How much does Stoke-on-Trent City Council Fostering Service pay foster carers per week in 2026/27?

In West Midlands, the 2026/27 statutory GOV.UK National Minimum Fostering Allowance (NMA) is £227/wk (ages 11–15, child maintenance only) and typical Local Authority basic bands average ~£260/wk. Approved carers transferring from Stoke-on-Trent City Council Fostering Service to an Ofsted Good or Outstanding Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) in West Midlands receive an average of £490/wk (£25,480/yr tax-free under HMRC HS236 = £30,501/yr gross PAYE salary equivalent).

Can I transfer my fostering registration from Stoke-on-Trent City Council Fostering Service to an IFA with a child in placement?

Yes. Under Regulation 28(13) of The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and Section 4.3 of The Fostering Network Transfer Protocol, approved foster carers can transfer in approximately 28 days via a Simultaneous Panel Day while keeping their settled foster child safely in placement.

Ofsted URN: 80564 · Type: Local Authority Fostering Service · Ofsted Grade: Requires Improvement · Last Inspected: 15 July 2025

Stoke-on-Trent City Council Fostering Service — 2026/27 Fostering Allowance, HMRC HS236 Tax-Free Pay & Ofsted Benchmark (80564)

Stoke-on-Trent City Council Fostering Service (Stoke-on-Trent ST4) is registered with Ofsted under URN 80564 with an inspection rating of Requires Improvement [4]. In West Midlands, the 2026/27 statutory GOV.UK National Minimum Allowance is £227/wk (ages 11–15 maintenance only) [1], while Ofsted Good and Outstanding Independent Fostering Agencies pay an average of £490/wk tax-free (£25,480/yr tax-free under HMRC HS236 [2] = £30,501/yr gross PAYE salary equivalent [6]).

2026/27 Pay & Tax-Free Breakdown for Stoke-on-Trent City Council Fostering Service (West Midlands)

Benchmark Metric (2026/27 Cycle)	Stoke-on-Trent City Council Fostering Service / Regional Baseline	West Midlands Ofsted Good/Outstanding IFA Avg
Ofsted Registration & Grade [4]	URN 80564 (Requires Improvement — View Official Ofsted Report)	Good / Outstanding (4.8★ Carer Support Benchmark)
Weekly Carer Package (1 Child 11+)	£260/wk (Basic LA band; £227/wk statutory NMA [1])	£490/wk (Allowance + Professional Fee)
Annual Tax-Free Income (52 Weeks) [2]	£13,520/yr (£0 Tax under HS236)	£25,480/yr (Inside £45,430/yr QCR Ceiling)
Equivalent Gross 9-to-5 PAYE Salary [6]	£13,889/yr	£30,501/yr
LA Commissioning Fee Share (CMA Report [3])	32% of ~£820/wk LA fee	60% passed to foster household

28-Day Regulation 28(13) Transfer, New Carer Matching & Next Steps for Stoke-on-Trent City Council Fostering Service

Under Regulation 28(13) of The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and Section 4.3 of The Fostering Network Transfer Protocol [5], approved foster carers with Stoke-on-Trent City Council Fostering Service can explore transferring to a 4.8★ Carer-Rated IFA in West Midlands confidentially. Where a child is settled in placement, the Local Authority and receiving agency coordinate a Simultaneous Panel Day so the child remains safely at home with you and your higher £490/wk allowance starts without a single day’s gap.

1. Approved Carer Transfer (Reg 28): Check 28-Day Regulation 28(13) Transfer Options in West Midlands (£490/wk Tax-Free) on AgencyTransfers.co.uk →
2. Prospective / New Foster Carer Matching: Compare Stoke-on-Trent City Council Fostering Service & Start Free Pre-Approval Preparation in West Midlands on FosterReady.uk →
3. 60-Second Carer Voice Logs (NMS 26.2 & NMS 22): Create Independent SHA-256 Timestamped Carer Records on FosterFlow.uk →

Compare Nearby Ofsted Good & Outstanding IFAs in West Midlands

Verified Primary Statutory & Market Sources (2026/27)

[1] GOV.UK NMA 2026/27 (Department for Education): Statutory National Minimum Fostering Allowance (6 April 2026 – 5 April 2027) is £227/wk (Rest of England), £255/wk (South East), and £266/wk (London) for ages 11–15 (full age 0–17 range £176–£309/wk) covering child maintenance only. Official GOV.UK Source
[2] HMRC Helpsheet HS236 (ITTOIA 2005 Part 7 Chapter 2): Qualifying Care Relief (QCR) exempts £19,690/yr fixed household relief plus £415/wk (child under 11) and £495/wk (child 11+) from UK Income Tax (£45,430/yr tax-free ceiling for 1 child aged 11+). Official HMRC HS236 Source
[3] CMA Children’s Social Care Market Study (March 2022 Final Report): Reported an average weekly price paid by Local Authorities for an Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) placement of £820/wk (~£820–£910/wk across 2026/27 regional frameworks) with 19.4% average private IFA operating margins. Official CMA Source
[4] Ofsted Social Care Register (491 Fostering Services) & National Statistics: Official inspection directory of 343 Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) and 148 Local Authorities in England (covering 42,190 fostering households & 56,345 approved foster carers). Official Ofsted Source
[5] SI 2011/581 Regulation 28(13) & The Fostering Network Transfer Protocol: Statutory 28-day harmonised agency transfer procedure protecting settled child placements under Section 4.3 Welfare Continuity. Official Legislation.gov.uk Source
[6] DfE National Minimum Standards (NMS 2011) & UK PAYE Equivalence: Standards NMS 15.1 (Safe Matching), NMS 20 (Carer Training), NMS 21.6/21.8 & Reg 17 (SSW Caseloads, 24/7 Support & Paid Respite), NMS 22.9 (LADO Support), NMS 26.2 (Carer Records), and NMS 28.1 (45p/mi Mileage & Allowances). Gross PAYE salary equivalent uses £12,570 Personal Allowance (0%) + 28% combined Basic Rate Tax (20%) & Employee Class 1 NI (8%).