Foster carers are classed as self-employed and are paid to foster when they are taking care of a child. They are not paid when they do not have a foster child living with them.  

Payments are split into two parts. The allowance for the child is dependent on their age and is to cover the costs of caring for that child. The fee depends on the needs of the child for which they are caring and is an acknowledgement of the carer’s time and commitment to the fostering task.  

Approved foster carer’s weekly payment (Tier 1) 

Tier 1 relates to most children place with foster carers. Children have been assessed as having mainstream levels of need.

Per child, per week

Daily rates

Approved foster carer’s weekly payment (Tier 2) 

Tier 2 is aligned to the skill set needed to care for a child with complex needs and difficult to manage behaviours.

Per child, per week 

Daily rates

Approved foster carer’s weekly payment (Tier 3) 

Tier 3 is aligned to the skill set needed to care for a child who has been allocated a Children with Disabilities Social Worker due to their level of disability or who is displaying or has been diagnosed with severe emotional and behavioural disorders. 

Per child, per week

Daily rates

Approved Build a Future or Parent and Child carer’s weekly payment (Tier 4) 

Build a Future is a specialist scheme. The child will have been assessed as having severe emotional and behavioural disorders or is being supported to move back to the North East from distant, external residential provision or a child whose behaviour has been assessed as being too challenging and complex to be managed by a tier 3 mainstream foster home or Parent and Child accommodation. 

Approved Change a Future carer’s weekly payment (Tier 5) 

Change a Future is a specialist scheme. The child will have been assessed as one who is currently resident in Secure Accommodation Units or specialist units such as Fern Dene Hospital and could be considered for discharge into a foster home or a child who has been assessed as ‘high risk’ and who requires a specialist therapeutic foster home or a young parent requiring complex parent and child accommodation or a child who has complex and multiple disabilities whose care demands are such that they could not be cared for within a tier 3 or 4 foster home. 

Supporting you 

As well as fees and allowances, we offer our carers lots of support and training and a vast community of foster carers. We encourage gatherings and support groups and specialist training. Learn more about what makes Newcastle the place for you. 

Need to talk about this? Get in touch.



Call: 0800 917 7771

Visit: Foster with North East - Foster with North East (gosshosted.com)