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Payments and allowances
The amount of money our foster carers are paid is dependent on their skills and experience, combined with the age and number of children they are looking after.
We provide generous allowances to cover the cost of fostering, which are to cover the costs of the child’s food, clothes, pocket money etc.
Our carers then move their way through the payment levels, gaining experience, further training and the vital skills needed to make a difference to Leicestershire’s children and young people in care.
So for example, a foster carer on Level 2, looking after a 12-15 year old, would receive £246 per week, which would be paid on a monthly basis.
We pay mileage of 45 pence per mile to our foster carers in relation to transporting our children, along with other allowances to cover the cost of school uniform, holidays, school trips etc.
We would advise that you give us a call on 0116 305 0505 so we can explain the financial side of fostering and consider your individual circumstances. As a guide, here are our current payments to foster carers, per child, per week:
Level 1 | Age 0-4 | Age 5-10 | Age 11-15 | Age 16+ |
Weekly skills fee | £32.50 | £35.75 | £41.00 | £47.75 |
Weekly Fostering allowance | £130.00 | £143.00 | £164.00 | £191.00 |
Weekly Level 1 total | £162.50 | £178.75 | £205.00 | £238.75 |
Annual Level 1 total | £8,450.00 | £9,295.00 | £10,660.00 | £12,415.00 |
Level 2 | Age 0-4 | Age 5-10 | Age 11-15 | Age 16+ |
Weekly skills fee | £65.00 | £71.50 | £82.00 | £95.50 |
Weekly Fostering allowance | £130.00 | £143.00 | £164.00 | £191.00 |
Weekly Level 2 total | £195.00 | £214.50 | £246.00 | £286.50 |
Annual Level 2 total | £10,140.00 | £11,154.00 | £12,792.00 | £14,898.00 |
Level 3 | Age 0-4 | Age 5-10 | Age 11-15 | Age 16+ |
Weekly skills fee | £97.50 | £107.25 | £123.00 | £143.25 |
Weekly Fostering allowance | £130.00 | £143.00 | £164.00 | £191.00 |
Weekly Level 3 total | £227.50 | £250.25 | £287.00 | £334.25 |
Annual Level 3 total | £11,830.00 | £13,013.00 | £14,924.00 | £17,381.00 |
Level 4 | Age 0-4 | Age 5-10 | Age 11-15 | Age 16+ |
Weekly skills fee | £182.00 | £200.20 | £229.60 | £267.40 |
Weekly Fostering allowance | £130.00 | £143.00 | £164.00 | £191.00 |
Weekly Level 3 total | £312.00 | £343.20 | £393.60 | £458.40 |
Annual Level 3 total | £16,224.00 | £17,846.40 | £20,467.20 | £23,836.80 |
Did you know that the majority of foster carers pay little or no tax on their income? Visit HMRC’s guidance on foster carers and tax.