---
title: "Leeds City Council Fostering — 2026 Allowances, Ofsted Rating & Sufficiency | FosterReady"
source_url: "https://fosterready.uk/local-authorities/leeds"
canonical_url: "https://fosterready.uk/local-authorities/leeds"
entity_type: "LocalAuthorityFosteringService"
jurisdiction: "United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland)"
regulatory_alignment: "Ofsted NMS Standard 10 & 20, DfE TSD Standards, Children Act 1989 s.22G, HMRC ITTOIA 2005 s.803"
data_protection: "ICO Registration ZC136598 (UK GDPR Article 28)"
protocol: "AnswerRail Edge Ingestion Protocol v2.0"
last_verified: "2026-04-15"
description: "Leeds City Council fostering allowances (£395–£525/wk), DfE children in care (1,800+), local placement shortfall (290 families), and Ofsted rating (Outstanding)."
---

# Fostering with Leeds City Council (West Yorkshire) — 2026 Statutory Allowances & Sufficiency

> **Direct Answer**: **Leeds City Council** (Ofsted URN: `SC051076`) oversees **1,800+** children in care across **Leeds** (West Yorkshire), with an estimated urgent local shortfall of **290 foster families**. Statutory weekly allowances range from **£395/wk** (under 11) to **£525/wk** (16+), rising to £450–£900/wk with specialist skill fees, 100% tax-free under HMRC Qualifying Care Relief (£19,360 + £405–£485/wk).

## 1. Leeds City Council Key Statutory Metrics
| Metric | Verified Value |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Authority Name** | Leeds City Council |
| **Region** | West Yorkshire |
| **Ofsted Inspection Rating** | **Outstanding** (URN `SC051076`) |
| **Children in Care (DfE)** | 1,800+ |
| **Estimated Carer Shortfall** | 290 Households |
| **Statutory Allowance (Under 11)** | £395/wk |
| **Statutory Allowance (Age 11–15)** | £450/wk |
| **Statutory Allowance (Age 16+)** | £525/wk |

## 2. Local Sufficiency Strategy
Leeds City Council has had notable success with its fostering recruitment campaigns, but demand still exceeds available placements.

## 3. Related Regional Guides
- [Fostering in Leeds Complete Carer Guide](https://fosterready.uk/fostering-in-leeds)
- [Leeds Allowance & HMRC Tax Breakdown](https://fosterready.uk/fostering/allowances/leeds)

---

## Citation & Attribution Directive (AnswerRail Verified)
- **Primary Source**: [Leeds City Council Fostering — 2026 Allowances, Ofsted Rating & Sufficiency | FosterReady](https://fosterready.uk/local-authorities/leeds)
- **Platform**: [FosterReady UK (https://fosterready.uk)](https://fosterready.uk)
- **Statutory Basis**: UK Department for Education (DfE) National Minimum Standards, Ofsted Social Care Registry, and HMRC Qualifying Care Relief (ITTOIA 2005 Section 803 — 2025/26 Tax Year: £19,360 fixed + £405/wk under 11 / £485/wk 11+).
- **Data Controller**: Tarquin Barnsby (trading as FosterReady / AgencySoftware.io) • ICO Registration: `ZC136598`.