What documents are needed to claim a kinship fostering allowance?

The documents used to claim a kinship fostering allowance must show who you are, where the child is living, the legal or fostering arrangement in place and where payments should be made. The precise evidence depends on whether you are an approved kinship foster carer, temporarily approved as a connected person, or caring for the child under another arrangement.

Personal identification

You may be asked for documents confirming your identity and, where relevant, the identity of other approved carers in the household. These can include:

• a valid passport or photocard driving licence;
• a birth certificate or adoption certificate;
• evidence of a change of name, such as a marriage certificate or deed poll; and
• your National Insurance details, if requested by the local authority or fostering service.

The name on your identification should match the name recorded on your fostering and payment records. Tell the relevant team if your personal details have changed, rather than submitting documents that show conflicting information without an explanation.

Proof of address

A recent document may be required to confirm your usual address and that the child is living in the household. Suitable evidence could include a council tax notice, tenancy agreement, mortgage statement, utility bill or bank statement. The authority may specify how recent the document must be and may ask for separate proof for each approved carer.

If you have moved, are staying temporarily with relatives or do not have household bills in your name, explain this to the social worker or payments team. They may accept alternative evidence, such as official correspondence or a letter confirming your living arrangements.

Evidence about the child’s placement

The payment team normally needs information linking the allowance to a particular child. This may include the child’s full name, date of birth, the date they came to live with you and the placement agreement or written confirmation from children’s services.

Depending on the circumstances, the supporting paperwork could include a connected-persons placement agreement, foster placement agreement, placement notification, written confirmation of temporary approval or a letter confirming that the child has been placed with you by the local authority. The document should make clear who is responsible for the placement and the date from which the arrangement applies.

Legal or approval documents

You may also need evidence of the legal basis for the child’s care. Examples include an interim or final care order, a child arrangements order, a special guardianship order, or other court or local-authority documentation. Not every document will apply to every kinship arrangement.

Where the allowance is linked to fostering approval, provide the approval letter, decision notice or other written confirmation of your status as an approved or temporarily approved kinship foster carer. If the assessment is still in progress, ask which document the authority accepts as evidence of your current status. A kinship carer’s entitlement cannot always be established from a family relationship alone; the authority will need to identify the arrangement under which the payment is being made.

Banking information

To set up payment, you will usually need the account holder’s name, sort code, account number and evidence that the account belongs to you. A recent bank statement or an official bank document may be accepted. Check the payment form carefully if two carers are named on the placement, as the authority may have rules about whose account receives the allowance.

Keep the payment team informed if your bank account changes. Payments can be delayed or returned when the account details do not match the information held on the claim.

Other information that may be requested

The authority or fostering service may ask for additional records to verify the claim, including:

• contact details for your social worker or fostering service;
• the child’s health or education details where these are relevant to a specific allowance or approved expense;
• evidence of household members or caring arrangements; and
• forms confirming that the information supplied is accurate and that you agree to the use of personal data for administering the allowance.

Documents such as DBS certificates, medical information and references are usually associated with the fostering assessment and approval process rather than being proof of payment entitlement. However, the authority may refer to its assessment records when checking a claim, so ask whether it needs copies again.

Before submitting the documents

• Use the local authority’s or fostering service’s current checklist rather than relying on a general online list.
• Check that names, dates and addresses are consistent across the documents.
• Provide clear copies and keep the originals unless the authority specifically asks to see them.
• Do not send unnecessary sensitive information, such as unrelated bank transactions.
• Ask how documents should be submitted and how your information will be stored.
• Keep a copy of the completed claim form and everything you provide.

If a document is unavailable, do not delay contacting the social worker or payments team. They may be able to verify the information from their records or explain what alternative evidence is acceptable. Become a Foster Family can also help you understand which parts of the fostering and placement paperwork relate to an allowance, although the local authority or responsible fostering service confirms the final requirements.