Does fostering payment vary by a child’s age?

Age bands are commonly used to set the basic maintenance allowance for a foster placement. The band reflects the everyday cost of caring for a child at a particular developmental stage, such as food, clothing, transport, activities and personal items. It is not a personal wage for the child and it is not the only element that may make up a fostering payment.

Children of different ages can have different practical costs. A teenager may need more money for food, clothing, travel, school requirements and activities, while a younger child may have costs associated with childcare, equipment or other routines. These patterns are not identical for every child, so an age band is normally a starting point rather than a complete assessment of the placement.

A fostering service will usually explain its rates in an allowance or payment guide. This should show how payments are arranged for different age groups and whether the figures include separate elements, such as:

• Maintenance allowance: money intended to meet the child’s ordinary day-to-day costs.
• Fostering fee: a payment recognising the carer’s time, skills and responsibilities, where the service operates a fee structure.
• Additional allowances: agreed amounts for particular expenses, activities, equipment, travel or other needs.
• Specialist or enhanced payments: possible extra support where a child needs a higher level of care, supervision or expertise.

Not every fostering service uses the same structure. Some publish a combined weekly figure, while others show the maintenance element and the carer fee separately. A payment can therefore look different from one service to another even when the child’s age is the same. It is important to check whether a quoted amount is the full payment or only one part of the package.

The child’s circumstances may affect the payment alongside their age. For example, the fostering service may consider whether the placement involves siblings, additional health or developmental needs, challenging behaviour, frequent appointments, specialist transport or a requirement for a carer to provide a greater level of supervision. The type of placement can also matter, including emergency, short-term, long-term, respite or specialist fostering.

Age-related rates may also change when a child moves into a new age band. The relevant rate will usually depend on the service’s policy and the date on which the change takes effect. The child’s social worker or supervising social worker should explain how the transition is handled, particularly if other agreed payments are linked to the placement.

Before accepting a placement, ask for a clear written breakdown of the proposed payments. This should identify:

• the basic allowance for the child’s age group;
• any fee paid to the foster carer;
• additional or enhanced amounts linked to the child’s needs;
• which everyday costs are expected to come from the allowance;
• how one-off expenses are requested and approved;
• when payments begin and how changes are recorded; and
• what happens if the child’s needs change during the placement.

The placement agreement and the service’s payment policy should provide the formal details. Keep these documents with payment statements and raise any difference between the agreed amount and the amount received with the supervising social worker or fostering service. A change in age band, an approved additional expense or a revised care plan should be reflected in the records.

During the assessment process, prospective foster carers should ask how rates are set, how often they are reviewed and whether age bands apply to all placement types. It is also sensible to ask which costs are covered separately, such as birthdays, holidays, school trips, clothing, mileage or specialist equipment. These questions help you understand the likely financial arrangements without assuming that every child of the same age will attract the same total payment.

Become a Foster Family can explain how fostering allowances and other payment elements are structured and what support is available when you are considering an application. Its teams support prospective carers across Birmingham, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Dudley, Sandwell, Herefordshire, Telford, Wolverhampton, Shropshire, Walsall, Warwickshire, Stoke, Solihull, Coventry and Gloucestershire.