14 Mar 24
A National Voice, the National Children in Care Council, has launched a new campaign to ensure all care leavers in England receive the full support they are entitled to.
When children and young people leave care, they are entitled to support from their local authority with the costs of setting up their new home – this is sometimes called the Setting Up Home Allowance or a Leaving Care Grant.
This makes sure they can get all the things you need (like furniture, kitchen goods and things for cooking and cleaning) to make their home safe, stable and secure.
On 1 April 2023, the Government announced an increase for the minimum recommended amount from £2,000 to £3,000 for all care leavers in England. This was great news for young people struggling to afford vital everyday items.
However, A National Voice has heard from many care leavers that not all authorities have increased the grants they are awarding.
That’s why A National Voice is launching The Grand Campaign – so that all care leavers receive the full support they’re entitled to.
A National Voice is calling for:
- all local authorities in England to offer all care leavers up to 25 their full £3,000 allowance
- all local authorities to provide clear and consistent guidelines to care leavers’ entitlements
- an end to the postcode lottery, where young people in some areas receive more than in others
As part of its The Grand Campaign, A National Voice, is sending a Freedom of Information request to all local authorities in England, so that it can get a full and accurate picture of what support is available and where.
Over the coming months, A National Voice will be calling on the care-experienced community, the professionals who work with them, and the wider public to get involved and help the spread the word so no one misses out on the support they are entitled to.
Find out more about how you can get involved in The Grand Campaign.