Are respite foster carers paid differently?

Respite foster carers are not automatically paid at a different rate simply because the placement is short term. The payment arrangement is set by the fostering service and may depend on the type of respite care, the number of nights or days, the child’s assessed needs, and whether the payment includes an allowance, a separate fee, or both.

Respite fostering usually involves caring for a child for an agreed, temporary period. This may give the child’s usual foster family a planned break, provide support during a transition, or offer additional care when circumstances change. Because the arrangement is temporary, the payment may be calculated differently from a longer placement, but there is no single national rate that applies to every respite foster carer.

What can affect the payment?

• The fostering service: Each council or independent fostering agency sets its own payment structure, subject to its policies and the terms of the foster carer’s agreement.
• The length of care: A service may calculate payment by night, day, session, or another agreed unit. Clarify how the first and final days are counted, particularly where the child arrives or leaves part way through a day.
• The child’s needs: Additional supervision, specialist equipment, transport, appointments, activities, or other practical requirements may affect the support and payments agreed for the placement.
• The carer’s approval and experience: Some services use different fee levels linked to approval terms, skills, training, or experience. This is separate from the costs of caring for the child.
• The type of arrangement: Planned respite, emergency respite, short breaks and arrangements involving a child’s family may each be administered differently. The written agreement should explain which payment rules apply.

Allowance and fee are not the same thing. A fostering allowance is intended to help meet the everyday costs of caring for a child, such as food, clothing, household costs, travel and activities. A separate fee may recognise the foster carer’s time, skills and responsibility. A respite arrangement might include one, both, or neither as separate items, depending on the fostering service’s policy and the approved terms of the placement.

Do not assume that a short placement means the payment will be a simple proportion of a standard weekly amount. Some costs arise regardless of how long the child stays, while others depend on the child’s actual needs. The service should explain whether items such as travel, meals outside the home, entry fees, school-related costs, equipment or other agreed expenses are included in the payment or claimed separately.

Before accepting respite care, ask for the payment details in writing. Important questions include:

• What is the allowance for this specific respite arrangement?
• Is there a separate fee, and what conditions apply to receiving it?
• Is payment based on days, nights, hours, or another calculation?
• How are partial days, collection and return days treated?
• What happens if the placement is cancelled, extended, ends early, or the child does not arrive?
• Which additional expenses can be approved, and what receipts or records are required?
• When will the payment be made, and what payment record will be provided?

The written placement agreement should be checked alongside the fostering service’s payment policy. It should identify the child’s arrangements, the expected dates, responsibilities, contact arrangements, agreed expenses and the payment that applies. If anything discussed verbally differs from the paperwork, ask the supervising social worker or fostering service to clarify it before the placement begins.

Respite carers should also keep their own records of placement dates, payments and approved expenses. These records can help resolve discrepancies and may be relevant when considering tax or existing benefits. The tax and benefits treatment depends on the individual’s circumstances and the current rules, so obtain specific advice rather than assuming that respite payments are treated in the same way as wages or other household income.

Payment is only one part of the arrangement. A person providing respite care must understand the approval requirements, complete the relevant assessment and checks, undertake required training, and be satisfied that their household can meet the child’s needs for the agreed period. The fostering service should explain the support available, who to contact about a concern, and how decisions will be made if the child’s needs change while staying with the respite carer.

In short, respite foster carers may receive a different payment from carers providing longer-term placements, but the difference is not automatic or fixed. The reliable answer will be in the service’s payment policy and the individual placement agreement, including any separate fee and rules for expenses, cancellations and additional care.