Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take legislative steps to ensure kinship carers receive an allowance equivalent to that provided to foster carers.

Kinship carers play a vital role in providing stable, loving homes for children who cannot live with their parents, and the government recognises the significant contribution they make.

The department is testing the impact of financial support through the Kinship Zones pilot, including an allowance set at the fostering National Minimum Allowance. This pilot is designed to support up to 5,000 families over the life of the pilot, with over £126 million confirmed for the first two years while we test and learn.

The pilot is exploring how this can improve outcomes for children in kinship care and provide greater stability for families. An independent evaluation will track outcomes for carers and children and will inform any future policy decisions.

The department is also investing in wider support for kinship families, including ensuring all local authorities publish a kinship local offer and that all kinship carers have access to free information, support and peer group services nationally.