Money
The amount of financial and other support you will get as a care leaver, will depend on your age and your individual situation.
Solihull is committed to making sure you receive the right financial support in early adult life.
To do this, we make sure we review the financial support for young people every year.
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If you are 16 years old and preparing to leave care or live independently, you may get support through a Setting up Home Allowance.
Scroll down to find out more about the financial support you may be entitled to...
Setting Up Home Allowance
When you leave care to live independently you will be eligible for a Setting up Home Allowance. You could receive up to £2000 if you are assessed as needing it. This may be given to you in a lump sum, or in instalments over a period. Please consider the following when spending your allowance: • Buying second hand goods (but not second-hand electrical items) - You could get high quality furniture and soft furnishings at a cheaper price than if you buy new. • Look at buying items on special offer or waiting for the sales to get bigger discounts. • Plan ahead - buying some items like towels, bedding, crockery etc whilst you are still in care. You could use short term savings for this. • Using some of your savings, and any other grants available to you, to help towards some of these costs. • We will provide £200 cash for you to buy some small items. Certain larger items that you need can be bought through an online ordering system. • To help you budget effectively there is a cap on certain items. Please discuss with your allocated worker. Your Setting up Home Allowance will need to last until you are no longer eligible for a service from us. This could happen when you are 21 years old or up to your 25th birthday if you need support from us to continue education or training.
Personal Allowance
If you are living independently and are not entitled to Income Support/ Universal Credit because you are under 18, we will provide you with a Personal Allowance. Your PA will discuss your options with you, and if you are considered in need of a personal allowance, your PA will agree with you how this will be paid. This applies to 16 and 17 year olds in supported accommodation (not those living with foster carers or in a residential home). If you are eligible to receive Universal Credit/ Job Seekers Allowance on your 18th birthday, your allocated worker will assist you to make a claim in good time. If there is a gap in this funding, you may be able to use your savings or we may help support you in cash or kind over a short period of time.
Local Welfare Provision
Your Social Worker or PA will support you to make application for financial support from Local Welfare Provision, which you may be able to receive when you initially leave care. This will help you in setting up your home and may mean you can leave some of your Setting up Home Allowance for later on. You may be able to apply again for financial support to help you set up a home, if you are having a go at independence. Ask your Social Worker or PA to support you in applying for this.
Birthday Allowance
You will receive a Birthday Allowance each year until you turn 21. You and your PA will agree how this is paid. You may get money (cash or a payment direct into your bank account) or a gift card. The values are: • £25 for turning 16 and 17, if you are living in supported accommodation. (If you are still in foster care or a residential home, your carer will provide your birthday present). • £50 for turning 18 • £15 for turning 19 and 20 • £30 for turning 21
Festival Allowance
If you are aged 16 or 17 years old, and live in supported accommodation, you are entitled to a Festival Allowance of £50 per year. If you are ages 16 or 17 years and still in foster care or a residential home, your carer will provide a festival gift and provide support for your cultural needs. If you are living in supported lodgings we may, in consultation with you, have some or all of the allowance paid to them so that they can provide special food, or a gift for you to celebrate. When you get your Festival Allowance will depend on your religious beliefs and will be agreed between you and your social worker.
Winter Fuel Allowance
During the first winter after you have left care to live independently, you may be eligible for a Winter Fuel Allowance from us. To qualify, you must be: • In receipt of benefits such as Job Seekers Allowance or other benefits as a result of being on a low income. • Under 21 years of age. • Responsible for your own heating costs. If you are eligible, you could receive £5 per week, for up to 8 weeks, between January 1 and the end of February. This is a discretionary payment that will need to be agreed by a Manager. You may be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) if you are in receipt of Universal Credit and have: • A disability • A child under 5 years of age living with you • A child with a disability OR • Receive Child Tax Credits that includes a disability or severe disability. Check with the DWP website or ask your PA for more information.
Other Allowances
Your social worker or PA will support you to access all the benefits you are eligible for. In exceptional situations we may be able to provide you with a one off or even regular financial support payment. This will be: • Limited to £150 per year maximum • To meet essential needs only - such as public transport costs to promote contact with family or previous carers. • To meet essential cultural or religious needs. • To provide you a gift on the birth of your child. And • Where there is no other funding available. And • Agreed by a team manager. The Head of Service can consider additional discretionary financial support in exceptional cases of hardship. These will be looked at on a case-by-case basis.
Support during pregnancy
If you are pregnant and aged under 21 years, you may be eligible for financial support if: • You are on a low income or benefits. • It's your first pregnancy. • You are expecting more than one child. We could offer you the following support whilst you are pregnant: • Up to £70 for clothing when you know you are pregnant. It may be possible to consider another payment up to £70 when you are six months pregnant. • Up to £50 for a hospital bag. This is for the things you and the baby will need when you go into hospital for the baby's birth, including the purchase of a first baby outfit and nappies. Your PA or midwife will support you to claim a grant of £500 from the DWP, if you are eligible for one. This is to buy all the essential items you need for when your baby is born. If you are not eligible, we may be able to assist in purchasing essential equipment up to £350. Your PA may also be able to offer support to access funding from other organisations for you and your baby.
Money for holidays
When you have left care, you will be responsible for paying for your holidays. If you are at college or university and there is an important trip you need to do, you may be able to get support from the Education Funding Panel.
Money for clothing
When you have left care at 18, you will be responsible for buying your own clothes. You may be able to get some support from Children's Services if you need clothes for an interview or if you are pregnant.
Money for ID papers
You will usually need formal identification of some kind, usually a passport or driving licence, as well as you National Insurance Number. Personal identification is usually needed when you start work with an employer, claim benefits, set up a bank account and to say who you say you are to get into a pub or club etc. When you leave care to become independent, you should already have your birth certificate, as well as a renewed passport of provisional driving licence. If you did not have a formal type of photographic identification when you left care, we will pay for you to get one type of identification if you are between your 18 and 21. If you are an unaccompanied young person and there are immigration issues to be resolved, your PA will help you to get the right documentation required to prove your are who you say your are.
Legal cost of immigration applications
If you are a young person who cannot access legal aid to meet solicitors, fees for an immigration application, we will consider assisting you with these (up to a maximum of £1,500), if this will be the best way to meet your identified needs. Ask your PA or social worker for more information.
Debt
Try to avoid debt by budgeting carefully and saving if you can. If you do get into debt, get help as soon as possible. Even if you do budget your money, there are times when you have unexpected bills, or something happens that means you can't pay your bills. Seek support to sort out your debts as soon as you can. Do not ignore it.
Not getting the financial support you need?
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Sometimes we may not provide you with a service or funding.​ In that event, your PA should:
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Record any decision not to provide you with a service or funding and the reasons why.
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Tell you about the reasons for this decision (and give you details of the complaints process, if you would like this).​
If you are unhappy about a decision, you need talk to your PA before making a complaint. They may be able to help you understand more about why the decision has been made and why the support is not available.
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If you decide you want to make a complaint, you may want an advocate to support you in making the complaint.
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Children's services will be reviewing the financial support available for care leavers every year.
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Please let us know your views on the policy and any suggestions you may have. We will consider these when reviewing the policy.