Work and Pensions written question – answered at on 20 October 2011.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to improve support for kinship carers.
Kinship carers can be eligible for a range of benefits. If they are approved foster carers, they can receive a fostering allowance in England and Wales or kinship care allowance in Scotland. If they are not approved, kinship carers may be entitled to child benefit, either child tax credits or pension credits, and any other benefits available to parents, subject to the standard eligibility criteria. In order to prevent double provision, these benefits are not provided where the child is formally looked after by the local authority and their accommodation or maintenance is provided from public funds.
We are currently considering support for families under universal credit, including support for kinship carers.
In addition, statutory guidance for local authorities on family and friends care was issued in March 2011. In particular, it sets out a requirement on local authorities to develop equitable and transparent policies for delivering effective services to kinship carers across the range of legal arrangements which underpin family and friends care.
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