Entitlements

Personal allowance
No
16 to 19 bursary to be applied for and accessed if in education/training, then upon individual assessment.
Setting up home grant
Yes, up to £2000, and where possible should not be used until the young person moves to independent accommodation carer should be preparing for independence.
Clothing
To be provided by residential home or foster carer.
16th & 17th birthday
To be provided by residential home or foster carer.
Festival
To be provided by residential home or foster carer.
EET equipment / clothing
16 to 19 bursary to be applied for and accessed if in education/training, then upon individual assessment, alongside foster carer/ residential home contribution.
Travel / bus pass
Use bursary then assessed need/ special circumstances if not provided by foster carer / residential home.
Hobbies / interests
Individually assessed alongside foster carer / residential home contribution
Driving license
Maximum amount of £300 provided to go towards driving lessons/theory test/practical test. Eligibility criteria applies, please speak to your social worker or personal advisor for further details.
Cold weather payment
N/A
Passport
First adult passport only
Accommodation
Yes

If you are not working, entitled to benefits or receiving any other form of income, and you are not living in foster or residential care, you will receive the following:

Personal allowance
Yes – £57.90 per week
Assessed as to how this is distributed
Setting up home grant
Yes up to £2000, and where possible should not be used until the young person moves to independent accommodation
Clothing
Winter and summer allowance:
£60 x 2 = £120
Based on assessed need.
Birthday
£20 on 16th and 17th birthdays
Festival
£50
EET equipment / clothing
16 to 19 bursary to be applied for and accessed if in education/training, then upon individual assessment.
Travel / bus pass
16 to 19 applied for and accessed if in education/training, then upon individual assessment.
Hobbies / interests
Individually assessed
Driving license
Maximum amount of £300 provided to go towards driving lessons/theory test/practical test. Eligibility criteria applies, please speak to your social worker or personal advisor for further details.
Passport
First adult passport only
Accommodation/support costs
Yes

In addition to the above, there are also discretionary payments which can be agreed with the social work managers, and included in your pathway plan. These include:

• Dental treatment (for NHS treatment)
• Glasses (for frames only, lenses should be free on the nhs)
• Phone cards/mobile phone
• Passports, travel document applications
• Educational materials/special equipment
• Costs associated with special needs
• Activities and leisure (this is for hobbies, holidays, leisure and related activities e.g. Gym costs and driving lessons)
• Maternity payment and costs of child care
• Travel to contact
• Clothing allowance
• Cultural and religious needs
• Counselling and therapeutic needs

Personal allowance
Individual assessment
Setting up home grant
Individual assessment
Clothing
Individual assessment
Birthday
Individual assessment
Festival
Individual assessment
EET equipment / clothing
Individual assessment. 16 to 19 bursary to be applied for and accessed if in education/training
Travel / bus pass
Individual assessment. 16 to 19 bursary to be applied for and accessed if in education/training
Hobbies / interests
Individual assessment
Driving license
Maximum amount of £300 provided to go towards driving lessons/theory test/practical test. Eligibility criteria applies, please speak to your social worker or personal advisor for further details.
Passport
First adult passport only

Payments to young people returning home will be considered on an individual basis and the above support is only offered for a maximum of 6 months after the child moves home. Parents will be expected to apply for mainstream benefits to support the child.

Requests for any of the above support should be made with an accompanying assessment taking into account when the young person returned home, individual family circumstances, safeguarding, whether the young person is accessing employment, education or training any other relevant facts.

Personal allowance
Yes £57.90
16 to 19 bursary to be applied for and accessed if in education/training
Setting up home grant
Yes up to £2000, and where possible should not be used until the young person moves to independent accommodation
Clothing
Winter and summer allowance:
£60 x 2 = £120
Based on assessed need.
Birthday
£20 on 16th and 17th birthdays
Festival
Total value £50.
EET equipment / clothing
16 to 19 bursary to be applied for and accessed if in education/training then individual assessment.
Up to £150 for education/work related clothing ñ subject to individual assessment)
Travel / bus pass
16 to 19 bursary to be applied for and accessed if in education/training then individual assessment.
Hobbies / interests
Based on assessed need.
Driving license
Maximum amount of £300 provided to go towards driving lessons/theory test/practical test. Eligibility criteria applies, please speak to your social worker or personal advisor for further details.
Cold weather payment
Where eligible according to weather conditions.
Passport
First adult passport only.
Accommodation / support costs
Yes

