Fostering in Lewisham: Rates, Process and Placements

Thinking about becoming a foster carer in Lewisham—or already exploring your options and trying to make sense of pay, support and the steps involved? This guide brings together the essentials: what carers in Lewisham typically receive, how allowances work across England, what extra fee payments you might get, how tax relief affects your take-home, and the exact steps to apply to Lewisham Council’s fostering service. Where figures are quoted, we’ve linked to current, authoritative sources so you have clear, citable facts.

What foster carers in Lewisham typically receive

Lewisham Council pays a weekly tax-free allowance per child, with amounts varying by the child’s age and your experience. Council pages describe a typical range of £350–£500 per week, rising up to around £650 for children with more complex needs. That “£650” upper range signals that Lewisham—like most London boroughs—layers carer fee/skill payments on top of the basic child allowance for higher complexity and experience.

It’s important to separate two things you’ll see on paperwork:

• Allowance: covers day-to-day costs for the child (food, clothing, utilities, transport, school items, clubs).
• Fee/skill payment: recognises your time, training and professional commitment (varies by service and by placement).

Independent fostering agencies (IFAs) that also place in Lewisham publish comparable, sometimes higher, combined packages; ranges depend on the child’s needs and the agency’s model. This is why some adverts quote figures “from £425–£580+ per week”. Always ask for a written breakdown so you can compare like-for-like between allowance and fee.

England’s National Minimum Allowance (NMA) and how it applies in London

Every April, the Department for Education updates the National Minimum Fostering Allowance—a baseline councils and agencies must at least meet. For 2025/26 (6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026), the weekly minimum for London is:

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

Lewisham, as a London borough, must ensure packages meet or exceed these minima for the child’s allowance element. Many boroughs then add carer fees according to skill level and placement needs, which is how local totals reach the £350–£500 typical band and higher for complex needs.

Sector round-ups (and Lewisham’s own public information) reflect this pattern—baseline NMA plus local top-ups and fees—which is why exact weekly totals vary. If you’re comparing a council and an IFA, request a one-page breakdown: child allowance (meets NMA?), fee/skill payment by level, and extras like birthday/holiday contributions, respite and mileage.

What about tax? Qualifying Care Relief (QCR) in 2025/26

Foster carers benefit from Qualifying Care Relief, which significantly reduces (and often eliminates) tax on fostering income. For 2025/26, HMRC sets a fixed annual amount of £19,360 per fostering household plus a weekly amount per person cared for: £405 for a child aged under 11 and £485 for a child aged 11+ (and for adults in Staying Put/Shared Lives). If your total fostering receipts sit below your calculated “qualifying amount”, you’ll owe no income tax on that fostering income; above it, you can still use the simplified method.

(You’ll also find professional explainers that walk through real examples using the same 2025/26 figures—useful if you’d like to sanity-check your own numbers.)

The fostering process with Lewisham: step by step

Lewisham’s team follows the standard England pathway from first enquiry to approval panel, with local support built in.

1) Enquiry and initial chat

Start by contacting the Lewisham Fostering Recruitment team. You can submit the online form for a same-day callback, phone 0800 015 0129, or email fosteringrecruitment@lewisham.gov.uk. This first call checks basic criteria (spare bedroom, right to live in the UK, ability to provide stable care) and answers your early questions.

2) Home information visit

A social worker (or recruitment officer) visits your home to discuss fostering in more detail, look at space/safety, and map out your support network. This is your chance to ask about allowances vs fees, training, respite, and matching.

3) Training: “Skills to Foster”

You’ll be invited to preparation training covering trauma-informed care, safeguarding, safer caring, recording, and education/health basics for children looked after. It’s practical, and it helps you decide which placement types you feel most confident starting with.

4) Assessment (Form F)

Your assessing social worker completes the Form F over several sessions: personal history, family relationships, parenting/caring experience, support network, finances, health, references and checks (including DBS and medical). They also help you draft a safer-caring policy for your household, including bedroom arrangements, visitors, and online safety rules.

5) Fostering panel and decision

Your assessment and training feedback are reviewed by Lewisham’s fostering panel, which makes a recommendation. The agency decision maker then confirms your approval terms (e.g., age range, number of children, placement types). You’ll be allocated a supervising social worker and offered ongoing CPD.

Lewisham runs a support line for carers outside office hours—useful during your first placements.

