Do kinship carers receive a regular allowance?

Kinship carers can receive a regular allowance, but there is no single UK-wide payment or automatic entitlement for every kinship arrangement. Whether an allowance is paid, how often it is paid and what it covers will depend on the child’s legal status, the carer’s approval or legal order, and the policy of the relevant local authority.

A regular allowance is normally intended to help meet the everyday costs of caring for the child. This may include food, clothing, travel, school-related costs, household expenses and activities. It is separate from any one-off assistance that may be available for items such as furniture, equipment or setting up a child’s room. The local authority should explain which costs are included in the regular payment and which may need to be requested separately.

The main arrangements are treated differently:

• Kinship foster care: When a relative or connected person is approved as a foster carer and the child is formally looked after, the carer will usually receive fostering payments in line with the responsible fostering service’s scheme. These payments commonly include an allowance for the child’s care and may also include a separate payment linked to the carer’s role, training or skills, depending on the scheme.
• Informal family care: A relative caring for a child by private family agreement does not automatically receive a fostering allowance. The family may need to ask the local authority about other financial support, particularly if the arrangement has resulted from concerns about the child’s welfare.
• Care under a legal order: A child arrangements order or special guardianship order can affect what support is available. Some local authorities provide regular financial assistance subject to their policy and an assessment of the child’s circumstances, while others may provide different forms of support.

Payments are often made at regular intervals, such as weekly or monthly, but the timing is determined by the local authority or fostering service. The amount may be reviewed if the child’s needs change, if the legal arrangement changes or if the authority updates its payment scheme. A regular allowance should therefore not be assumed to be a fixed amount for the whole of the placement.

Before accepting a placement or applying for a legal order, ask for the financial arrangements in writing. The information should clarify:

• whether a recurring allowance is available;
• the payment rate and how often it will be paid;
• when payments will begin;
• whether the payment is maintenance, a fostering fee, or both;
• how additional needs or exceptional costs will be considered;
• whether payments are reviewed and what could cause them to change; and
• what happens if the child’s legal status or placement changes.

It is important to distinguish a regular allowance from help with specific expenses. A child may need specialist equipment, therapeutic support, transport or other items that are not covered by the ordinary maintenance payment. Ask the child’s social worker or kinship team how such costs should be requested and whether prior approval is required.

The person responsible for confirming the payment is usually the local authority or fostering service arranging the child’s care. If you are unsure who to contact, speak to the child’s social worker, your supervising social worker or the local authority’s kinship care team. They can assess the arrangement, explain the applicable policy and confirm whether an application or financial assessment is needed.

Keep records of the information you receive, including the agreed payment, its start date and any conditions attached to it. If the allowance has been discussed but not paid, request a written explanation and ask for the decision to be reviewed through the authority’s complaints or appeals process where appropriate. Independent advice from a kinship support service or family law adviser may also be useful when the arrangement involves a legal order or disputed financial support.