Foster carers in England are to receive a minimum allowance for the first time. From next April, carers who look after babies will get £100 to £116 a week and those who look after teenagers aged 16 and 17 will get £151 to £176 a week, with London carers to receive the highest allowance.

Parmjit Dhanda, the Children’s Minister, said that councils would receive £63 million in the next financial year to improve the lives of children and young people and provide more support for foster carers. However, the Fostering Network said that the allowances were “still far too low”. According to the network’s research, foster carers in London with a 16 or 17-year-old would need a minimum of £239.39 a week.

David Holmes, chief executive of the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, welcomed the allowance, but said: “These national minimum allowances are for the basics. It is money to pay for the essential costs of looking after a child: food, clothes, transport, toys. Let’s also be clear, these are minimum allowances.”

The Department for Education and Skills said the move would make the system fairer.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Anne Darwin's performance of a lifetime
• Renaissance for canals as new boaters come aboard
• Case study: forced to marry a cousin at 17