Terms and conditions for claiming our perks offers
Further Information for foster carers
Our fostering community is at the heart of what we do and to recognise the amazing work of our foster carers we offer an exciting perks and benefits package worth over £13,000*.
If you are a foster carer and want to claim perks or learn more, please contact our team by emailing [email protected]
*Please note the value of perks claimed will vary from household to household and eligibility criteria applies.
You may be eligible for our exclusive perks if:
You are an approved mainstream, respite or family and friends carer.
You have taken your first looked after child.
And/or you are currently looking after a child.
Below you can find more details about how our perks offers work. To request a perk or find out if you’re eligible, please get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]
Merlin Platinum annual pass
Groups eligible for the offer:
- Mainstream Foster Carers
- Family and Friends Carers
- Foster children placed with foster carers
- Foster Carers’ birth/adopted children
You can take up the exciting offer of a Merlin Platinum 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.
You can request a Merlin Platinum annual pass if you are an approved foster carer, have taken your first looked after child and have a current placement.
Looked after children and birth/adopted children are eligible if:
- Their main residence is in the foster carer household
- They are under the age of 18
- Their height is 90cm + (below this height, no pass required for entry)
Free theatre tickets
You can make up to 2 requests for gift vouchers to purchase theatre tickets in the financial year. Each request is to the value of £150, with a maximum value issued of £300 in the 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.
Annual family pass to Bucks Museum and the Roald Dahl Gallery
You can request to 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.
Free events at Buckinghamshire Country Parks
Groups eligible for the offer:
- Mainstream Foster Carers
- Respite Carers
- Family and Friends
- Foster children placed with foster carers
You 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.
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
Groups eligible for the offer:
- Mainstream Foster Carers
- Respite Carers
- Family and Friends Carers
You can request an additional allowance to support with the costs of going on holiday if you are an approved foster carer, have taken first child and have a current placement.
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.
Groups eligible for the offer:
- Mainstream Foster Carers
- Respite Carers
- Family and Friends Carers
Waste collections
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.
Sustainable products offer from Recycle4Bucks
If you are an approved foster carer and have a current placement, you will be entitled to request a free compost bin for your household, a £60 cloth nappy voucher per placed child under the age of 3 and a £20 voucher for sustainable period products per female in the household.
Groups eligible for the offer:
- Mainstream Foster Carers
- Respite Carers
- Family and Friends Carers
You can request a Blue Light Card if you are an approved foster carer and have taken your first looked after child.
One Blue Light Card will be issued per household to the eligible foster carer who makes the request.
Groups eligible for the offer:
- Mainstream Foster Carers
- Respite Carers
- Family and Friends Carers
- Foster children placed with foster carers
You can request free gym memberships at selected leisure centres for up to 2 adult registered foster carers in your household and/or for any foster children 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:
Places Leisure
- Wycombe Leisure Centre, High Wycombe
- Court Garden Leisure Centre, Marlow
- Risborough Springs Leisure Centre, Princes Risborough
More Leisure
- Swan Pool and Leisure Centre, Buckingham,
- Aqua Vale Swimming & Fitness Centre Aylesbury
- Beacon Leisure Centre, Beaconsfield
- Evreham Leisure Centre, Iver
Everyone Active
- Chesham Leisure Centre, Chesham
- Chalfont Leisure Centre Chalfont St Peter
- Chilterns Lifestyle Centre, Amersham
Note: Everyone Active also offer a national scheme aimed at ‘cared for children and care experienced young people’
Family & Friends Railcard (National Rail)
Groups eligible for the offer:
- Mainstream Foster Carers
- Respite Carers
- Family and Friends Carers
You are entitled to request a Family & Friends Railcard if you are an approved foster carer and have taken your first looked after child.
With a Family & Friends Railcard you can get 1/3 off 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.
Free bus travel with Carousel buses
Groups eligible for the offer:
- Mainstream Foster Carers
- Respite Carers
- Family and Friends Carers
- Foster children placed with foster carers.
You will be entitled to request Carousel Smart Cards for free bus travel across Zones A to C in the Carousel bus transport network for foster carers and looked after children 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.
Groups eligible for the offer:
- Mainstream Foster Carers
- Respite Carers
- Family and Friends Carers
You 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.
Please note this offer is also conditional on completion of a short parking survey every 3 months.
We’re working on an exciting offer to provide our foster carers with a free subscription to CaringLife, an online platform and app for foster carers and looked after children and young people to capture the memories and milestones on their fostering journey.
Groups eligible for the offer:
- Mainstream Foster Carers
- Respite Carers
- Family and Friends Carers
You are entitled 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 and have taken your first looked after child.
Eligible foster carers will be able to submit an expense claim with a copy of the invoice for the reimbursement of the cost of the utility safety check.
As an approved carer with Buckinghamshire Council, you will be provided with an iPad, a Bucks Fostering email and applications to support you with your administrative duties.
Eligible carers will receive their device during the matching process, devices and accessories are expected to be returned should you de-register as an approved carer.