Personal allowance
Based on earnings.
See table below.
Setting up home grant
Yes, up to £2000, and where possible should not be used until the young person moves to independent accommodation
Clothing
Winter and summer allowance:
£60 x 2 = £120
Based on assessed need.
Birthday
£20 on 16th and 17th birthdays
Festival
£50
Work equipment / clothing
Yes up to £150 for education/work related clothing ñ subject to individual assessment)
Travel / bus pass
Discretionary and subject to individual assessment
Hobbies / interests
Based on assessed need.
Driving license
Maximum amount of £300 provided to go towards driving lessons/theory test/practical test. Eligibility criteria applies, please speak to your social worker or personal advisor for further details.
Cold weather payment
Where eligible according to weather conditions.
Passport
First adult passport only
Accommodation / support costs
Yes

Work Allowances: The effect of earned income to personal allowance

Wages (£/week)	Personal Allowance Due (£/week)
£30	£57.90
£35	£52.90
£40	£47.90
£45	£42.90
£50	£37.90
£55	£32.90
£60	£27.90
£65	£22.90
£70	£17.90
£75	£12.90
£80	£7.90
£85	£0

Personal allowance
Yes. £57.90 per week. Payments can be reduced depending on young person’s efforts to engage in EET and any payments withheld, paid when entering EET.
Setting up home grant
Yes, up to £2000, and where possible should not be used until the young person moves to independent accommodation.
Clothing
Winter and summer allowance:
£60 x 2 = £120
Based on assessed need.
Birthday
£20 on 16th and 17th birthdays
Festival
£50
Work equipment / clothing
Based on individual assessment
Travel / bus pass
Based on individual assessment or placement/ pa to escort for job interview.
Hobbies / interests
Based on individual assessment
Driving license
Maximum amount of £300 provided to go towards driving lessons/theory test/practical test. Eligibility criteria applies, please speak to your social worker or personal advisor for further details.
Cold weather payment
Where eligible according to weather conditions.
Passport
First adult passport only
Accommodation / support
Yes

Young people serving a custodial sentence will receive a discretionary payment of £5.00 per week, which will be paid to them via the prison service.

Payment will be arranged in accordance with the guidelines of the managing authorities of the prison in which the young person is held.

If for any reason there is reason to review the payment of weekly personal allowance, the personal adviser or social worker will submit an assessment to relevant team manager for discussion.

Clothing payments are individually assessed and based on need and requests should be submitted with a personal adviser’s or social worker’s assessment to the relevant team manager for discussion.

Payments towards education or other costs are individually assessed and should be submitted with a detailed assessment to the relevant team manager for a decision.

Young people serving a custodial sentence will receive a discretionary payment of £5 per week, which will be paid to them via the prison service.

Young people in custody will be encouraged to undertake work / education while in custody as this will help with the young person’s financial situation.

Young people in custody can receive birthday payments however, at the equivalent amount to those young people who are not in custody. The manner in which these are paid should be determined by assessment and in discussion with the young person, the team manager and custodial establishment. It could be that the money is held on behalf of the young person to support their discharge from custody.

Personal allowance
N/A
Young person to claim universal credit, to be applied for one month prior to young person turning 18.
16 to 19 bursary to be applied for and claimed, dependant on age. Young personal could be entitled to discretionary financial support from the college if 19+.
Setting up home grant
Yes up to £2000, and where possible should not be used until the young person moves to independent accommodation.
Clothing
winter and summer allowance:
£60 x 2 = £120
Based on assessed need.
Birthday
£100 (18th & 21st), £50 (19th and 20th).
Festival
£50
EET equipment / clothing
16 to 19 bursary to be applied for and accessed if in education/training then upon individual assessment.
Travel / bus pass
16 to 19 bursary to be applied for and accessed if in education/training then upon individual assessment.
Driving license
Maximum amount of £300 provided to go towards driving lessons / theory test / practical test. Eligibility criteria applies, please speak to your social worker or personal advisor for further details.
Passport
First adult passport only
Accommodation
Young person to contribute towards their housing costs by applying for housing benefit or universal credit (rent allowance).

