Will Government Welfare Changes deter foster carers?

The new Government welfare changes being introduced could deter people in social rented homes from fostering children. Across the UK an extra 9,000 foster carers are needed. 

Next month the bedroom-tax will affect all social housing tenants who have a spare bedroom. Those who have one spare bedroom  will lose 14%  of their housing benefit and those with two or more spare bedrooms will lose 25%. This is likely to be a huge disincentive for foster carers  living in social housing to continue to support foster children. Foster carers living in social housing could be forced to contribute to their rent.  This is very unjust. As the new housing benefit regulations do not include foster children as a  part of the household,  bedrooms for such children may be deemed under-occupied, and carers will lose money, even though the rooms are occupied. Foster children are not being counted as part of the family, even though they do become a part of the household. 

Some short-term assistance may be available for those in need from the Government funded discretionary housing payment scheme. 

http://www.fostering.org.uk/information/default.html

http://www.londonkids.org.uk/