Payments
When you foster with us, you will receive a competitive weekly allowance for each child or young person. This is paid weekly into your bank or building society account.
Additional allowances are also payable for holidays, birthdays and festivals. The festival allowances are normally paid at Christmas, but it will depend on the child’s individual need.
Our payment structure awards carers fairly for what they put into fostering.
How we calculate payments
Payments are made up of an age-related basic fee and an additional payment based on the carer’s tier. Tiers are assessed and decided by your supervising social worker and agreed by the team manager. All new carers will start on Tier 1.
Weekly age-related payments|
£198.17 | + | £209.96 | £253.87 | £287.08 |
£253.87 | + | £209.96 | £253.87 | £287.08 |
£276.37 | + | £209.96 | £253.87 | £287.08 |
£320.29 | + | £209.96 | £253.87 | £287.08 |
For example: A new carer looking after a 1 year old would receive £408.13 per week. (£198.17 age-related payment plus £209.96 Tier 1 payment).
A more experienced carer on Tier 3 who is looking after a 16 year old would receive £607.37 a week. (£320.29 age-related payment + £287.08 Tier 3 payment).
Progressing to a higher Tier
Tiers are measured by training and carer development. This is assessed by your supervising social worker and agreed by the team manager. If you would like to contact a member of our team about how to progress through the tiered system, please contact us.
Moving to a lower Tier
All new carers start on Tier 1. However, if you fail to meet minimum standards of care required of your Tier, it is possible to regress a lower Tier. If you start on Tier 1, you may regress to the weekly base rate alone.
If you are transferring from an external fostering agency
If you are transferring from an external fostering agency, we will need to determine your tier to establish your weekly rate of pay. As a carer for B&NES, you will not be paid any less than your current placement.
Fostering Families payments
Due to the unique nature of caring for a family as a Fostering Families carer, the weekly payments are slightly different to more conventional types of fostering.
The family in need of care will be assigned a level. They will be Level 1, 2 or 3, depending on their needs. A family's level is decided by their supervising social worker.
Fostering Families payments are made up of the basic payment for the family's assigned level, and additional payment based on the carer's Tier. Tiers are assessed and decided by your supervising social worker and agreed by the team manager. All new carers will start on Tier 1.
Weekly tier-based payments|
£187.46 | + | £209.96 | £264.59 | £308.51 |
£220.67 | + | £209.96 | £264.59 | £308.51 |
£308.51 | + | £209.96 | £264.59 | £308.51 |
Find out more about what it means to be a Fostering Families carer.
Family Link payments
You will be paid £13.24 per hour. After 8 hours, Family Link carers will be paid a pro rata amount of the fostering rates. This will be at the same rate as foster carers across B&NES.
Family Link day care will have an additional supplement of £10.71 per day. Family Link overnights will have an additional supplement of £16.07 per night. Therefore, 24 hours will incur an additional supplement of £26.78.
