Decision details

To recommend the rate of payment increase to North Yorkshire Foster Carers to put in place from 1 April 2025

The Executive Member for Children & Families has agreed to
• Increase the rates for payment of allowances and fees to NYC Foster Carers for the 2025/26 Financial Year by 2.5%.
• To increase the Day Care rate to £9.77 per hour in line with the increase to the National Living Wage

Following the guidance issued by The Fostering Network, in April 2016 North Yorkshire County Council (as it was then) increased fostering payments by the rate of CPI (Consumer Price Index) in December 2015 (which at the time was 0.2%).

3.2 The 2016/2017 methodology has been adopted every year since. In 2023/2024 there were also other additional payment increases: above inflation increase to the Accredited Foster Carer Premium, introduction of bridging payments for Accredited Foster Carers and payment to all Foster Carers of the first 100 miles of travel (that had previously been expected to be paid from the child’s/young person’s Allowance).

3.3 As such, the proposal for 2025/2026 Payment Rates is an increase by the rate of CPI in December 2024– which was 2.5%.