Fostering in Bromley: Local Allowances and Next Steps

Thinking about becoming a foster carer in Bromley—or already approved and wondering what support and allowances look like locally? This guide pulls together the essentials: how England’s 2025/26 national minimum fostering allowances apply in a London borough like Bromley, what local extras and support you can expect, and the exact next steps to get started with Bromley Council or compare options with nearby agencies.

1) What “allowance” means—and how it works in Bromley

Across the UK, the fostering allowance is designed to cover a child’s day-to-day costs: food, clothing, utilities, school items, transport, clubs, and social activities. In England, the Department for Education (DfE) sets a National Minimum Fostering Allowance (NMA) that updates every April and varies by the child’s age and regional band (London, South East, Rest of England). Agencies must at least meet these national minimums; many pay more through additional carer fees and extra payments.

Bromley sits in the London band, so the London minima apply. For the tax year 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026, the weekly national minimum is:

• 0–2: £198
• 3–4: £201
• 5–10: £225
• 11–15: £257
• 16–17: £299.

These are the baseline child-maintenance amounts. Your total weekly payment may be higher once you include any carer fee/skill payment, plus reimbursable items such as mileage or specialist equipment. Local authorities and independent fostering agencies (IFAs) structure these packages differently, which is why published “up to” figures can vary widely. For instance, a public “Foster with Your Council” page referencing Bromley mentions “weekly payments up to £800 per week, depending on the age of the child and their specific needs.” That kind of figure typically reflects the combined package (allowance + fee + potential add-ons), not just the baseline allowance. Always ask for a written breakdown.

Bromley-specific note: the council confirms that savings for every child are handled “at source”—£2.50 per week for ages 0–10 and £5.00 per week for 11+. That money is set aside on the child’s behalf, separate from the day-to-day maintenance.

2) Support, training and the local picture in Bromley

Bromley Council highlights that its fostering service is Ofsted ‘Outstanding’—their own hub page calls this out to prospective carers and links to inspection information. An Outstanding rating indicates very strong practice and support for children and carers, and Bromley’s main fostering page invites enquiries based on that status. (When you speak to the team, they’ll happily point you to the relevant Ofsted reports.)

Beyond allowances, carer support matters. Bromley publishes information about training and development, 24/7 support, and even a refer-a-carer reward for helping recruit more households. These aren’t universal across the country; they’re local features that improve your experience and retention as a carer.

Finally, remember Bromley works within a busy London market. Alongside the council, several reputable IFAs actively recruit in the borough and sometimes advertise higher combined packages (because they incorporate fees and specialist placements like parent & child). If you’re comparing offers, look for transparency on:

• what’s guaranteed (the allowance),
• the structure of any skill/fee payments,
• mileage and equipment rules,
• retainer arrangements,
• respite, birthday/holiday payments, and
• out-of-hours support.

3) Tax relief for foster carers in 2025/26 (so you can budget sensibly)

Most carers pay little or no income tax on fostering income thanks to Qualifying Care Relief (QCR)—a simplified HMRC scheme that sets a tax-free “qualifying amount.” For 2025/26, the official helpsheet states:

• a fixed household amount of £18,140 for the year, plus
• a weekly amount per person in placement: £375 (under 11) and £450 (11 or over/adults).

If your total fostering receipts are below that combined amount, you owe no tax on fostering income; above it, you can use the simplified “profit” method. (Always follow HMRC guidance or speak to a tax adviser.)

This is why a headline “£X per week” from different agencies doesn’t automatically tell you take-home. To compare properly, ask each provider to model a sample year for you (same placement ages, same weeks) and show the impact of QCR.

4) “What extra payments can I expect?” (birthdays, holidays, mileage)

Many councils and agencies provide additional payments—for example, birthday and festive allowances, holiday contributions, equipment budgets for younger children, and mileage for school runs and contact. Policies vary by provider, so you should ask Bromley (or any IFA) for the current handbook or policy sheet that spells out what is covered and at what rates. As noted above, Bromley also deducts child savings at source weekly.

5) Who can foster in Bromley?

Bromley’s “Who can foster and how to apply” page is clear: carers come from all walks of life. There’s no single mould—what matters is that you can provide a safe, loving, and stable home, with the time and resilience to work with the child’s network (birth family, school, social workers, health). The team explicitly welcomes enquiries from all genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, ages, religions, disabilities and relationship statuses.