Personal allowance
N/A
May be able to claim universal credit if on low income.
Setting up home grant
Yes up to £2000, and where possible should not be used until the young person moves to independent accommodation.
Clothing
Winter and summer allowance:
£60 x 2 = £120
Based on assessed need.
Birthday
£100 for 18th & 21st and £50 for 19th & 20th.
Festival
£50.00
EET equipment / clothing
Discretionary based on need. Proof and receipts required.
Travel / bus pass
Discretionary based on income and whether paid by employer/other
Driving license
Maximum amount of £300 provided to go towards driving lessons/theory test/practical test. Eligibility criteria applies, please speak to your social worker or personal advisor for further details.
Passport
First passport only
Accommodation
Young person to contribute towards their housing costs with their earnings or by applying for housing benefit or universal credit (rent allowance) if on low income.

National Minimum Wage

Age	2019/2020
25 and over	£8.21
21-24	£7.70
18-20	£6.15
Under 18	£4.35

National Minimum Wage rates for apprentices:

From 2019/2020: £3.90

*The NMW rate for apprentices applies to under 19 or anyone in their first year. Apprentices aged 19+ and past their first year get the NMW rate that applies to their age (see scenario 8).

Personal allowance
N/A
Young person to claim universal credit, to be applied for one month prior to young person turning 18.
Setting up home grant
Yes up to £2000, and where possible should not be used until the young person moves to independent accommodation.
Clothing
Winter and summer allowance:
£60 x 2 = £120
Based on assessed need.
Birthday
£100 (18th & 21st), £50 (19th and 20th).
Festival
£50
EET equipment / clothing
Discretionary for the purposes of a job interview, proof and receipts required (if jobcentre does not provide).
Travel / bus pass
N/A
Upon individual assessment of special circumstances or EET related. Jobcentre to be approached at the first instance.
Driving license
Maximum amount of £300 provided to go towards driving lessons/theory test/practical test. Eligibility criteria applies, please speak to your social worker or personal advisor for further details.
Passport
First passport only.
Accommodation
Young person to contribute towards their housing costs with their earnings or by applying for housing benefit or universal credit (rent allowance) if on low income.

They are over the age of 16 and under the age of 25 who have been looked after but do not qualify as Eligible, Relevant or Former Relevant. They may also qualify if they were subject of a Special Guardianship Order.

The local authority can give financial assistance to these young people where there is an assessed need. Where appropriate this can be at the same level as other care leavers e.g. where they have no parent to turn to for assistance or the parent does not have capacity for assistance.

It is the responsibility of the local authority to decide on an individual basis the provision of financial assistance.

The Leaving Care Act states that the responsible authority must provide vacation accommodation to any qualifying young person between the ages of 16 and 25 in higher education or in residential further education.

Young people choosing to go to university to complete a degree will be expected to access all funding options available to them via traditional funding bodies.

The young person, with the support of their personal advisor should devise a financial plan on how the young person can best utilise their student finances, including:

• Consideration for paying accommodation
• Consideration for day to day costs such as food, travel
• Consideration for any course related or equipment costs

If the young person is remaining with their previous foster carers (staying put placement), the leaving care service will continue to pay the staying put carer the agreed rates.

During the application phase
UCAS – application fees £30 (one off payment)
Support to and or travel to university open days.
Accommodation deposit (annually) approx. £250
Moving in to university accommodation
One-off payment at the start of the programme of £200 setting up basics for university digs. This will not be deducted from setting up home allowance,
£50 food voucher to get started
Setting up home grant
Yes, up to £2000, and where possible should not be used until the young person moves to independent accommodation.
University bursary (virtual school)
£666 per term based upon attendance and performance at university.
Birthday
£100 for 18th & 21st and £50 for 19th & 20th.
Festival
£50 until 21st birthday.
Passport
First adult passport only
Driving license
Maximum amount of £300 provided to go towards driving lessons / theory test / practical test. Eligibility criteria applies, please speak to your social worker or personal advisor for further details.

There is no entitlement for financial or personal advisor support for young people over the age of 25.