Foster carers in Tower Hamlets will benefit from free council tax as a thank you to them for helping change the life of a young person.
The announcement comes at the start of Foster Care Fortnight, a national awareness campaign which aims to show how important fostering is and to encourage more people to become foster carers.
Anyone can foster, regardless of religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity or personal circumstances – you just need to be able to provide a child with a loving and stable environment for them to grow and develop.
As a thank you to those who register as foster carers, they will receive a 100 per cent tax reduction from the 2026–27 financial year. Foster carers will be reimbursed retrospectively at the end of their first year of approval. The council tax reduction is in addition to the allowances that foster carers are paid. Tower Hamlets offers foster carers generous financial support and training opportunities to support parenting skills which includes therapeutic support.
Alongside this, Tower Hamlets Council is holding two weeks of activities to highlight the important role of foster carers within the community.
This includes a launch event with stalls throughout the borough to give information about how to sign up to be a foster carer, a fostering walk, leafletting and a community event.
Foster carer Afia said:"The best thing about fostering is seeing the children grow in confidence. Some of my children have been so anxious and tearful when they first came to live with us, but with lots of patience, reassurance and kindness, you see them transform.
“It really makes me feel proud to know that I have made a difference."
Executive Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: “I would encourage everyone who would be able to provide a safe, loving environment for a child to consider it. It is an amazing way of giving back to your community and changing the life of a young person.
“Our foster carers are heroes and vital pillars of our community and the least we can do is to thank them by giving them free council tax.”
For more information about becoming a foster carer, visit https://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/health__social_care/fostering,_adopting_and_looked/fostering/fostering.aspx
Posted on Thursday 14th May 2026