Is emergency foster carer pay different from standard fostering pay?

Emergency foster carer pay may be the same as standard fostering pay, or it may include a different allowance or fee. There is no single national emergency fostering rate. The amount depends on the fostering provider’s payment policy, the child’s circumstances, the type of placement and the terms agreed before the placement begins.

Standard fostering payments commonly reflect two separate elements:

• The fostering allowance: money intended to meet the everyday costs of caring for a child, such as food, clothing, travel, activities and personal items.
• The carer fee: payment for the carer’s time, skills and responsibilities, where the provider operates a fee-based scheme.

An emergency placement should still have its payment arrangements explained clearly. Some providers use their usual fostering allowance and fee structure for emergency placements. Others may apply a specific emergency tariff, an additional payment or a different rate where the placement involves greater uncertainty, more intensive support or a particularly short-notice arrangement. A higher payment is not automatic simply because the placement is described as emergency.

The rate may be affected by factors including:

• the child’s age and assessed needs;
• whether the placement is expected to last for a short period or become longer term;
• the level of supervision, appointments, transport and advocacy involved;
• whether the child needs specialist care or additional support;
• the number of children placed together;
• the carer’s approval category, experience or specialist training; and
• the provider’s rules for emergency, interim or out-of-hours arrangements.

It is important to distinguish an emergency payment from reimbursement of extra expenses. A provider may pay an agreed fostering allowance and fee, while also considering reasonable additional costs linked to the placement. Those costs might include extra travel, equipment or activities, but they are not necessarily included in the basic fostering payment and may require prior agreement or receipts.

Before accepting an emergency placement, ask the supervising social worker or fostering provider to confirm the arrangement in writing. The breakdown should state the allowance, any professional fee, the payment period, how the amount is calculated, which expenses can be claimed and whether the rate changes if the placement continues beyond its initial emergency period.

You should also ask what happens if the child’s needs change. An emergency placement can develop quickly, and the original terms may need to be reviewed if care becomes more demanding, the placement lasts longer than expected or additional support is required. Any change should be discussed with the provider rather than assumed.

For a fair comparison with standard fostering pay, compare equivalent arrangements. Check whether both figures include the same allowance and fee, whether expenses are treated separately, and whether the rates apply to the same age group, approval category and level of need. A payment that appears higher may include costs that would normally be claimed separately, while a standard rate may be quoted without additional expenses.

Ask for clear answers to these practical questions:

• Is this the standard fostering rate or an emergency-specific rate?
• Does the amount include both the child’s allowance and the carer’s fee?
• When will the first payment be made?
• Which additional costs can be claimed?
• Will the payment be reviewed if the placement continues?
• What records or receipts are needed?
• Who should be contacted if the agreed payment does not appear on the payment statement?

Emergency foster carer pay should be agreed as part of the placement planning process, not left unclear because the arrangement was made quickly. If the terms cannot be confirmed before the child arrives, ask for them to be recorded and explained as soon as possible, including any temporary arrangements that apply until the placement is reviewed.