For care leavers across the UK

What your council offers

Every council in England has to publish a "local offer for care leavers". It tells you what help you can get, like money to set up your first home, help with council tax, gym passes, travel and more.

Each council decides a lot of this for itself, so the amounts and the rules are different from place to place. Find your council below to see what it offers.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland work a bit differently. Jump to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Which council? Usually it's the council that looked after you when you were in care, even if you live somewhere else now. In Northern Ireland it's your Health and Social Care Trust instead. If you're not sure, ask your personal adviser (PA) or social worker.

If you've moved, the council where you live now might also help with things like council tax or leisure passes, so it's worth checking both.

North East 12
North West 24
Yorkshire and the Humber 15
East Midlands 10
West Midlands 14
East of England 11
London 33
South East 19
South West 15
Scotland 32

What care leavers in Scotland can get

Wales 22

What care leavers in Wales can get

Northern Ireland: Health and Social Care Trusts 5

What care leavers in Northern Ireland can get

A few councils don't have a page just for care leavers yet. For those, we've linked their general children's services page or main website. Links open the council's own website. Kithstep isn't part of any council, and we can't tell you what you're entitled to. Your PA can.

What you could get

Help every care leaver in England can ask for

In Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland? See your nation below.

These come from national rules, so they don't depend on which council looked after you. Who can get each one depends on how long you were in care and your age, so check with your PA.

A personal adviser up to 25

Someone from your council to help you plan and get the support you're owed, even if you've said no before. You'll also have a pathway plan, written with you.

Money for your first home

A setting up home allowance for things like a bed, a cooker, a fridge and pots and pans. The government says it should be at least £3,000, but councils pay it in different ways, so ask how yours works.

More help with rent on Universal Credit

Most people under 35 only get enough for a room in a shared house. Care leavers under 25 can get the higher rate for a one-bedroom home. Tell your work coach you're a care leaver, because they won't check for you.

Priority if you become homeless

If you're 18 to 20 and have nowhere to stay, the council's housing team has to treat you as a priority. Ask your PA, or go straight to the housing team.

Money for college or training

A bursary of up to £1,200 a year if you're 16 to 19 and at school, college or on a training course. Ask the student support team where you study.

Money for university

A bursary of at least £2,000 from your council if you start university before you're 25. Many universities also give their own bursaries and somewhere to live all year round.

Money for an apprenticeship

A £3,000 bursary, paid in three parts during your first year. It comes through your training provider, so tell them you're a care leaver.

Savings from your time in care

If you were in care for a year or more, you may have a Junior ISA with at least £200 in it, set up by the government. You can use it from 18. Ask your PA or the Share Foundation, which looks after these accounts.

Someone on your side

The right to a free, independent advocate who can help you ask for what you're owed and challenge decisions. Find an advocacy service.

Extras from your council

What else your council might give you

Lots of councils go further. Not every council offers all of these and the amounts are different, but they're all worth asking about.

  • Gym, swimming and leisure passes, free or cheaper.
  • Clothing grants, for example for a job interview or when you first leave care.
  • Help with rent: paying your deposit or first month's rent, or acting as your guarantor.
  • Council tax: paying less, or nothing, until a certain age.
  • Travel: a free bus pass, or help with the cost of getting to college or work.
  • ID: paying for a passport, birth certificate or provisional driving licence.
  • Driving lessons and tests.
  • Birthday, Christmas or festival money.
  • Emergency help, like food vouchers or money if something goes wrong.
  • Phone data, broadband or a laptop.
  • Priority for council or housing association homes.
  • Free prescriptions or extra health support in some areas.

A few real examples from councils' own pages, as of when we checked: Bolton gives free leisure passes until you're 25. Lancashire offers free travel across the county, free prescriptions and help with a rent guarantor. County Durham gives every care leaver a free bus pass.

From 30 September 2026, every council's local offer must also explain the help it gives with housing and with managing money.

Not getting something you think you should? Ask your PA to put it in your pathway plan. If that doesn't work, an independent advocate can help you ask.

Find your council's offer

Scotland

If you were looked after in Scotland

In Scotland, support after care is usually called "throughcare and aftercare". Your council can support you up to the age of 26.

  • No council tax. Care leavers are exempt from council tax up to their 26th birthday. You usually have to apply, so ask your worker to help.
  • Care Leaver Payment. A one-off £2,000 when you move on from care, if you left care (or continuing care) on or after 1 April 2026.
  • Care-experienced bursary. Money you don't pay back if you go to college or university. In 2024/25 it was £9,000 a year for courses like an HNC, HND or degree. Check SAAS for this year's amount.
  • More help with rent on Universal Credit if you're under 25, the same as in England. Tell your work coach you're a care leaver.

mygov.scot: help for young people with experience of care. Your council is in the list above.

Wales

If you were looked after in Wales

  • A personal adviser up to 25.
  • No council tax if you're 18 to 24.
  • St David's Day Fund. Money your council can use to help you, for example with setting up home, things you need for college or work, or travel.
  • University bursary of at least £2,000 from your council if you start before you're 25.
  • Help to have your say. You have a right to an independent advocate.
  • More help with rent on Universal Credit if you're under 25. Tell your work coach you're a care leaver.

The Children's Commissioner for Wales has a guide to your rights: My Planner. Your council is in the list above.

Northern Ireland

If you were looked after in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, leaving care support comes from your Health and Social Care Trust, not the council.

  • A personal adviser and a pathway plan.
  • Support until you're 21, or longer if you're still in education or training.
  • Help with the costs of work, education and training, and somewhere to stay in the holidays if you're at college or university.
  • More help with rent on Universal Credit or Housing Benefit if you're under 25. Tell them you're a care leaver.

Department of Health: children leaving care and aftercare. Your Trust is in the list above.

Links checked 29 October 2026. Councils sometimes move their pages. If a link doesn't work, search online for your council's name and "local offer for care leavers", or ask your PA. You can also tell us at hello@kithstep.co.uk and we'll fix it.

The Republic of Ireland isn't covered here. Its care leaver support is run nationally by Tusla, so ask your aftercare worker.