Terms and conditions for claiming our perks offers

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council, their birth/adopted children, and any Child in Care placements currently in their household, can take up the exciting offer of a Merlin annual pass for unlimited access to the biggest UK attractions such as Alton Towers, LEGOLAND, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures, SEA LIFE centres and much more.

Merlin annual passes can be requested if you are an approved foster carer, you have had a Child in Care placement, and currently have a Child in Care placement. Each pass will be for a specific person in the household and will require their name and a photograph.

Child in Care placements, and birth/adopted children are eligible if:

• their main residence is in the approved foster carer’s household
• they are under the age of 18
• their height is 90cm and over (below this height, no pass is required for entry)

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council can make up to 2 requests for gift vouchers to purchase theatre tickets in a financial year. Each request is to the value of £150, with a maximum value issued of £300 in a financial year.

The gift vouchers will be for:

• ATG theatres (includes Aylesbury Waterside)
• Trafalgar Tickets (includes the Wycombe Swan)

You will be able to choose whether you want to use voucher values for just one of the theatre ticket companies or split them across both.

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council can take up the offer of a free annual pass to Bucks Museum and the Roald Dahl Gallery for either a family of four (1 adult & 3 children or 2 adults & 2 children) or a family of five (1 adult & 4 children or 2 adults & 3 children).

We will provide you with a code to use when you order your pass via the Bucks Museum website and enter in the coupon code box at checkout.

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council, and any Child in Care placements currently in their household, can take up the offer of free events at Black Park country park such as Forest Schools (Tots Go Wild/Families Go Wild), trails (including SEND inclusive sessions) and outdoor entertainment events.

We will provide you with a code to use when you book events via the Buckinghamshire Country Parks booking site and enter in the promo code box at checkout.

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council can request a Blue Light Card if you are an approved foster carer and you have had a Child in Care placement.

One Blue Light Card will be issued per household to the eligible foster carer who makes the request.

If you have completed 182 days (6 months) of placements in a financial year, you will receive a 100% refund of your council tax from the previous financial year. This can be a single long-term placement or a number of short-term placements.

Our team will be in touch with you at the end of the financial year if you have had placements for the required period to arrange payment into your nominated bank account

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council can request free gym memberships at selected leisure centres for up to 2 adult approved foster carers in your household and/or for any Child in Care placements currently in your care (child 11yrs to 15yrs or student/in education membership if they are 16+).

This offer is available for the following leisure centres:

• Wycombe Leisure Centre, High Wycombe
• Court Garden Leisure Centre, Marlow
• Risborough Springs Leisure Centre, Princes Risborough

• Swan Pool and Leisure Centre, Buckingham,
• Aqua Vale Swimming & Fitness Centre Aylesbury
• Beacon Leisure Centre, Beaconsfield
• Evreham Leisure Centre, Iver

• Chesham Leisure Centre, Chesham
• Chalfont Leisure Centre Chalfont St Peter
• Chilterns Lifestyle Centre, Amersham

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council can request a Foster Carer Permit which is an e-permit using your car registration. This will permit you to park for free in all Buckinghamshire Council-owned car parks and at Buckinghamshire County Parks.

We will guide you through the application process and provide information about which car parks are applicable.

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council can request additional holiday allowance if you have had a Child in Care placement, and currently have a Child in Care placement.

Once you have received approval from your supervising social worker and the child's allocated social worker for the future holiday/travel, you can request an additional allowance to support with the costs of going on holiday.

If you’re eligible, the additional holiday allowance will be paid alongside your relevant weekly allowances in the nearest payroll run following approval. There are no constraints or restrictions on how the money is spent. It can be on one holiday or split across multiple holiday breaks.

One payment will be made to the main carer in your household and there will be one payment per household, per placed child, per financial year on request by eligible foster carers.

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council can receive a payment of up to £150 to cover the cost of a home safety check (e.g. gas safety check) if you are an approved Foster Carer for Buckinghamshire Council and you have had a Child in Care placement.

Eligible foster carers can submit an expense claim, with a copy of the invoice, for the reimbursement of the cost of the utility safety check.

The invoice should also include a statement or itemised list of works completed, not just the overall value of the work completed.

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council, their birth/adopted children, and any Child in Care placements currently in their household, can get free general admission for a Family ticket when visiting the National Trust’s Stowe Gardens and Claydon House and Gardens locations.

This offer is eligible for groups of up to 2 adults plus up to 4 children. Children under 5 can already visit for free. All foster carers in the group will need to present their Buckinghamshire Foster Carer IDs on arrival to use the offer. There is no need to prebook your visit, however, please check the venue web pages for opening hours and planned closures.

Please contact the site ahead of your visit if you have more than 4 children in your group as free admission for additional children may be granted at their discretion.

Please note this offer is for general admission to the property and if you are visiting to take part in paid events and activities, charges will still apply for those events and activities as normal.

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council can request a Family & Friends Railcard if you are an approved foster carer and you have had a Child in Care placement.

The Family & Friends Railcard will give 1/3 off the price of rail travel for adults and 60% off for children, for up to 4 adults travelling with up to 4 children.

One Family & Friends Railcard will be issued per household to the eligible foster carer who makes the request.

Eligible foster carers with existing Family & Friends Rail Cards already purchased in 2025 will be able to submit an expense claim for the reimbursement of the cost of the card.

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council and/or any Child in Care placements currently in your care, can request Carousel Smart Cards for free bus travel across Zones A to C in the Carousel bus transport network, for approved foster carers and Child in Care placements in your household.

Once your request has been approved, your Carousel smart cards can be issued by:

• your assigned social worker to drop off at next visit
• an arranged in person collection from Buckinghamshire Council Walton Street Offices in Aylesbury.

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council can request our waste offers if you are an approved Foster Carer for Buckinghamshire Council, you have had a Child in Care placement, and currently have a Child in Care placement.

You can request:

• larger refuse and recycling bins
• an annual garden waste subscription for 1 bin
• up to 2 bulky waste collections of 1 to 3 items per financial year.
• a free compost bin for your household,
• a £60 cloth nappy voucher per placed child under the age of 3
• a £20 voucher for sustainable period products per female in the household.

Approved Foster Carers for Buckinghamshire Council are eligible for a 40% discount on soft play entry at Zoomania’s Aylesbury venue and 20% discount on Laser Zone at their Northampton venue, if you are an approved* Foster Carer for Buckinghamshire Council and you have had a Child in Care placement. This offer will be fulfilled using a code supplied by the Fostering Customer Relationship Team, and on presentation of a valid Foster Carer ID at the venue.