Fostering is a hugely rewarding role, but it also takes commitment, resilience and skill. That’s why at Fosterplus, we believe your dedication should be recognised in a meaningful way.
We offer our carers generous, competitive fostering allowances designed to properly support you in your role. These payments reflect the importance of what you do, helping to cover the costs of caring for a child while also providing a rewarding level of income for your time, energy and expertise.
With Fosterplus, you can focus on making a difference – knowing you’re backed by financial support that truly values the vital role you play.
Foster carers allowance in Scotland
As a foster carer you’ll receive a fostering allowance, which is made up of two separate payments;
Child allowance: This money is to be used to cover the day-to-day needs of the child in your care, covering everything from their food to their clothing, toiletries, school supplies and extracurricular activities.
Your professional fee: As a thank you for all the work you do, you’ll also receive an additional payment, your professional fee. This money can be spent however you choose. Your generous fee is designed to reflect the dedication you’ll bring to your role.
How much could I earn through fostering in Scotland?
How much you’ll earn while fostering a child in Scotland will depend upon a range of factors, including:
- How many children you’re able to welcome into your home
- The type of fostering you provide
- The ages of the children you care for
- Whether or not you welcome siblings into your home
You may also be eligible for an enhanced fostering allowance which exceeds the usual rates if a child you’re caring for has complex additional needs.
There’s also an opportunity to earn more as you become a more experienced foster carer – just our little way of thanking you for your expertise and commitment to helping children.
Pay for foster carers
Our rates increase year on year to reflect our families’ changing economic circumstances. Currently, you may be eligible to earn between around £25,000-£30,000 annually per child in your care.
For our most recent payment figures, try our fostering allowance calculator to see just how much you could potentially earn by becoming a foster carer.
Additional financial rewards for fostering
The benefits don’t just stop with our generous fostering allowance. We offer plenty of additional financial rewards, including:
- A mileage allowance to help with transport costs
- £600 holiday allowance for each child in your care
- £200 each year to spend on birthdays for your foster child
- £200 each year to spend on celebrating your foster child’s religious holidays
- £3,000 reward when you successfully recommend a new foster carer to join Fosterplus through our refer-a-friend scheme.
- Access to the Exchange, our foster carer rewards platform, where you can receive discounts off your weekly shop, days out, holidays and more!
Great rewards and benefits for foster families
We believe every foster carer deserves recognition for their dedication. That’s why you’ll receive a generous fostering allowance and access to our exclusive foster carer rewards platform.
From discounts on popular retailers to experiences, holidays and more, you’ll save money and have opportunities to make lasting memories.
Foster carers tax allowance
Most foster carers in Scotland are exempt from paying tax on their fostering allowance thanks to a government scheme known as Qualifying Care Relief. As a beneficiary of Qualifying Care Relief, you’ll receive tax relief on your full amount of fostering allowance.
When you become a foster carer, you will be classed as self-employed. You will therefore need to register with the HMRC and file a self-assessed tax return each year. For a detailed explanation of how tax relief works in favour of foster carers, download our finance guide.
National Insurance for Scottish foster carers
Most foster carers are exempt from paying National Insurance contributions. This will be the case for you if your taxable income is less than the amount covered by your Qualifying Care Relief.
Although you will likely be exempt from paying National Insurance contributions, you may wish to pay voluntary Class 2 National Insurance contributions. If you don’t voluntarily pay these contributions, you may not be able to claim certain benefits, including maternity pay, unemployment benefit and your government pension.
You can learn more about national insurance for foster carers using our finance guide.
Can I foster while working?
The simple answer is yes – in fact, many of our foster carers choose to foster alongside a regular job.
Working while fostering looks different for every family. Some foster carers choose to foster full-time, while others continue in full- or part-time work where it fits around the needs of the child in their care.
Just one fantastic example of how rewarding it can be to work and foster comes from Shona, who is a Fosterplus foster carer as well as a primary school teacher.
“I think both jobs complement each other, for example, the training that I do at school helps at home and likewise, the training I receive as a foster carer is really helpful at school.”
Whether you can work and foster will depend entirely upon your own personal circumstances, including the types of fostering you choose to offer and how much time and energy you’ll have outside of your working hours. Speak with a member of our team to learn more about how you can foster while working.
Become a foster carer today!
Does fostering sound like it could be an exciting opportunity?
If so, don’t hesitate to reach out to us to learn more about how you could benefit from this endlessly rewarding career path.
We’ll be eagerly awaiting your call on 0800 098 4152 to help you get started on this life-changing journey.
Speak to our team
Whether you’re ready to apply or just want to find out more, get in touch with us today
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