Foster Carer Pay and Benefits 

At By the Bridge, we believe that it's important that Foster Carers are given not only financial payments that cover the costs of caring for children or young people but also a professional fee for their work.

Fostering is a great career and our Foster Carers deserve to be rewarded for their hard work like any other worker in the social care or public sector. 

Our allowances take into account the demands of foster caring and the significance of the role they play in a child or young person’s life.

We know that, although our payments are very competitive, it is impossible to place a monetary value on work that foster parents undertake on a day to day basis. 

How much does Fostering Pay?

The amount of allowance paid depends on the type of fostering you do with considerations like the age of the child and their individual needs.

The fees we pay to our Foster Parents vary according to the type of fostering you do. You’ll receive an excellent weekly pay for each foster child. Typically a Foster Parent could earn £23,400* a year, tax free, fostering one child (that's the equivalent of a £29,440* taxed salary).

We would also provide higher professional fees for Foster Children and Young people that require more skilled support: 

• Autism
• Disability
• Specialist behaviours
• Parent and Child

*based on one child in place for 52 weeks in the 2018/19 tax year

Additional Fostering Allowances

As well as your professional pay we offer additional allowances, some that are unique to us, that other fostering agencies do not. Allowances such as:

• An allowance towards the cost of a holiday for the child
• An initial clothing allowance and school uniform allowance
• Help towards the cost of celebrations for children, such as birthdays, Christmas and other festivals
• Summer Activity Allowance 

Tax Relief

Foster Carers are classed as self-employed. The government has generous tax allowances in place for those who foster and this means that you will pay little or no tax.

As a Foster Carer, with a child in place for the entire tax year, you could receive the equivelant of £34,000 in tax relief.

Typically a Foster Parent could earn £23,400* a year, tax free, fostering one child (that's the equivalent of a £29,440* taxed salary).

Foster Carer Promotion

As our Foster Carers develop their skills through training, supervision and their day to day fostering work, they can reach the criteria for achieving meaningfully higher pay grades through promotion.

If By the Bridge with Cambian seems like the type of agency you would like to foster with then Contact Us for more information to begin your fostering journey.