Allowances as an evolve Foster Parent

Whilst money shouldn’t be your biggest motivator for fostering, we know it is a factor when considering a professional role, and fostering is no exception.

Fostering allowances vary greatly depending on:

• Which fostering service you foster for
• The child in your care’s age
• The needs of the child
• Where you live

evolve’s minimum fostering allowance is £460 per child per week and can increase to up to £950 if you care for a parent and child fostering arrangement.

The government website states that the minimum foster care allowance ‘to cover the cost of caring for a child… is usually between £165 and £289 a week’.

However, on average, evolve Foster Parent’s earn around £675 per week per child.

There are also differences in how much you can earn before tax when you become a foster parent.

Tax allowances when you foster

Foster parents are registered as self-employed and are responsible for completing their own tax returns. You can work with only one fostering service at a time.

As of April 2025, foster parents can:

• Earn up to £19,360 before you must pay tax
• Get tax relief for every week you foster a child or young person, known as qualifying care relief.

This means that usually you don’t pay tax on your earnings as a foster parent.

For the most up to date information please visit https://www.gov.uk/support-for-foster-parents/tax-arrangements or for more independent advice please visit https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/advice-information/finances/tax-and-national-insurance