Milton Keynes City Council: foster carer allowances 2026-27.

Milton Keynes City Council publishes the weekly allowances it pays its own foster carers: £203 to £298 per child for 2026-27, plus a fee for the carer. These are the council’s figures, taken from its website on 29 October 2026.

Milton Keynes' 2026/27 scheme, which applies from 6 April 2026, pays a weekly maintenance allowance by the child's age that covers day-to-day costs, clothing, pocket money and savings. On top of this, carers receive a weekly professional fee for each child, set by their tier.

Weekly allowance by age

Milton Keynes City Council weekly fostering allowance by age band, 2026-27
Age of child	Per week
Age 0 to 4	£203
Age 5 to 10	£223
Age 11 to 15	£255
Age 16 to 17	£298

Fees paid to the carer

Milton Keynes pays a weekly professional fee for each child in placement, by the carer's tier; new carers start at Tier 1.

Milton Keynes City Council weekly fostering fees, 2026-27
Level	Per week
Tier 1 (newly approved)Per child	£169.50
Tier 2 (standard)Per child	£218.50
Tier 3A (enhanced)Per child	£364.50
Tier 3B (enhanced)Per child	£404.50
Tier 4 (specialist)Per child	£550

Also published by the council

A birthday allowance for a gift each year, with at least £83 to be spent
A yearly festival payment that rises with the child's age, from £83 for under-fives to £207 for 16 to 18 year olds
A holiday allowance of up to £517 per child a year towards a family holiday, on request

How this compares

The national minimum allowance in England is £176 to £309 a week depending on the child’s age and the region (GOV.UK, 2026-27). The allowance covers the child’s costs; any fee is the part that is for you, and it is where councils and independent agencies differ most.

Independent agencies covering the same area publish their own weekly totals, often higher, with more expected of the carer. Use the pay calculator to see a year’s figure and the tax relief, or compare what services publish.

Thinking about fostering here? Compare every service that covers the area: Fostering agencies in Milton Keynes (11).

Source

Milton Keynes Foster Carer Payments Scheme 2026/27 (Milton Keynes City Council), checked 29 October 2026. Councils usually change their rates each April; if this page is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.