Money is one of the first things people want to know about fostering, and one of the things agencies tend to be vaguest about. So this post gives you the real numbers about foster carer allowance: what Apex Fostering pays, what the government minimum is, what the money is for, what happens between placements and how tax works.
First, the honest starting point. There is no foster carer salary in the usual sense. Fostering is not a job with an employment contract. You are paid for each child you care for, and you are treated as self-employed for tax.
Is There a Foster Carer Salary?
Strictly speaking, no. People search for a foster carer salary because it is the simplest way to ask how much do you get paid for fostering, but foster carers are not employees. You do not get a payslip, a workplace pension or sick pay. You receive a weekly payment for each child living with you, and you register with HMRC as self-employed.
As The Fostering Network explains in its guide to fees and allowances, fostering payments can be made up of two parts: an allowance, which covers the child’s day to day costs, and a fee, which recognises your time, skills and experience. Not every fostering service pays a fee, and each one sets its own policy.
At Apex Fostering, carers receive a minimum of £450 a week for each child, rising to up to £1,500 a week for children with more complex needs. Payments are made weekly, and in most cases the first payment arrives one week after a child is placed with you.
The Government Minimum and What Apex Pays
The government sets a national minimum foster care allowance every April. It is the least a fostering service in England should pay to cover a child’s costs, and it depends on the child’s age and where you live. These are the weekly figures for 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027, taken from GOV.UK’s guide to help with the cost of fostering:
| Child’s age | London | South East | Rest of England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 | £205 | £195 | £176 |
| 3 to 4 | £208 | £203 | £182 |
| 5 to 10 | £233 | £223 | £201 |
| 11 to 15 | £266 | £255 | £227 |
| 16 to 17 | £309 | £298 | £267 |
In Essex, the Rest of England rate is the one that applies. So if you are looking up the fostering allowance in Essex, the government minimum for a 12 year old is £227 a week.
When you compare foster carer pay in Essex, it helps to know that Apex’s minimum of £450 a week is well above the government minimum for every age group, including the highest band for 16 and 17 year olds. That is because Apex’s payment is designed to do more than cover a child’s basic costs. It also recognises the skill, time and commitment that fostering takes.
What is Foster Carer Allowance For?
The foster carer allowance part of your payment is for the child, not for you. It is there so the child in your care can live the same life as everyone else in the house. In practice, it pays for things like:
- Food and household bills: meals, snacks and a fair share of heating, electricity and water.
- Clothing: school uniform, shoes, coats and everyday clothes.
- Travel: school runs, health appointments and family time.
- Activities: clubs, swimming lessons, school trips and days out.
- Pocket money and savings: for children over five, Apex asks carers to set up a GoHenry card or something similar, so the child can receive pocket money and start learning how to manage it.
The Extras
On top of the weekly payment, Apex provides a number of extras.
- Holidays: two additional weeks of payment each year, to help with the cost of taking a child on holiday.
- Birthdays: a £20 Amazon voucher for every young person in the household on their birthday, including birth children.
- Christmas and other celebrations: a £50 voucher.
- Savings: some local authorities set aside £5 a week for a child’s savings. If they do not, Apex does this on your behalf.
- Bigger opportunities: if a child has the chance to take part in something costly, such as an overseas sports competition, Apex will contribute towards it.
- Insurance: agency insurance, including up to £100,000 of cover for fire damage caused by a foster child.
Two Worked Examples
These examples use Apex’s minimum rate and assume a child lives with you for the full year. They are illustrations, not a promise. What you are actually paid depends on the needs of the child and how long they stay with you.