Placement types you’re likely to see in Lewisham

Lewisham’s needs reflect the wider London picture: a steady demand for carers for teens, siblings, short-term and long-term placements, plus emergency and respite cover. There are also specialist roles such as parent & child (assessment-focused), therapeutic placements, and support for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC). The council’s public pages outline the broad categories they recruit for.

What this means for you: if you can offer a spare room for a teen (or two rooms for siblings), and you’re open to additional training, your chances of regular matching are strong. Therapeutic support packages and fees can be higher for complex needs; ask the recruitment team how training links to fee progression over time.

Allowances, fees and extras: how to budget

Even when fees vary, certain extra costs are commonly covered:

• Mileage and transport for school runs, contact, activities and appointments.
• Holidays, birthdays and festivals—many services publish small additional contributions so children can be celebrated as their peers are.
• Equipment (e.g., cots, stair gates, car seats) and sometimes education support items.

Policies differ by council/provider, so ask Lewisham’s team for the current handbook and a line-by-line explanation of what’s covered and how to claim. (Birthday/festival contributions around £50–£100 are a typical London example—always check the exact policy you’ll be on.)

Matching and day-to-day support

Matching starts with a referral from the child’s social worker. You’ll receive a profile outlining needs, school location, contact schedule, risks, and practical details. A good rule of thumb is to ask placement-specific questions quickly: school distance, contact frequency and who transports, current sleep/health plans, any pending court decisions, and how education and health services are already involved. Lewisham’s supervising social workers will visit regularly, and you can access out-of-hours support for urgent issues.

For recording, expect guidance on daily logs, incident forms, and how to share updates with school/health safely. Lewisham also signposts to specialist teams for private fostering advice and to the MASH for safeguarding questions, which gives you a clear route if you ever need advice about arrangements outside the usual fostering framework.

Who should foster in Lewisham?

Lewisham welcomes applications from single people and couples (married, civil partnered or cohabiting), homeowners and renters, employed or not—as long as you can provide stable, child-centred care and have a spare bedroom. Diversity matters: carers from all backgrounds, faiths and ethnicities are needed so children can be matched to homes that respect their identity, culture and language. If you live just outside the borough—but near schools or family networks in Lewisham—still get in touch; proximity often helps with school stability and contact.

How to apply (and what to do this week)

1. Speak to Lewisham’s fostering team: online form for a callback, phone 0800 015 0129, or email fosteringrecruitment@lewisham.gov.uk. Ask for the allowance + fee breakdown, current extras (birthdays/holidays), and training-to-fee progression.
2. Book an information session: it’s the best way to hear from social workers and current carers about what placements in the borough look like week to week.
3. Prepare for the home visit: check smoke alarms, pet vaccinations/insurance, and identify where the child will sleep; start a list of your support network (friends/family nearby).
4. Gather documents: ID, right to live/work in the UK, tenancy/landlord letter if you rent, GP details, references, and a simple monthly budget to show financial stability.
5. Think age range and placement type: teens vs younger children, siblings, respite, emergency, or parent & child—your early preferences help recruiters match your training and assessment.

Quick FAQs (Lewisham focus)

How much will I actually take home?
Your child allowance is intended to cover the child’s costs; your fee recognises your skill/time. The total you receive is usually tax-free up to the Qualifying Care Relief threshold (fixed £19,360 + £405/£485 per child per week, depending on age). Many carers pay no income tax on their fostering income because of QCR.

Do I need to live in the Lewisham borough?
Living in-borough helps with schools and contact, but talk to the team if you’re nearby—many carers live just over the boundary and still support Lewisham children effectively.

How long does approval take?
Most assessments complete in a few months, depending on checks, your availability and training dates. You’ll do “Skills to Foster,” a Form F assessment, then attend panel for approval.

What kinds of placements are most needed right now?
Across London, there’s consistent need for teens, sibling groups, and carers who can support complex or therapeutic needs—these placements typically attract higher total packages in recognition of the skills and time required.

The bottom line

• Pay & allowances: In Lewisham, expect typical weekly totals around £350–£500, with higher rates for complex needs up to ~£650. These totals reflect the National Minimum Allowance (London band) plus carer fees and extras.
• Tax relief: QCR 2025/26 makes a big difference to what you keep—£19,360 fixed plus £405/£485 per child per week—so many carers pay no income tax on fostering income.
• Support: You’ll have a supervising social worker, access to training and out-of-hours help, and clear routes for safeguarding and specialist advice.
• Next step: Contact Lewisham’s team for a friendly chat and a written breakdown of allowance vs fee so you can budget with confidence: 0800 015 0129 or fosteringrecruitment@lewisham.gov.uk.