Kinship Zones

About Kinship Zones

Newcastle is one of seven local authorities taking part in a national pilot funded by the Department for Education (DfE). The pilot aims to increase support for Kinship Carers. It’s the largest investment of its kind.

The pilot will support up to 5,000 families across the seven ‘Kinship Zones’. Newcastle will receive funding and support from the DfE to:

• increase the number of Kinship Carers who are eligible for financial support and
• support wider family networks to help children stay safely at home

We’ve worked with the National Kinship Care Ambassador to create a delivery plan for this support.

You can contact us by email at Kinshipzone@newcastle.gov.uk

Kinship Allowance

Who can apply

You can apply for the Kinship Allowance if you’re a Kinship Carer with a formal arrangement, including:

• a Child Arrangements Order (CAO) 
• a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) 
• a Residence Order (issued April 2014 or earlier)

These may have been made privately or by the local authority.

You can also apply if:

• you’re in private court proceedings for an SGO or CAO, and
• you’ve passed the First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA)

You can ask your solicitor about this, if you’re unsure.

The application form opens 1 April 2026.

How to apply

To apply, you must complete the online application form (open from 1 April).

We’ll need to see a copy of your SGO, CAO, or Residence Order. You will need to upload this as part of the application form. 

This allowance is not means tested.

Why this is a pilot

The Kinship Zones pilot will test how paying eligible Kinship Carers an allowance improves placement stability and children’s outcomes. 

The allowance is set at the Fostering National Minimum Allowance.

The government will use evidence from this pilot to help shape any potential future national offer.

How long the pilot will last

The pilot is expected to run for three and a half years from 1 April 2026, subject to funding reviews.

Will the allowance affect my benefits?

If you are in a Local Authority that is part of the Kinship Zones pilot, the allowance will not affect:

• Universal Credit (including the Child Element)
• Child Benefit
• Guardian’s Allowance
• Tax‑Free Childcare
• Pension Credit (unless the allowance is saved as capital)
• Housing Benefit for people over State Pension age (unless saved as capital)

When payments will start

If you are eligible for payment, we will ask you for your banking information if we don’t already have it, and proof that the child currently lives with you. 

We aim to pay you the Kinship Zone allowance within 4 weeks of the date that we are able to confirm your eligibility – this will be when you have sent us all of the information that we have asked for. 

If you already receive an allowance

Your current allowance will stop once we receive evidence of your SGO, CAO, or Residence Order. Your new Kinship Allowance will then be paid weekly.

I already get an allowance - why apply for the new allowance?

• your current allowance is reduced based on income and Child Benefit
• the new allowance is paid in full and not reduced for any other income
• it’s also paid in full even if you receive Child Benefit

The new allowance will be paid at the national minimum fostering allowance rate.

To move to the new allowance, you must complete the application form.

If you currently receive no allowance due to your income

This allowance is not means tested, so you may be eligible if you apply. We’ll need to check your court order to confirm if you’re eligible.

How long you’ll receive the allowance

Eligible carers will receive payments throughout the pilot. The pilot will be three and a half years long, starting from 1 April 2026.

The allowance will stop if:

• the child turns 18, or
• the child no longer lives with you

You must tell us if a child stops living with you. This will be checked as part of your annual review. 

What happens once payments begin

If you’re eligible, we’ll pay the allowance weekly into your bank account.

We’ll also contact you each year to:

• check how you and the child are doing
• confirm that the child or children still live under your care
• remind you that the pilot runs until September 2029
• share updates about the pilot
• send you an annual evaluation survey (voluntary and does not affect your allowance)

You may also be invited to join focus groups or interviews. This is voluntary and won’t affect your allowance.

If you already receive a Kinship Allowance from Newcastle City Council

If you already receive a Kinship Allowance from Newcastle City Council, you must complete the application form to join the pilot. If you choose not to apply, you’ll continue to receive your current allowance under our existing policy.

To take part in the pilot, you need to read and agree to the privacy notice. This explains how your information will be used. Some of your data will be shared with the Department for Education, Alma Economics and Foundations.

If the pilot ends after three and a half years, and you were already receiving a means‑tested allowance before the pilot began, you’ll continue to receive that original allowance.

What the evaluation will study

The evaluation will look at:

• the impact of the pilot
• how it was delivered in different areas
• value for money
• whether the allowance improves outcomes for children
• whether it reduces pressure on the care system

This evidence will help inform any future national policy.

Which children the allowance covers

The allowance is only for children cared for under a formal Kinship arrangement. It does not apply to:

• birth children
• adopted children
• fostered children
• children cared for informally

What if I care for Newcastle children but do not live in Newcastle?

If the children lived in Newcastle when they came into your care, you may be eligible for an allowance.

Living in Newcastle but caring for children from another authority

You may be eligible if:

• you and the children live in Newcastle, and 
• three years have passed since the SGO, CAO, or Residence Order was granted 

If you currently receive an allowance from another authority, you can only join the pilot if you end that allowance. You’ll only receive the new allowance if your application is successful.

Family Network Support Packages (FNSPs)

Family Network Support Packages of FNSPs are designed to keep children living safely at home with support from the wider family network. 

You can find more information on our Family Network Support Packages page.