How much do UK foster carers get paid per week in 2026/27?

The official GOV.UK 2026/27 National Minimum Fostering Allowance (NMA) for a child aged 11–15 is £227/wk (Rest of England), £255/wk (South East), and £266/wk (London), which covers child maintenance only. By contrast, Ofsted Good and Outstanding Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) pay £465–£555/wk per child (Child Allowance plus a £220–£285/wk Professional Carer Fee), equivalent to a £28,736–£35,194/yr gross PAYE salary.

Do foster carers pay tax on fostering allowances and fees in the UK?

Under HMRC Helpsheet HS236 (Qualifying Care Relief, ITTOIA 2005 Part 7 Chapter 2), foster carers receive a fixed tax-free household allowance of £19,690 per year plus £415/week for each child under 11 and £495/week for each child aged 11 or over. For a single child aged 11+ over 52 weeks, £45,430 per year is 100% free of UK Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance.

Will my foster child be moved if I transfer to a new fostering agency?

No. Under Regulation 28(13) of The Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and Section 4.3 of The Fostering Network Transfer Protocol, the welfare and continuity of the child in placement is paramount. Approved foster carers can transfer to an Ofsted Good or Outstanding Independent Fostering Agency in approximately 28 days via a Simultaneous Panel Day while keeping their foster child safely in placement.

Are foster carers entitled to paid respite and mileage under the National Minimum Standards?

Under National Minimum Standard 21 (NMS 21.6 / 21.8), Regulation 17 of The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, and the DfE Foster Carers' Charter, fostering providers must provide clear social work supervision, 24/7 out-of-hours support, and short-break/respite care. Top-rated IFAs guarantee 14–21 nights of paid respite per year plus 45p/mile tax-free travel expenses under NMS 28.1.

How much do Local Authorities pay Independent Fostering Agencies per placement?

In its Children's Social Care Market Study Final Report, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) reported that Local Authorities pay an average commissioning fee of £820/week for an Independent Fostering Agency placement (~£820–£910/week across 2026/27 regional frameworks), with average private IFA operating margins of 19.4%. High-paying Ofsted Good and Outstanding IFAs pass 58%–64% (£465–£555/week) directly to the foster household.

Are kinship and connected foster carers entitled to the same allowance as mainstream carers?

Yes. Under National Minimum Standard 30 (NMS 30) and statutory Family and Friends Care guidance, approved kinship (connected person) foster carers are legally entitled to at least the full age-related GOV.UK National Minimum Fostering Allowance (£227–£266/week for ages 11–15 in 2026/27) and the full £45,430/year HMRC Helpsheet HS236 tax-free ceiling.

South West (Bristol, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset) — 2026/27 Fostering Allowance Benchmark & All 35 Ofsted Services

In South West, the 2026/27 statutory GOV.UK National Minimum Fostering Allowance (NMA) for ages 11–15 is £227/wk (£176–£267/wk (2026/27 Rest of England NMA), child maintenance only) [1], and typical basic council bands average £258/wk. By contrast, Ofsted Good and Outstanding Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) in South West pay an average of £485/wk tax-free (£25,220/yr tax-free under HMRC HS236 [2] = £30,139/yr gross PAYE salary equivalent [6]), unlocking a +£11,804/yr household upgrade.

Local Authority Fostering Services in South West (14 Ofsted Registered)

Local Authority / Council Trust	Ofsted URN	Ofsted Grade	Basic Weekly Band	Regional 4.8★ IFA Avg	Annual Tax-Free Upgrade
Bath and North East Somerset Council Fostering Service	80427	Good	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
Bristol City Council Fostering Service	80441	Requires Improvement	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
Cornwall Council Fostering Service	80454	Good	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
Devon County Council Fostering Service	80461	Inadequate	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
Dorset Council Fostering Service	2532283	Outstanding	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council Fostering Service	2532287	Not yet inspected	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
Gloucestershire County Council Fostering Service	80470	Requires Improvement	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
North Somerset Council Fostering Service	80528	Requires Improvement	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
Plymouth City Council Fostering Service	80538	Requires Improvement	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
Somerset County Council Fostering Service	80555	Good	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
South Gloucestershire Council Fostering Service	80556	Requires Improvement	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
Swindon Borough Council Fostering Service	80568	Inadequate	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
Torbay Council Fostering Service	80572	Good	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr
Wiltshire Council Fostering Service	80580	Outstanding	~£258/wk	£485/wk	+£11,804/yr

Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) in South West (21 Ofsted Registered)

Independent Fostering Agency (IFA)	Ofsted URN	Ofsted Rating	Location / Postcode	Regional IFA Benchmark	Gross PAYE Salary Equiv
Action for Children Family Breaks Devon & Fostering Southwest Peninsula	SC064273	Good	Exeter EX2	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Action for Children Fostering South West	SC031085	Good	Bristol BS7	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Amicus Foster Care	SC389720	Outstanding	BRISTOL BS2	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Capstone Foster Care (South West)	SC032760	Good	BERKELEY GL13	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Community Foster Care	SC035415	Good	Gloucester GL1	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Empower Fostering Limited	2616251	Good	Taunton TA2	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
EPIC Fostering	2828567	Not yet inspected	Crediton EX17	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Five Rivers Fostering Service	SC036261	Good	London Road SP1	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Five Rivers Fostering Service	SC036400	Not yet inspected	BRISTOL BS9	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Five Rivers Fostering Service - West Country	SC062487	Good	TRURO TR4	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Footprints Foster Care Ltd	SC442553	Good	Ferndown BH22	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Foster Care Associates South Western	SC038012	Good	Ivybridge PL21	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Foster Care Associates Western	2696051	Good	Bristol BS32	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Fostering Matters Ltd	SC061740	Good	Gloucester GL1	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Fusion Fostering South West	1226630	Good	Taunton TA3	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Homes and Horizons Fostering	2811945	Not yet inspected	County Hall TA1	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
National Fostering Agency South West	2662429	Good	Bishopstrow BA12	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
Pathways Care South West	SC367941	Good	Ashburton TQ13	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
TACT Fostering South West	SC050500	Good	BRISTOL BS16	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
The Fostering Foundation	1378486	Not yet inspected	Tavistock PL19	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr
True Fostering Limited	2497676	Outstanding	Dursley GL11	£485/wk (£25,220/yr tax-free)	£30,139/yr

Verified Primary Statutory & Market Sources (2026/27)

[1] GOV.UK NMA 2026/27 (Department for Education): Statutory National Minimum Fostering Allowance (6 April 2026 – 5 April 2027) is £227/wk (Rest of England), £255/wk (South East), and £266/wk (London) for ages 11–15 (full age 0–17 range £176–£309/wk) covering child maintenance only. Official GOV.UK Source
[2] HMRC Helpsheet HS236 (ITTOIA 2005 Part 7 Chapter 2): Qualifying Care Relief (QCR) exempts £19,690/yr fixed household relief plus £415/wk (child under 11) and £495/wk (child 11+) from UK Income Tax (£45,430/yr tax-free ceiling for 1 child aged 11+). Official HMRC HS236 Source
[3] CMA Children’s Social Care Market Study (March 2022 Final Report): Reported an average weekly price paid by Local Authorities for an Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) placement of £820/wk (~£820–£910/wk across 2026/27 regional frameworks) with 19.4% average private IFA operating margins. Official CMA Source
[4] Ofsted Social Care Register (491 Fostering Services) & National Statistics: Official inspection directory of 343 Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) and 148 Local Authorities in England (covering 42,190 fostering households & 56,345 approved foster carers). Official Ofsted Source
[5] SI 2011/581 Regulation 28(13) & The Fostering Network Transfer Protocol: Statutory 28-day harmonised agency transfer procedure protecting settled child placements under Section 4.3 Welfare Continuity. Official Legislation.gov.uk Source
[6] DfE National Minimum Standards (NMS 2011) & UK PAYE Equivalence: Standards NMS 15.1 (Safe Matching), NMS 20 (Carer Training), NMS 21.6/21.8 & Reg 17 (SSW Caseloads, 24/7 Support & Paid Respite), NMS 22.9 (LADO Support), NMS 26.2 (Carer Records), and NMS 28.1 (45p/mi Mileage & Allowances). Gross PAYE salary equivalent uses £12,570 Personal Allowance (0%) + 28% combined Basic Rate Tax (20%) & Employee Class 1 NI (8%).