers work on a self-employed basis. Foster carers receive very favourable tax treatment on income derived solely from fostering.
Under a tax relief, introduced in 2003, foster carers whose gross receipts from foster care do not exceed an individual limit will be exempt from tax on their income from foster care.
Individual and more general advice on taxation is available from a number of sources including the HMRC website foster carer relief pages.
Foster care training and qualifications
FCA training for foster carers is provided free of charge. As part of our Team Parenting® model of foster care, it is our aim to provide FCA foster carers with the very best general and therapeutic foster carer training in order to transfer the highest level of care to looked after children and young people.
Learn more about foster care with FCA
Would you like to become a professional foster carer?
You might be interested to find out about the foster care support services FCA provides and how the process of becoming a foster carer works. You might also like to read our foster carer testimonials to find out what it's really like to foster with FCA.
To discuss more about fostering payments with FCA, or to find out about becoming a foster carer, call FCA on 0800 023 4561 or enquire online today.
