The Grand Campaign!
When you’re leaving care, you are entitled to support from your local authority with the costs of setting up your new home – this is sometimes called the Setting Up Home Allowance or a Leaving Care Grant.
This makes sure you can get all the things you need (like furniture, kitchen goods and things for cooking and cleaning) to make your 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, Coram Voice have heard some care leavers say 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.
What are they calling for?
They want:
- 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
What they are doing?
They want to get a full picture of what level of grants care leavers are receiving across England. So over the next few months they will:
- send a Freedom of Information request to every local authority in England, so that they have to tell them what grants they are offering to care leavers
- create template letters so that children and young people in care and leaving care can set up meetings with local leaders and boards
- create opportunities for children and young people to discuss their experiences and what needs to change
- showcase the support of children and young people, local authorities and leaders
- create a report on our findings to present to local and national leaders
If you're a care leavers and want to know more or get involved