What costs can kinship care payments help cover?

Kinship care payments may contribute towards the costs of meeting a child’s needs in your household. The exact costs considered will depend on the type of kinship arrangement, the child’s assessed needs and the financial support agreed with the responsible local authority. A payment is not automatically a refund for every expense, so ask for a written explanation of what the agreed support is intended to cover.

Depending on the arrangement, support may help with costs such as:

• Household essentials: the additional utilities, toiletries, bedding and other day-to-day items associated with caring for a child.
• Travel and transport: journeys to school, contact arrangements, medical appointments, meetings and activities connected with the child’s care plan.
• Education-related expenses: items such as uniform, bags, equipment, trips and other costs required for the child to take part in education.
• Activities and social participation: clubs, hobbies, outings and other opportunities that support the child’s development and inclusion with their peers.
• Furniture and equipment: items needed to make the home suitable, including a bed, storage, safety equipment or other essential household provisions.
• Health and wellbeing needs: agreed expenses arising from a child’s physical, emotional or developmental needs, where these are not met through another service or source of funding.
• One-off costs: initial expenses when a child moves in or exceptional costs linked to a change in circumstances. These may need separate approval rather than being included in a regular payment.

What can be paid, and whether a cost is included in a regular allowance or considered separately, varies between local authorities and placement types. A payment for a formal kinship foster placement may be calculated differently from support connected with a special guardianship order, child arrangements order or another legal arrangement. Informal kinship care may also have different routes to financial help.

Local authority support will usually focus on reasonable costs that are directly connected with caring for the child. It may not cover debts, general household spending unrelated to the child, costs already paid by another agency or expenses that were not agreed in advance. Before committing to a significant purchase, check whether prior authorisation is required and whether receipts or other evidence will be needed.

Keep a simple record of additional expenses, including the date, purpose and amount. This can help when discussing the child’s changing needs, requesting a one-off payment or asking for the arrangement to be reviewed. If the child’s circumstances change—for example, through a new school, increased travel, specialist equipment or additional support—tell the local authority and ask how the change may affect the agreed financial assistance.

Ask for the payment terms in writing, including the amount, payment frequency, costs covered, any exclusions, review arrangements and the person to contact about exceptional expenses. If an agreed cost is refused or a payment does not reflect the child’s assessed needs, request the decision and reasons in writing and use the local authority’s complaints or review process where appropriate. An independent kinship support adviser, social worker or legal adviser may also help you understand the terms that apply to your particular arrangement.