Space: in most cases, children need their own bedroom. Work: you can work and foster, though the availability you can offer (especially during school holidays/contact times) is discussed during assessment.

6) The step-by-step process with Bromley Council

Bromley outlines a clear application journey and posts regular information sessions you can join before you apply. Here’s the short version:

1. Initial enquiry – Call or email for an informal chat, or complete the online form. The team will discuss your circumstances, answer questions, and book you onto a virtual/in-person information session if you haven’t attended yet.
2. Home visit / initial home assessment – A worker visits to talk through fostering in more detail and check basic home requirements.
3. Training: “Skills to Foster” – You’ll attend mandatory prep training and begin to gather your portfolio evidence.
4. Full assessment (Form F) – Background checks (DBS, medicals, references), a series of home study sessions, and safer-caring planning.
5. Fostering panel – An independent panel reviews your assessment and recommends approval terms (e.g., age range, numbers, placement types). A senior manager makes the agency decision.
6. First placement & ongoing support – You’re matched with a child whose needs fit your approval terms; you’ll have a supervising social worker, 24/7 support, and ongoing CPD.

Contact Bromley’s fostering team directly:
Phone: 020 8461 7701
Email: fostering@bromley.gov.uk
Address: Fostering Team, Bromley Civic Centre, Churchill Court, 2 Westmoreland Road, Bromley, BR1 1AS.

You can also explore the “Foster with Your Council” page dedicated to Bromley—which summarises support and headline payment messaging and routes you back to the council.

7) Comparing Bromley Council with IFAs (when might an IFA suit me?)

There’s no single “best” route—both the council and IFAs provide excellent care. Some families prefer the local authority route for the direct link to Bromley’s children’s services and strong access to local schools and teams; others choose an IFA if they’re interested in specialist placements (for example, parent & child) or prefer the specific training and wraparound support an agency offers. Check package transparency and placement mix: if an IFA can’t place Bromley children frequently, you might travel more for school and contact.

A few agencies openly recruit in Bromley and publish indicative combined figures or specialist averages (again, that’s allowance + fee + add-ons, not the NMA alone). Use those as a conversation starter and ask for a personalised breakdown for your household.

8) Kinship and broader local support

If you’re caring for a relative or a child you already know, kinship care pathways may be relevant. National charities operate programmes in Bromley—for example, Kinship Connected—offering advice groups, navigation help, and peer support. This can sit alongside Bromley’s own support offer.

9) Your next steps (today, this week, next month)

Today (10 minutes):

• Read Bromley’s overview pages and jot down your age range and placement type preferences (e.g., 5–10, siblings, short-term).
• Skim the allowance table for London and note what that would look like for your preferred age range(s).

This week (30–60 minutes):

• Book an information session or ask for a one-to-one call. The team runs regular events and will happily talk through the realities (contact, school, mileage, matching).
• Request Bromley’s carer handbook or a written payments breakdown (allowance vs fee vs add-ons vs savings), so you can compare apples to apples.

This month:

• If it feels right, submit your online application and begin your journey to panel. The team will guide you through training, checks and safer-caring plans.

10) Frequently asked questions

Do Bromley carers get more than the minimum?
They can. The NMA is the floor. Your total package depends on placement type, skills/experience, and any agreed add-ons. Ask Bromley for a written breakdown (and remember the child savings deduction is handled at source locally).

Is Bromley’s service any good?
Bromley’s own information highlights an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ judgement and links to recent inspections. You can cross-check the Ofsted site yourself for the latest reports.

What about tax—will I owe anything?
Thanks to Qualifying Care Relief, many carers pay no income tax on fostering receipts. For 2025/26, HMRC sets a fixed household amount of £18,140, plus £375/£450 per week per person in placement (under 11/11+). Compare your annual receipts to that qualifying amount to see if any tax is due.

Can I talk to someone before I apply?
Yes. Phone 020 8461 7701 or email fostering@bromley.gov.uk for an informal chat, or join a scheduled information session.

11) The takeaway for Bromley

• Allowances: In London, the 2025/26 minimum weekly allowance ranges from £198 (ages 0–2) to £299 (16–17). Your total may be higher once fees and add-ons are included.
• Local features: Bromley sets aside savings weekly for children and advertises robust training and support, with a referral reward for bringing in new carers.
• Quality: Bromley promotes its Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ status and a strong practice culture—worth exploring at an information session.
• Action: Start with a call or email, attend a session, and request a clear payments breakdown so you can compare Bromley with any IFA you’re speaking to