Payments
Foster carer pay calculator.
Fostering pay has two parts: an allowance for each child, with a published minimum, and a fee for you that each service sets. Enter the fee a service quotes and see the weekly and yearly picture, including how much of it is tax-free.
Median of the weekly totals 22 agencies publish on their own sites: from £460 starting out to £652 with experience or a child with higher needs (published range £400 to £1,000). Checked 27 October 2026.
Payments stop between placements unless the service pays a retainer. 52 assumes a child all year.
| Child | Basis | Per week |
|---|---|---|
| Age 5 to 10 | Typical agency package (starting) | £460.00 |
- Per week
- £460.00
- Per year (52 weeks)
- £23,920
- Tax-free under Qualifying Care Relief
- £43,060
- Estimated taxable amount
- £0
Qualifying Care Relief for 2026-27: £20,440 per household plus £435 a week for each child under 11 and £515 a week for each child aged 11 or over (GOV.UK). Only income above the relief is taxable, at your usual rates after your personal allowance. Typical packages are what services publish for one child and vary with the child's needs and your experience; a service's own quote always beats a typical figure. This is an estimate, not tax advice.
Want the detail behind these numbers? Read Foster carer pay and allowances, which lists every source. To find out what a specific service pays, open its profile in the directory and follow the link to its own website.