Celebrities that Grew up in Foster Care in Northern England
What happens when a child is taken into care?
8 Benefits of being a Foster Parent
Fostering as a career
How long does it take to become a foster carer?
Becoming a foster carer in the UK
Fostering Myths
Cultural diversity in foster care
How to foster a child
Can I choose who I foster?
What is the role of an independent fostering agency?
How to support the reunification process
What is private fostering?
Benefits of fostering with an independent fostering agency
Fostering a child with disabilities
Fostering a disabled child
Changing IFA: Transferring to Excel Fostering
What happens on an initial home visit?
How to prepare your home for a foster child
Can I take my foster child on holiday?
How to prepare for fostering a child for the first time
Fostering across cultures
Fostering Children UK: Make a Difference
Fostering requirements
Fostering as a single parent
Can you foster a child with a criminal record in the UK?
Can you work and foster
LGBTQ+ Fostering
Can I foster if...?
Can I foster while renting?
5 Transferable job skills to become a foster carer
Fostering with mental health issues
Muslim Fostering
Christian Fostering
Sikh Fostering
Can You Foster if You Have Mental Health Condition
Children who foster
Disability Fostering
5 Myths about Fostering Teenagers
How much does it cost to raise a child in the UK?
5 Foster Child Bedroom Ideas
Can I foster if I have pets?
Positive Behaviour Management Strategies for Children in Foster Care
How to bond with your foster child
What is a Care Leaver?
6 reasons for a child to be taken into foster care
How to adopt from foster care
Fostering Vs Adoption
Tips for coping when foster placements end.
Does my foster child have depression?
How to deal with foster child bullying
Do foster carers get a pension?
Common Fostering Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Everything you need to know about Fostering Teenagers
Do foster carers need to pay tax?
What happens if foster parents separate or get divorced?
Fostering as a career is suitable for individuals over the age of 21 and has no upper age limit subject to your ability to mentally and physically care for the child. If you are thinking about fostering and have questions regarding your pension, our helpful guide has you covered.
Working as a foster carer will not affect your state pension contribution. The new State Pension scheme now dictates that your State Pension entitlement is dependent on your National Insurance contribution. You will earn Class 2 or Class 4 National insurance credits that are valid for each week that you are approved as a foster carer, which counts towards the basic and additional State Pension – meaning the work you do as a foster carer will count towards your National Insurance contribution.
In order to claim your National Insurance credits, you will need to fill out and complete a CF411A form and submit it to HMRC annually alongside evidence that you are a foster carer. The form can be sent via post or completed online using your Government Gateway account.
If you are a foster parent and are retired or semi-retired, you are able to claim a pension. As there is no default retirement age within the UK, you are able to continue working as a foster carer and claim your state pension as long as you have reached the state pension age of 66 years old. If you have a private pension, you are able to continue to work as a foster carer and claim your pension on the condition you have reached the age that was agreed with your provider.
Fostering is a rewarding career that is suitable for any age. We ask that you are over the age of 21, have a spare bedroom available, but above all, are able to provide a loving and caring home for the children in your care. For those reaching retirement age, you may feel as though you have the life experience and maturity to provide a nurturing and loving environment for a foster child. You may have had a career that has provided you with transferable and important life skills that are relevant to becoming a good foster carer if you choose to do so during retirement.
If you are considering fostering during your retirement and would like to find out more about the benefits of fostering with Excel, simply contact a friendly member of our team today or learn more about our foster care requirements here.
If you’ve got any questions or would like to find out more about fostering with Capstone, fill out the form below.
An experienced fostering advisor from your local area will then be in touch.
Start the conversation today. Our team of friendly advisors are on hand to answer any foster care questions you may have. We can offer you honest and practical advice that can help you decide if becoming a foster carer is the right path for you.