Payments and allowances
Financial support
- Foster carers and Supported Lodgings carers are employed on a self-employed basis and are not salaried members of Fife Council staff.
- Foster carers receive a weekly fee for themselves and a weekly maintenance payment to cover the expense of looking after the child. This payment varies dependent on the age of the child and covers costs for food, clothing, electricity, holidays and trips, clubs and hobbies, routine transport in relation looking after the child. Additional maintenance payments will be made to cover holidays, birthdays and Christmas and foster carers are entitled to two weeks’ paid holidays per year.
- Supported Lodgings carers receive a weekly allowance for providing full board accommodation for the young person. The young person would also be expected to contribute towards the lodging, depending on their individual circumstances.
Fife Council’s current Fostering Allowances:
Age Related Child Maintenance Weekly
| Ages | Rates |
|---|---|
| 0-4 | £100.40 |
| 5-10 | £113.43 |
| 11-15 | £140.77 |
| 16-18 | £179.91 |
Additional Weeks (7 weeks total)
| Summer = 2 weeks maintenance | Easter = 1 weeks maintenance |
| October = 1 week maintenance | Birthday = 1 week maintenance |
| Christmas = 2 weeks maintenance |
Foster Carer Fees Weekly (paid fortnightly)
| Levels | Rates |
|---|---|
| Level 1 Foster Carer | £253.40 |
| Level 2 Foster Carer | £380.12 |
Subsequent Child Fee Weekly
| £50 per week |
Supported Lodgings Fees Weekly (paid fortnightly)
| Levels | Rates |
|---|---|
| Supported Lodgings Carer | £252.15 |
Short Break Carers
Short break foster carers offering respite placements are paid 1 day’s fee and 1 day’s maintenance allowance for each full night of placement.
Foster Carers who offer short break placements in addition to full time placements are paid 1 day’s maintenance allowance for each full night of placement.
Supported Lodgings
Supported lodgings carers are payed a weekly fee and the young person is responsible for providing their own clothing, activities and transport. Young people generally pay a nominal amount of “digs” money to their carer depending on their income.
Supported lodgings carers get paid a full fee for each young person placed with them.
HM Revenue & Customs support (HMRC)
HMRC provide information about tax liabilities to foster carers through a series of webinars (online presentations) and an e-learning module Tax for Foster Carers on their website. Live or recorded webinars are available on a range of topics for foster carers such as keeping records and what to put on your tax return.