Claiming benefits when you’re a foster carer
Becoming a foster carer does not mean you have to give up the financial support you rely on. Many people who foster continue to receive benefits, and the fostering allowance is designed so that you are not left out of pocket for opening your home to a child.
What matters is understanding how the system works and knowing that you will be supported to stay financially secure. Fostering should fit alongside your life — not replace it.
How benefits and fostering work together
When you foster, you receive an allowance to meet the needs of the child in your care. This allowance is treated differently from ordinary income.
For most means tested benefits, the fostering allowance is not counted when your entitlement is calculated. This means fostering rarely reduces the support you receive.
Instead of focusing on the allowance itself, benefit assessments look at your wider household circumstances, your income outside fostering, and who lives with you.
Benefits you may still be able to claim
Many foster carers continue to receive benefits such as:
- Universal Credit
- Child Benefit for your own children
- Housing related support
- Disability benefits for yourself or a child you care for
- Pension related support if you are over State Pension age
Each benefit has its own rules, but fostering does not automatically exclude you from applying or continuing to receive them.
Why you need to tell benefit providers
If you start fostering, you must let the organisations that pay your benefits know.
This is not to reduce your support. It is to make sure your payments stay accurate and to avoid any issues later.
Most people find that their benefits remain the same, and some discover they are entitled to more support than they expected.
Your financial stability matters
Children thrive when the adults caring for them feel secure. That includes financial security.
The fostering system is designed so that:
- You are not expected to use your own income to meet a child’s needs
- You can continue to receive benefits where you are eligible
- You have access to advice if anything changes
- You are supported to maintain a stable home environment
Fostering should never place you under financial strain.
Common concerns and clear answers
Will fostering stop my benefits?
No. In most cases, fostering does not affect your entitlement.
Does the fostering allowance count as income?
For most benefits, no — it is disregarded.
Can I claim for my own children?
Yes. You simply cannot claim Child Benefit for a child you foster.
What if I am unsure what I am entitled to?
You can use an approved benefits calculator or ask for guidance from your fostering team.
Support to help you navigate the system
You will not be left to figure this out alone. Foster carers can access:
- Guidance from fostering staff
- Signposting to independent benefits advice
- Help to understand how changes in your household may affect your support
- Information about tax, allowances, and financial planning
The aim is to make sure you feel confident and informed.
Fostering while claiming benefits
Many people who foster receive benefits, including single carers, carers with disabilities, carers who work part time, and carers who are retired.
What matters is your ability to offer a safe, caring home and to meet a child’s emotional and practical needs.
Your financial situation does not define your ability to foster.
Thinking about fostering while receiving benefits
If you are considering fostering and currently receive benefits, you are very welcome to apply.
With the right information and support, fostering can sit comfortably alongside your existing financial arrangements.