Adoption & kinship toolkit · free

Challenging an allowance decision

Councils can pay financial support to adoptive families and special guardians. If yours has been refused, cut or stopped, you can ask for it to be looked at again.

General information for families in England, not legal or financial advice. Rules, rates and local policies change, so always check with your council, Regional Adoption Agency or GOV.UK. Adoption UK, Kinship and your local adoption support service can also help, for free.

What to know

Adoption allowances and special guardianship allowances are usually means-tested and reviewed regularly. Each council has its own written policy, and you can ask for a copy.
Ask for the assessment and the financial calculation behind any decision, so you can check the figures.
Councils should give you notice and a chance to comment before changing or stopping support.

The usual steps

Ask for a review of the decision in writing, explaining what's changed or what's wrong.
Make a formal complaint under the council's complaints procedure if the review doesn't put it right.
Go to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if you're still unhappy once the council's procedure is finished.

Keep copies of everything and note the dates. Kinship (for kinship and special guardianship families) and Adoption UK can give free advice.

Letter 1: ask for a review

Ask the council to review an allowance decision

For an adoption or special guardianship allowance that has been refused, reduced or stopped.

Your name

Your address

Child's name

Council

Allowance

Date of the council's decision letter

What the council decided

Why you think it should be reviewed

What you're asking for

Nothing you type here is sent or saved. Anything in [brackets] still needs filling in.

Letter 2: formal complaint

Make a formal complaint about an allowance

If a review doesn't resolve things, use the council's complaints procedure. After it, you can usually go to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

Your name

Your address

Child's name

Council

Allowance

What has happened so far

What you're unhappy about

What would put things right

Nothing you type here is sent or saved. Anything in [brackets] still needs filling in.

Optional support for you, the parent

Running on empty? You don't have to carry it alone.

Hilary Jones is an integrative psychotherapist supporting adoptive parents. Online, or walk-and-talk sessions around Sheffield. She offers a free 30-minute taster session, with no commitment, to see if she's the right fit.

Book a free taster session

SEND Compass is independent. Hilary is an external practitioner and her own terms apply. We may receive an introductory fee if you book with her, at no extra cost to you. Nothing you've typed here is shared with her. Therapy for your child may be fundable through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, so ask your Regional Adoption Agency.