I would be grateful if you could furnish me with the following information on the special guardianship allowance
1/ Do you means test if the carer/ guardian are in receipt of income support or income based job seekers allowance.
These payments are included when allowances are calculated.
2/If a child is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance do you use this as income or disregard it
This allowance is disregarded.
3/ if the carer/special guardian is in receipt of Personnel Independence Payment (PIP) do you use this as income or disregard it
This payment is included.
4/ Child Tax Credit pay what they call a Disability Element on top of the child tax if a child is on middle /high rate do you deduct this element or disregard and just deduct the basic tax credit.
If this payment can be identified it can be disregarded.
5/Do you deduct Child Benefit from the allowance if the carer /special guardian is in receipt of Income Support or Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
Yes
6/Special guardians/carers are told that the allowance should be the National Minimum Fostering Allowance Rate which is set by the government every April do you pay this amount or do you pay a lower/higher rate
Approved Family and friend foster carers get the national minimum fostering rate and if they go on to get an SGO they will then continue to get this for 2 years, after the two years they will get a financial means test which uses the national minimum fostering allowance as the starting point and then calculates what they may be eligible for when their income and out goings are considered. Carers that are granted an SGO who are not family and friends foster carers get a financial means test (as previously) prior to the granting of the SGO.
The exception to this is (draft policy) fully approved foster carers who take out a SGO for a child in their care who is either 8 or over, placed with sibling[s] or has special needs then they can get the fostering allowance up until the child is 18.
7/ And do you increase it annually in line with government guidelines
Yes