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The April 2026 Kinship Allowance pilot, explained
From April 2026, the Department for Education is piloting a "Kinship Allowance" in seven local authority "Kinship Zones," reportedly paid at the same rate as the fostering National Minimum Allowance, for kinship carers on the way to a Special Guardianship Order or a lives-with Child Arrangements Order.
Written by Sam Allcock · Last updated 24 August 2026 · Last reviewed 24 August 2026
What the pilot actually is
Kinship care is when a child who can't live with their parents is raised instead by a relative or close family friend - a grandparent, an aunt, an older sibling, a family friend - rather than by an unrelated foster carer. From April 2026, the DfE is running a pilot in seven local authority areas designated "Kinship Zones," under which eligible kinship carers can receive a Kinship Allowance, reportedly set at the same rate as the fostering National Minimum Allowance, while they progress toward a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) or a "lives with" Child Arrangements Order. This is a genuinely new, live policy development, not an established, long-running scheme.
What we can and can't confirm. Our sourcing confirms the pilot exists, its April 2026 start date, the seven-authority structure, and the reported NMA-equivalent rate. It does not give us the specific named local authorities involved. We're not going to guess or invent that list - check GOV.UK or the Kinship charity directly for the confirmed areas before assuming your own council is or isn't included.
How this differs from existing kinship support
Outside the pilot, Special Guardianship Order financial support already exists in most areas and is now broadly aligned to the fostering NMA rate - but it is means-tested and largely at each local authority's discretion, which produces real variation between councils. [Kinship, "Special guardians financial support and benefits"] The Kinship Zones pilot is different in kind: it's a defined, time-limited trial in specific areas, aimed at testing a more consistent, allowance-style approach rather than the discretionary system that applies everywhere else for now. Read more on the standard route in our Special Guardianship Order guide.
Why kinship care is such a significant, under-served story
Kinship care is not a small side issue - family-and-friends households made up 50% of all newly approved fostering-type households in England in the year to 31 March 2024, and there were 8,865 approved kinship households overall alongside 18,860 local authority and 14,890 independent-agency households. [Ofsted, "Fostering in England 2023-24"] Despite that scale, kinship carers are structurally under-served by existing commercial fostering content, because independent fostering agencies have little commercial reason to promote a care route that isn't their own paying customer base - which is exactly why this pilot, and the wider policy conversation around it, matters.
What to do if you're a kinship carer now
If you're already caring for a relative's child, or about to, the practical next step is contacting your local authority's children's services or the Kinship charity's advice line to find out what financial and practical support currently applies in your area, and whether you're within a Kinship Zone. This page will be updated once the confirmed list of areas and the finalised terms are published.
Frequently asked questions
Which local authorities are in the Kinship Zones pilot?
The pilot covers seven local authority areas, but the specific named authorities have not been confirmed in the sourced material available to us at the time of writing. Check GOV.UK or the Kinship charity for the current published list before assuming your area is or isn't included.
Is the Kinship Allowance the same as fostering pay?
It's reported to be paid at the same rate as the fostering National Minimum Allowance, but it is a separate, pilot scheme for kinship carers on the way to a Special Guardianship Order or a lives-with Child Arrangements Order, not a fostering allowance itself.
What happens if I'm a kinship carer outside a Kinship Zone?
Existing Special Guardianship Order financial support, which is means-tested and largely at your local authority's discretion, still applies - the pilot doesn't replace it, and outside the pilot areas the current system continues unchanged for now.