# Foster to adopt allowance and adoption pay



## Tictoc (Aug 20, 2015)

Hi all,

I'm hoping for some advice here. we are expecting to have a LO placed next week on foster to adopt and there has been talk about an allowance whilst we are in the foster stage. My problem with this is that under the changes to law since last April I am entitled to adoption pay from my work from the date of placement.

Surely if I am getting a fostering allowance this counts as a salary of kinds and I can't also be paid my adoption pay? How does this work? My adoption pay is worth a lot more than the fostering allowance and we can't afford to lose this. 

Any knowledge as to how this works please? 

Also as a matter of interest how much is foster allowance for a newborn normally?


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## ritzi (Feb 18, 2006)

you cannot be paid adoption pay from work while fostering unfortunately. to be paid statutory adoption pay you must have a matching certification from panel to give to your employer and meet the eligibility for SAP.

the minimum foster fee for a baby is £123 per week.

you also need to register as self-employed and complete a tax return. sorry thats probably not what you wanted to hear.

http://www.fosterline.info/finances/ this link might help.

what have your agency told you? 

/links


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## ultrafirebug (Oct 22, 2010)

I think you get fostering allowance when placed with child and when you receive adoption order then you get adoption pay.  Fostering allowance varies per area/authority.  If you would like to know how much I get pm me.  Good luck with the baby.


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## becs40 (Apr 9, 2013)

As you say tictoc the law changed last year do your adoption leave/pay now covers you for the fostering period. I would check with your agency as my understanding was that the fostering allowance would no longer be paid as you are receiving adoption pay. That's certainly the situation with our la. You may still be entitled to a settling in grant but this varies from agency to agency. 
You'd be best checking these things with your own agency. If your agency will still be paying a fostering allowance then you'd need to speak with your HR. We did fta just before the law changed so I had to take unpaid leave whilst we were fostering and then adoption leave once we'd been to matching panel.


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## becs40 (Apr 9, 2013)

Just to add I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if your agency got it wrong about the allowance and had "forgotten" about the law change and adoption leave now applying from the outset. Call me cynical but certainly with our la I felt like I was having to tell them how it should be because they were clueless!


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## Waiting_patiently (Dec 4, 2013)

Were in the process of doing this for our lo's sibling, sounds like it could be wrong according to others comments so I shall now check it out but we've been advised that the foster allowance will still be valid while our adoption leave starts for f2a until it turns into adoption, I was under the impression its tax free etc so an extra for living expenses whilst fostering rather than classed as an actual wage that's received when fostering as a living?


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## Tictoc (Aug 20, 2015)

Thanks for the advice everyone. 

ritzi - we will be getting a matching certificate for foster to adopt and my work have confirmed I will get adoption leave for this as per latest legislation.

Ultra - interested to hear how yours is working because surely you should be getting adoption leave too - my company were unaware of this change until I informed them.

becs -  you might well be right - I seemed to be informing the SW's on what the latest rules are so it might be they keep mentioning this allowance when actually it won't be paid. To be honest I would happily give up the allowance as I can't see how I can get adoption pay whilst getting allowance unless it is supposed to purely cover babies costs until they are in an adoptive placement. I am really hoping the fostering part is as short as possible anyway as would rather the PO than the money.


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## Tictoc (Aug 20, 2015)

Waiting patiently - that would make sense about it being a cost of living allowance rather than pay. If you find anything out can you let me know please.


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## Tictoc (Aug 20, 2015)

Ps - ours is for LO's sibling too


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## Waiting_patiently (Dec 4, 2013)

Tictoc said:


> Waiting patiently - that would make sense about it being a cost of living allowance rather than pay. If you find anything out can you let me know please.


Will do, I will try and find time to call tomorrow to ask, ours is with a different LA to previous as BM moved whilst pregnant, still very exciting to be able to keep our lo with his full sibling thats coming! I hope we get it as I was kind of hoping to be able to put some away whilst getting it as its looking likely that I wont return to work this time so could do with a buffer zone in the bank


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## Waiting_patiently (Dec 4, 2013)

Something found whilst googling...

Yes, foster to adopt carers will receive a weekly fostering allowance for the child *and* will be entitled to adoption leave. The child remains a 'child in care', so carers will not be able to claim child benefit. *Fostering allowances will cease *once the placement has been agreed at adoption matching panel or the child returns to their birth family or placed in an alternative placement with family friends etc.


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## Tictoc (Aug 20, 2015)

Thanks - where did you find that? As far as I can understand from responses here and hmrc the tax exempt element is quite high for the fostering allowance but this should not include any fostering 'salary' which we wouldn't get anyway. 

It would be nice to receive something as it would allow me to get a cleaner as not sure how I will manage that with 4 kids in tow!


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## Waiting_patiently (Dec 4, 2013)

Tictoc said:


> Thanks - where did you find that? As far as I can understand from responses here and hmrc the tax exempt element is quite high for the fostering allowance but this should not include any fostering 'salary' which we wouldn't get anyway.
> 
> It would be nice to receive something as it would allow me to get a cleaner as not sure how I will manage that with 4 kids in tow!


Hiya, it was on a document from Devon authority (not mine but rules would be the same regardless). I think I've decided to not push on it and just wait and see, if they pay it then great if they don't then hey ho, I'm sure it sounds as though we will though as because lo is not yet in our full care they class it as covering their costs


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## ritzi (Feb 18, 2006)

titoc - thanks for the ponderings....i'll have to dig deeper, it doesnt affect us this time around as i'm on adoption leave, but may affect us in the future   


good luck in your quest!


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## ultrafirebug (Oct 22, 2010)

I don't work and therefore don't qualify for adoption pay.


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## Cazne (Jul 19, 2009)

Joining this thread as I hope to be in this position before too long if all goes well with stage 2 which we are just starting.

Cazne


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## Tictoc (Aug 20, 2015)

Cazne - just a quick update for you and anyone else interested. We got our foster to adopt matching certificate so my adoption pay has been set to start (or re start in my case) from the matching date here. In terms of fostering allowance - we will be getting this also but it is tax exempt up to £10k per annum plus £200 per week per child up to the age of 11. Over 11 it is £250 per week. My numbers might not be exactly right but it's enough to mean we don't need to worry about it.

In theory I can out this through under my name but I am actually going to do it under my husbands name just to keep it simple. Foster to adopt benefits are so new I just want to avoid any confusion.


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## watakerfuffle (Jan 26, 2011)

My husband and I did f2a for our second, the foster allowance was amazing especially as I am self employed. It was tax free and the amount varies depending on how they grade you,  we got £240 per week


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## Cazne (Jul 19, 2009)

Thank you tictoc and waterkerfuffle, it will be very welcome for all the paraphernalia


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