Example A: One Child Aged 12
- Weekly payment: £500
- Over 52 weeks: £26,000
- Qualifying care relief: £20,440 household exemption, plus £515 x 52 weeks (£26,780), which comes to £47,220
- Taxable fostering income: £0, because £26,000 is below £47,220
Example B: Two Children Aged 11 and 13
- Weekly payment: £1,000 (£500 x 2)
- Over 52 weeks: £52,000
- Qualifying care relief: £20,440, plus £26,780 for each child, which comes to £74,000
- Taxable fostering income: £0, because £52,000 is below £74,000
In both examples there would be no tax to pay on the fostering income. The two holiday weeks would add to the totals, and both would still sit comfortably within the relief.
What Happens Between Placements?
This is the part many agencies skip. Fostering income depends on having a child living with you. The Fostering Network’s guidance says that, usually, foster carers only receive fee payments when they have a child in their care. When a child moves on, there can be a gap before the next child arrives, and the length of that gap is not always in your control.
It is sensible to plan for quieter weeks rather than count on one placement following straight after another. At Apex, every match between a child and a carer is carefully considered, not rushed, and we would rather wait for the right child than fill a gap with the wrong placement.
Tax, in Two Paragraphs
Foster carers register with HMRC as self-employed and file a tax return each year. Most do not pay tax on their fostering income, because of qualifying care relief. For the 2026 to 2027 tax year, each fostering household can receive up to £20,440 without paying tax on it, plus relief of £435 a week for each child under 11 and £515 a week for each child aged 11 or over. GOV.UK’s guide to tax arrangements for foster carers sets this out, and HMRC’s HS236 helpsheet on qualifying care relief has the full detail.
This is not quite the same as tax-free. The relief covers fostering income up to your limit, and anything above it is taxed in the normal way. Money from a job or other work is taxed as usual too. You may also be entitled to National Insurance credits, which count towards your State Pension.
How Payments Work in Practice
Operations Manager Vicki Stringer explains how payments land:
“Payments go out every week, and for most carers the first one arrives about a week after a child moves in. If anything about a payment is unclear, carers can call us and we will talk it through.”
Sharon, one of our foster carers, on how this works in her family budget:
“Knowing the payment lands every Friday means I can budget for food shops, school clothes, and activities without stress. Having two extra holiday allowance weeks each year makes a massive difference when planning summer family trips.”
For the full breakdown of rates and extras, see our page on foster carer pay. If you are still deciding whether fostering is right for you, our guide on how to become a foster carer walks you through each step.
Frequently Asked Questions About Foster Carer Allowance
Do foster carers get a salary?
No. There is no foster carer salary in the usual sense. Foster carers are self-employed and receive a weekly payment for each child in their care, which covers the child’s costs and may include a fee for the carer’s time and skills.
Do foster carers get paid when they do not have a child living with them?
Usually not. The Fostering Network says fee payments are usually only made while a child is in your care. Some fostering services pay a retainer between placements, so it is worth asking about this when you compare agencies.
Is the payment the same for every child?
No. At Apex, payments start at £450 a week per child and can rise to £1,500 a week for children with more complex needs, depending on the level of care they need.
When does payment start after a child arrives?
Apex pays weekly. In most cases, your first payment arrives one week after a child is placed with you.
Do foster carers pay tax?
Most do not pay tax on their fostering income. Qualifying care relief lets each household receive up to £20,440 a year, plus £435 a week for each child under 11 or £515 a week for each child aged 11 or over, before any fostering income is taxed.
Does fostering affect my benefits?
It can. If you claim benefits, you must tell the organisation that pays you that you receive a foster carer allowance. GOV.UK recommends checking a benefits calculator, and Fosterline offers free, independent advice.
Next Steps
If you want to understand more without talking to anyone yet, come to one of our free webinars. You can watch, listen and leave. There is no obligation.
If money is the question on your mind, it is exactly what our webinar covers. Book a place on our free webinar and hear it from our team directly.
Author Bio
Written by Sali Walker
Founder and Business Manager at Apex Fostering.
Sali is care experienced and has been a foster carer. They saw first-hand how often placements and support can fall short, and set up Apex Fostering to do things differently, with better support for carers and children at the centre of every decision.
