Wakefield Council: foster carer allowances 2026-27.

Wakefield Council publishes the weekly allowances it pays its own foster carers: £177 to £267 per child for 2026-27, plus a fee for the carer. These are the council’s figures, taken from its website on 2 November 2026.

Wakefield pays a weekly allowance for each child, set by age, plus a weekly skill-based payment at one of four levels. New carers can receive up to £1,500 in bonuses and loyalty payments in their first year. The council's page does not state which year the rates are for; they are shown here as 2026-27, and are at or above the government's minimum allowances for April 2026 to March 2027.

Weekly allowance by age

Wakefield Council weekly fostering allowance by age band, 2026-27
Age of child	Per week
0 to 2	£177
3	£182
4 to 10	£201
11 to 15	£229
16 and over	£267

Fees paid to the carer

Wakefield pays a weekly skill-based payment for each child on top of the age-based allowance, at one of four levels.

Wakefield Council weekly fostering fees, 2026-27
Level	Per week
Skill Level 1	£53
Skill Level 2	£133
Skill Level 3	£239
Skill Level 4	£477

Also published by the council

A £500 welcome bonus after three months with a child in placement
A £500 reward after the first 12 months with a short or long-term placement
From April 2026, a £500 loyalty payment each year for carers who have offered placements for 48 weeks or more
Holiday and birthday allowances (amounts not published)

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 Wakefield (6).

Source

Why Foster with us? (Wakefield Council fostering), checked 2 November 2026. Councils usually change their rates each April; if this page is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.