Free guidance on foster carer employment status, fostering allowances, tax treatment, keeping your job while fostering, and what fostering agencies must provide.
Foster carers are not employees of their fostering agency but have statutory rights under the Fostering Services Regulations. Foster care payments are exempt from income tax under Qualifying Care Relief — the 2025/26 exemption is £19,690 per year plus £415 per week per child under 11 or £495 per week per child aged 11 and over.
You have the right to a written foster care agreement, regular supervision visits, training and support from your fostering service. Complaints must be investigated by the agency and can be escalated to Ofsted.
Key areas covered: foster carer allowances, qualifying care relief, tax exemption, fostering rights, complaints. Verified against GOV.UK and The Fostering Network.
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UK workers and residents have significant legal protections covering employment, housing, benefits, consumer rights and more. These rights are enshrined in legislation including the Employment Rights Act 1996, the Equality Act 2010, the Housing Act 1988, and the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
UK Work Rights provides free, plain English guidance to help you understand where you stand. Our AI-powered checkers are regularly updated against GOV.UK, ACAS, Shelter, and Citizens Advice to ensure accuracy. We cover over 70 free AI rights checkers and 36 guides across employment, housing, benefits, consumer, driving, family and more.
While our guidance covers the vast majority of common situations, complex or high-stakes cases may benefit from professional advice. For employment issues contact ACAS (free) or the Citizens Advice helpline on 0800 144 8848. For housing, Shelter can help on 0808 800 4444.
This guidance is general information only and does not constitute legal advice. UK Work Rights — About us · Privacy · Free letter templates
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Note: Foster carers are generally not employees of the fostering agency — but you still have important rights around allowances, tax, and what your agency must provide. For care recipient rights, see our Social Care Rights checker.
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