As a Trafford foster carer you receive an allowance to cover the day-to-day costs of caring for a child, such as food, clothing and pocket money. You may also receive a skills payment linked to your training and experience.
Payments are made every two weeks.
Allowances and skills payments
The amount you receive depends on the age of the child in your care. The table shows the current package for a Level 2 foster carer.
Pay rates for 2025 to 2026
| Age in years | Basic allowance | Skills payment | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1 | £170 | £128.46 | £298.46 |
| 2 to 3 | £176 | £125.75 | £301.75 |
| 4 to 7 | £194 | £138.32 | £332.32 |
| 8 to 10 | £194 | £189.62 | £383.62 |
| 11 to 12 | £220 | £175.06 | £395.06 |
| 13 to 15 | £220 | £258.67 | £478.67 |
| 16 to 17 | £258 | £279.55 | £537.55 |
If you need a breakdown of your allowance or have questions about your payments, speak to your supervising social worker or contact the fostering team.
Tax and benefits
Fostering allowances can affect tax and benefits in different ways. The fostering team can explain how this works for your household.
You also have access to independent advice through FosterTalk.
Other benefits
As a Trafford foster carer you also have access to:
- training and development
- specialist services for children in care
- FosterTalk membership with 24/7 legal, medical and counselling helplines
- Max Card and Blue Light Card discounts
Transferring from another provider
If you are already an approved foster carer with another provider and want to transfer to Trafford, our team can talk you through the process and explain how pay and allowances compare.
Contact us
For questions about pay and allowances, contact the fostering team:
- Call: 0300 303 0321
- Email: enquire@fosterforgm.com