Bradford Trust Care Leavers Finance Policy 2025

• Essential ID
• Support with Living Costs
• Clothing Allowance
• Driving Package
• Housing and Accommodation

• Supporting Relationships and Participation
• Birthday and Festivals
• Education, Employment and Training
• Health

Costs of applying for a passport and birth certificate are offered once. If you need a replacement passport or birth certificate, this will be subject to an assessment of need.

Costs towards an application for British Citizenship can be offered when legal aid is not available for you to cover these costs.

If you are in custody and are a care leaver aged 16 or 17, we will support you with a living costs and other allowances such as clothing grants and birthday grants. If you have become looked after when remanded to the care of the local authority, your parents may be contributing to your allowances. We may consider this when calculating what we offer you. If you are 16 or 17 years of age and have been sentenced and are no longer in care but remain in custody, we can continue to support you financially however your parents may be contributing to your allowances, and we may consider this when calculating what we offer you.

If you are in custody and over the age of 18 you will normally be able to earn a living allowance by engaging in a work or training activity. An allowance grant from the care leavers service will only be available if you cannot get this and will be subject to an assessment of your needs.

We can help you access support in the local community if you are struggling with the cost of living such as local food pantries and referrals to grants and welfare services.

We have connections with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to ensure you can access the benefits you are entitled to.

Children who have been in care will have a Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA account. These accounts are managed by the government until you turn 18, and funds cannot be withdrawn until then. We will provide you with the details of your Trust Fund so that you can access it as an adult. When you are between 15 and 17 years of age you can add an additional £750. to your Trust fund by completing the Stepladder Plus budgeting skills programme. Stepladder — The Share Foundation

Funding towards driving lessons will be offered to care leavers who are engaged in some form of education, employment or training or learning activity. Exceptions will be made to this where it can be shown that having a license will support you into employment or training.

Funding for a license and towards tests will only be provided once.

Care leavers who are parents do not need to be in education, employment or training to access this. You will need to show that you have paid for or can fund 10 hours of driving lessons to access the driving lessons grant.

The setting up home allowance is to help you equip your permanent home. If you are living in supported accommodation or semi-independent accommodation this will not be available until you move to your first independent tenancy. You will be able to access this up to age 25 years.

If you are in custody or are attending university you will be able to access you setting up home allowance when you leave custody or finish your studies.

The allowance should be used in most cases before your turn 25 years of age however in some exceptional circumstances we can agree to extend this. This will be subject to an assessment and agreement through finance panel.

The tv license and contents insurance offer is only available for one year, when you move into your first permanent home and are only paid once.

First Food package and decorating grant is only paid once when moving into your fist permanent home.

The grant to keep in touch with family and people important to you is subject to an assessment of your need for this and will need to be agreed at finance panel.

The activity grant is paid *in line with Fostering Holiday Allowance Rate.

The 16-19 education bursary is paid directly by your college or education provider. If you are engaged on an apprenticeship, you should also be able to claim a bursary from your employer of £3000 in your first year, paid in instalments.

Many colleges and universities offer bursaries and grants that you can apply for. When applying, be sure to inform your education provider that you are care experienced to access these funds. Additionally, most institutions provide hardship funds that you can access in certain situations.

Care leavers can apply for scholarships at some universities, which may include free accommodation and allowances.

Unite Foundation + our scholarship = This is us.

Disabled university students can apply for allowances to help with additional costs and support. Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) | UCAS

Lone Parents may be eligible for the governments childcare grant when studying and the parents learning allowance Parents’ Learning Allowance: Overview – GOV.UK