How does fostering affect Universal Credit work-related requirements?

Foster carers are not automatically exempt from Universal Credit work-related requirements. The requirements that apply depend on your circumstances, including your health, caring responsibilities, household situation and whether a child is placed with you. Your work coach should take the practical demands of fostering into account when setting or reviewing your claimant commitment.

What are work-related requirements?

Universal Credit uses different levels of conditionality. Depending on your circumstances, you may be expected to:

• attend periodic work-focused interviews;
• take steps to prepare for work, such as training or skills development;
• look for suitable work and be available to start it; or
• have no work-related requirements because of your health, caring responsibilities or another recognised circumstance.

The requirements in your claimant commitment should reflect the category that applies to you. They should also be realistic in light of your fostering responsibilities, rather than treating you as though you have unrestricted availability for employment.

Does becoming a foster carer remove the requirement to work?

Not necessarily. A person who is only considering fostering, completing an assessment or waiting for approval will usually need to continue meeting their existing Universal Credit commitments unless the Department for Work and Pensions changes them for another reason. Fostering-related preparation does not, by itself, guarantee an exemption or count as an alternative to every requirement.

Once you are approved or a child is placed with you, the position may need to be reassessed. The age and needs of the child, the type of placement, contact arrangements, appointments, training and the support available to you can all be relevant. Foster children are not automatically treated in exactly the same way as birth or adopted children for every Universal Credit rule, so do not assume that a placement will change your conditionality without confirmation.

How can fostering affect a claimant commitment?

Your work coach may consider whether fostering affects the times you can work, the distance you can travel, the type of work that is suitable and your ability to attend appointments. For example, a placement involving frequent meetings, supervised contact, medical appointments or significant support needs may make some work-related activities impractical.

This does not mean that every requirement must be removed. It may mean that the commitment is narrowed or amended, such as by changing the hours in which you are expected to be available, agreeing more suitable activities or arranging a review when your fostering circumstances change.

Fostering training, meetings and other duties should be explained clearly. Whether a particular activity can be recognised within your claimant commitment is a matter for Universal Credit, so obtain agreement rather than assuming it will be accepted after the event.

What should you tell Universal Credit?

Give your work coach a complete picture of your fostering role. This can include:

• whether you are applying to foster, approved or currently caring for a child;
• the age of the child and whether the placement is short-term, emergency, respite or longer-term;
• regular appointments, training, meetings, school arrangements and contact visits;
• any restrictions on your availability caused by the placement; and
• changes to your household or caring responsibilities.

Keep relevant records, such as placement information, dates of required meetings and details of agreed fostering duties. You do not need to provide more confidential information about a child than is necessary to explain how the placement affects your work-related obligations.

What if an appointment or activity clashes with fostering?

Tell Universal Credit as soon as you know there is a conflict and explain why the fostering duty cannot reasonably be moved. Ask for the claimant commitment to be reviewed if the clash is part of an ongoing pattern, rather than missing appointments without explanation.

A work coach should consider whether you have a good reason for not completing an activity. However, having a fostering placement does not mean that every missed appointment will automatically be excused. Keep a written record of messages, decisions and agreed changes in your Universal Credit journal.

Can a sanction be imposed?

A sanction may be considered if Universal Credit decides that you failed to meet an agreed requirement without a good reason. Before this happens, explain the fostering circumstances and provide supporting information where appropriate. If a sanction is imposed and you believe the decision did not properly take account of your responsibilities, you can ask Universal Credit to look at the decision again through a mandatory reconsideration.

You should also ask for help if the commitment does not accurately describe what you can reasonably do. It is better to raise the issue when the commitment is set or changed than to wait until a requirement has been recorded as missed.

Fostering payments and work requirements are separate issues

The treatment of fostering allowances or other fostering-related payments is separate from the question of whether you have work-related requirements. A payment does not automatically end those requirements, and having requirements does not by itself decide how fostering income is treated in your Universal Credit calculation. These issues should be checked separately, with accurate details about your fostering arrangement and household finances.

If your circumstances change—for example, a child moves in or leaves, the placement becomes more demanding, or your fostering duties reduce—tell Universal Credit and request a fresh assessment of your claimant commitment. Your fostering service can provide information about the practical responsibilities involved, but Universal Credit makes the decision about your work-related requirements.