About Kinship Zones
About Kinship Zones
Thurrock Council is one of seven local authorities taking part in a national Kinship Zones pilot funded by the Department for Education (DfE).
The pilot aims to increase the support available to Kinship Carers and represents the largest investment of its kind.
Through the pilot, Thurrock Council will receive funding and support from the DfE to:
increase the number of Kinship Carers who are eligible for financial support, and
support wider family networks to help children stay safely at home.
We have worked with the National Kinship Care Ambassador to develop a delivery plan for this support.
If you have any questions, you can contact us by email at
SGOAdmin@thurrock.gov.uk
Kinship Allowance
Who can apply
You can apply for the Kinship Allowance if you are a Kinship Carer with a formal arrangement, including:
a Child Arrangements Order (CAO)
a Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
a Residence Order (issued in April 2014 or earlier)
These orders may have been made privately or by the local authority.
You can also apply if:
you are in private court proceedings for an SGO or CAO, and
you have passed the First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA)
If you are unsure whether this applies to you, your solicitor can advise.
The application form opens 1 April 2026.
How to apply
To apply, you must complete the online application form (available from 1 April 2026).
As part of the application, you will need to upload a copy of your:
SGO
CAO, or
Residence Order
This allowance is not means tested.
Why this is a pilot
The Kinship Zones pilot will test how paying eligible Kinship Carers an allowance affects:
placement stability, and
outcomes for children.
The allowance is set at the National Minimum Fostering Allowance rate.
The government will use evidence from the pilot to help shape any potential future national offer for Kinship Carers.
How long the pilot will last
The pilot is expected to run for three and a half years from 1 April 2026, subject to funding reviews.
Will the allowance affect my benefits?
If you live in a local authority that is part of the Kinship Zones pilot, the allowance will not affect:
Universal Credit (including the Child Element)
Child Benefit
Guardian’s Allowance
Tax‑Free Childcare
Pension Credit (unless the allowance is saved as capital)
Housing Benefit for people over State Pension age (unless saved as capital)
When payments will start
If you are eligible, we will ask you for:
your bank details (if we do not already have them), and
proof that the child currently lives with you.
We aim to pay the Kinship Allowance within four weeks of confirming your eligibility. Eligibility is confirmed once you have provided all the information we have requested.
If you already receive an allowance
If you currently receive a Kinship Allowance, your existing payments will stop once we receive evidence of your:
SGO
CAO, or
Residence Order
Your new Kinship Allowance will then be paid weekly.
Why apply for the new allowance?
your current allowance may be reduced based on income and Child Benefit
the new allowance is paid in full and is not reduced by other income
it is paid in full even if you receive Child Benefit
The new allowance is paid at the National Minimum Fostering Allowance rate.
To move to the new allowance, you must complete the application form.
If you currently receive no allowance
This allowance is not means tested, so you may be eligible even if you do not currently receive any payments.
We will need to check your court order to confirm eligibility.
How long you will receive the allowance
Eligible carers will receive payments for the duration of the pilot, which runs from 1 April 2026 to September 2029.
The allowance will stop if:
the child turns 18, or
the child no longer lives with you.
You must tell us if a child stops living with you. This will also be checked as part of your annual review.
What happens once payments begin
If you are eligible, the allowance will be paid weekly into your bank account
Each year, we will contact you to:
check how you and the child are doing
confirm that the child or children still live with you
remind you that the pilot runs until September 2029
share updates about the pilot
invite you to complete an annual evaluation survey (voluntary and does not affect your allowance)
You may also be invited to take part in focus groups or interviews. Participation is voluntary and will not affect your allowance.
Privacy notice and data sharing
To take part in the pilot, you must read and agree to the privacy notice. This explains how your information will be used.
Some of your data will be shared with:
the Department for Education
Alma Economics
Foundations
If the pilot ends after three and a half years and you were already receiving a means‑tested allowance before the pilot began, you will continue to receive your original allowance.
What the evaluation will study
The evaluation will look at:
the impact of the pilot
how it was delivered in different areas
value for money
whether the allowance improves outcomes for children
whether it reduces pressure on the care system
This evidence will inform future national policy decisions.
Which children the allowance covers
The allowance applies only to children cared for under a formal kinship arrangement. It does not cover:
birth children
adopted children
fostered children
children cared for informally
Caring for children from another local authority
If the child lived in Thurrock when they came into your care, you may be eligible for an allowance even if you do not live in Thurrock.
Living in Thurrock but caring for children from another authority
You may be eligible if:
you and the child live in Thurrock, and
three years have passed since the SGO, CAO or Residence Order was granted.
If you currently receive an allowance from another local authority, you can only join the pilot if that allowance ends. You will only receive the new allowance if your application is successful.