If you are planning to adopt a child, one of the biggest questions you probably have is how much the process will cost. Here is what you need to know about the costs of adopting a child.
How much will it cost me to adopt a child?
You can adopt a child through either:
- An adoption agency that’s part of your local council
- A voluntary adoption agency
The actual costs of adopting will depend on whether it’s a domestic adoption or an overseas adoption.
Domestic adoption
If you are adopting a child in the UK, the agency cannot charge you a fee for arranging the adoption. But you might incur others costs in the course of the adoption process. For example, you might have costs for legal fees and police checks.
These costs can vary. So when you begin the adoption process, ask the agency for more information on the expected costs and whether you can get help with any of them.
Overseas adoption
If you’re hoping to adopt a child from overseas, the costs will be significantly higher.
First of all, you’ll have to pay for the assessment costs yourself. That’s because there’s no government funding available to agencies to prepare and assess those who wish to adopt from abroad. The actual costs vary from one adoption agency to the next, but a good ballpark to work with is £10,000 to £15,000.
You might also incur other costs, including charges for processing paperwork with your local government and the one in the country you’re adopting from, and for travel and accommodation.
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Can I get financial help when adopting?
The good news is that there is a wide range of financial benefits and allowances that you could be entitled to, depending on your individual circumstances. These include:
Adoption pay and leave
When you take time off to adopt a child, you might be eligible for paid time off work, known as Statutory Adoption Pay and Leave.
Statutory Adoption Pay is paid for up to 39 weeks. The weekly amount is:
- 90% of your salary for the first six weeks
- £145.18 a week or 90% of your gross average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks
Adoption allowance
You may be paid an allowance if you adopt a child who might otherwise not be adopted due to the extra costs associated with looking after them. The amount will be determined and paid by the local authority.
Settling-in grants
As a new adoptive parent, you may be eligible for a settling-in grant. You can use it to help pay for large items such as a bed for your child’s bedroom. The grant is discretionary. You can get more details from your social worker on how to apply.
Adoption support fund
This is a fund that the government has set up to pay for some essential services for adoptive families. For example, you can use it to pay for services that assist a child with things like improving relationships with other family members and friends or making academic improvements at school.
To access the fund, ask your local authority to do an assessment of your adoption support needs. If the assessment reveals you would benefit from these services, the local authority can make an application to the fund.
Child benefit and tax credits
There is a wide range of child benefits and tax credits available from the government to help with the costs of raising adopted children. More information on what you can claim and how to make your claim can be found on the gov.uk website.
Other financial support that you might qualify for and that’s worth checking out includes the Disability Living Allowance for children and Carer’s Allowance.
For more helpful information and advice on adoption, including costs and financial support, head over to the First4Adoption website, which is the national information service of people interested in adopting a child.
