Registered carers to gain pension cover

Up to 8,000 foster carers will be entitled to the same pension
provision as parents who do not work, the government announced this
week.

People who stay at home to raise children – therefore not paying
national insurance contributions – receive home responsibilities
protection (HRP) to reduce the number of years they have to work in
order to get a full state pension.

From next month, HRP will apply to registered foster carers and
will cover the time they are waiting for a placement. They
currently receive no state pension because they are not in paid
employment.

However, Gerri McAndrew, executive director of the Fostering
Network, said the decision was only a “small step” because it will
not apply retrospectively and could only be claimed for 20 years.

“It will have no impact whatsoever on the thousands of carers who
are already facing the prospect of a retirement with little or no
state pension,” she added.

Announcing the HRP extension, work and pensions secretary Andrew
Smith said: “This reform will reward foster carers for the valuable
work they do.”