What must foster carers report to Universal Credit?

Universal Credit should be kept up to date with any change that may alter your entitlement, how your claim is assessed or the conditions attached to it. For a foster carer, this includes changes connected with fostering, your household, your work, your housing and your financial circumstances. Reporting information does not necessarily mean that your Universal Credit will be reduced; it allows the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to apply the relevant rules to your claim.

Changes connected with fostering

• Tell Universal Credit when you are approved as a foster carer and when your fostering arrangement changes in a way that could affect your circumstances.
• Report when a placement starts or ends if it changes your income, caring responsibilities, work-related requirements or household situation.
• Explain any change to the payments you receive from fostering, including changes to the type or amount of payment.
• Tell your work coach if fostering affects your ability to meet agreed work-related activities, attend appointments or look for work.
• Report if you stop fostering, take a break from fostering or cease to be approved, where this affects information previously provided to Universal Credit.

You do not need to assume how the DWP will treat a fostering payment. Fostering allowances and other fostering-related payments can be treated differently from ordinary wages, and the outcome can depend on the details of your claim. Give the full information rather than leaving out a payment because you believe it should be disregarded.

Information to include about fostering payments

When you record a change, explain what the payment is for, who paid it, the date it was received and the period it relates to. Keep payment statements, remittance records, bank statements and any correspondence from your fostering service. These documents can help distinguish fostering payments from employment income, self-employed income or other money entering your account.

If you are also employed or run another business, report those earnings separately from fostering payments. A change in employment, hours, pay, self-employed income or business expenses may affect the calculation of your Universal Credit even if your fostering circumstances have not changed.

Other changes foster carers may need to report

• A change in who lives with you, including a partner joining or leaving your household.
• A change of address, rent, eligible housing costs or the person to whom rent is paid.
• A change in savings, investments or other capital, including money held jointly.
• A change in your health or caring responsibilities that affects your work-related requirements.
• A change to your bank account or another personal detail used for your claim.

The fact that a child is placed with you does not mean every detail of the placement should automatically be entered as a dependant on your Universal Credit claim. If you are unsure whether a placement changes your household circumstances or affects your claim, describe the arrangement accurately in your journal and ask Universal Credit to confirm what information it needs.

How to report a change

• Sign in to your Universal Credit account and use the relevant change-of-circumstances section where one is available.
• Add a journal message explaining the fostering change and any connected effect on your income, caring duties or work-related requirements.
• Give the date the change happened, not just the date you discovered or reported it.
• Upload or retain supporting evidence if requested.
• Read the response carefully and check your next statement to see whether the information has been recorded correctly.

Keep a copy of each journal entry, uploaded document and response. If you report several related changes, list them separately so there is a clear record of what happened and when. If Universal Credit asks for clarification, respond with the figures and dates shown in your records rather than estimates where possible.

If you think the decision is wrong

First check whether Universal Credit has used the correct assessment period, payment amount and household details. Ask for an explanation through your journal if the calculation is unclear. If you believe a decision remains incorrect, you can request a mandatory reconsideration. Keep reporting later changes while that process is ongoing; challenging a decision does not replace the duty to keep your claim updated.

Fostering and Universal Credit can involve overlapping rules, particularly where fostering payments, employment income and work-related requirements appear together. A fostering service, welfare rights adviser or Citizens Advice can help you organise the relevant documents and understand what to report. The final decision about your Universal Credit claim rests with the DWP.