This year we have made significant progress in campaigning for higher allowance rates that keep pace with inflation across each country of the UK. However, allowance rates in each country are still lower than our recommended rates which include the additional costs of caring for a child in foster care so we will keep campaigning for rates to reach these.
England
Due to continual pressure as part of our #CostOfFostering campaign to increase low allowance rates, the Department for Education announced an increase in the national minimum allowance (NMA) by 3.35% in 2026/27 for foster carers in England. This is the fourth year running the NMA has been increased in line with inflation in England.
The Government also announced that there will be a minimum annual uplift of either 2.5% or the rate of inflation (whichever is higher) for 2027/28 and 2028/29. It’s the first time in over a decade that the Government has made this commitment, which is set out in the latest Spending Review.
Northern Ireland
After two years of no uplift, the Northern Ireland Government announced a much-delayed uplift of 4% to the Foster Care Allowance for the financial year 2025/26, which will be backdated to 1st April 2025. They also announced an uplift of 3% for this financial year 2026/27, which will be back dated to the 1st April 2026.
We welcome this long-awaited uplift and are pleased to see that foster carers will be backdated to April 2025.
Scotland
As a result of our campaigning during the passage of the The Promise [Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland)] Act, Scotland will be the first nation across the UK to enshrine an annual uprating duty on fostering and kinship allowances in in legislation so allowances will always have to rise in line with inflation. We also worked with MSPs to introduce amendments which were passed to require services to publish their payment rates and publish separate allowance and fee rates so there will be greater clarity for foster carers between payments.
In February 2026, the Scottish Government announced a 3.8% increase to allowances for 2026/27.
Wales
In 2026 we welcomed a new requirement in the Part 6 Draft Code of Practice (statutory guidance) that all services should pay the National Minimum Allowance and the introduction of a new enhanced allowance (fee) for foster carers after a consultation on this in 2026.
However, we raised concerns that the code does not attempt to harmonise allowances or fees across Wales or introduce a national fee framework as exists for allowances which is something we have long campaigned for.
In February 2026, the Welsh Government announced an uplift of 2.2% to allowances for 2026/27.
The solution – a fairer funding framework
Our #CostofFostering campaign is calling for a fairer funding framework that covers the full costs of caring for a child in foster care and supports them to thrive.
Our calculations supported by Pro Bono Economics, are based on the Minimum Income Standard for the United Kingdom and Nina Oldfield's ‘The Adequacy of Foster Care Allowances’ which include the additional costs of caring for a child in foster care.
The Fostering Network’s 2026/27 recommended rates are:
- £251 per week to raise a child in foster care aged 0-4 years
- £343 per week to raise a child in foster care aged 5-10 years
- £434 per week to raise a child in foster care aged over 11 years.
The Fostering Network is calling on governments across the UK to:
- Significantly invest in the rates of fostering allowances to meet our recommended rates and ensure they cover the full costs of caring for a child in foster care so they can thrive.
- Increase the upper age limit of the NMA to ensure that young people, while still living in a fostering household in post-18 arrangements, can access stability and support into adulthood.
- Regularly review their NMAs in line with annual inflation and other relevant factors. Enshrine uprating duties in legislation as Scotland have done.
- Expect and ensure all fostering services to adhere to nationally agreed allowances.
- Work with regulatory bodies for fostering in each nation of the UK to introduce systems to monitor compliance with the NMA, in line with current regulatory requirements, to ensure consistency and transparency for children, foster carers and potential future foster carers.
Find out more about our allowances research.
Keep updated on our cost-of-living campaign and find out how you can get involved. As well as hearing more about our cost-of-living campaign, you will also receive regular updates about our latest campaigns, what the policy and campaigns team have been up to and how you can get involved to help make vital change.
If you want to get in touch with our policy team about anything from this page, please email [email protected].
