How much does adoption cost?

It's free

Domestic adoption is free for adopters in the UK. Adoption agencies — voluntary agencies like Jigsaw and local authority teams — are not permitted to charge adopters a fee for their services.

This applies whether you go through a voluntary adoption agency or your local authority. Both are funded by the local authorities placing children, not by adopters.

What you'll pay out of pocket

Although there's no agency fee, a handful of small administrative costs come up during the process. These typically total a few hundred pounds.

If you've lived abroad

If you've lived outside the UK for six months or more at any point since your 18th birthday, you'll need an international police check from each country you've lived in, in addition to your UK DBS. This applies to each adopter in a couple individually.

Costs vary considerably by country — some are free or nominal, others can run into hundreds of pounds. Normally, you don't need to spend money translating international checks as they often include English text and as the Jigsaw team can cover many languages. Speak to us at the initial conversation if this might apply to you and we can advise on the specific countries you’d need certificates from.

Adoption leave and pay

Statutory adoption leave gives you up to 52 weeks off work — 26 weeks ordinary leave, 26 weeks additional leave.

Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP) covers up to 39 weeks of that leave. The first six weeks are paid at 90% of your average weekly earnings. The remaining 33 weeks are paid at the lower of the statutory weekly rate (currently £194.32) or 90% of your earnings.

Many employers offer enhanced adoption packages — full pay for some or all of the leave period — though these aren't statutory. It's worth asking your employer early.

In Jigsaw's experience, every Jigsaw adopter so far has found their employer supportive of their adoption plans and we encourage you to talk to you employer during the process.

Setting up for a child

Beyond the process costs, you'll need to set up a home for the child. Bedroom furniture, a car seat, clothes, toys, a buggy for younger children — the same things any new parent buys, in the same range of budgets.

There's no specific shopping list required by adoption regulation. The child's social worker will share what's known about the child's preferences, routines, and any specific needs before placement, which helps you focus on what actually matters.

Costs vary widely depending on what you already have and the age and number of children being placed.

Financial support available

Settling-in grants

Some local authorities offer one-off settling-in grants when a child is placed. Amounts vary, and they're not guaranteed. Worth asking the placing local authority at matching. If you feel that you are unable to adopt without financial support, please advice us about this at the outset of the process.

Means-tested benefits

If you're entitled to Universal Credit, Child Benefit, or other means-tested support, those continue and adjust to reflect the new family composition. The placing local authority and your benefits adviser can help with the detail.

A note on international adoption

Jigsaw works only with domestic UK adoption. International adoption is a separate process with much higher costs — typically £12,000 to £25,000 for the UK assessment alone, plus country-specific fees, legal costs, and travel, often totalling more than £100,000.

Read next

The adoption process →

How long does adoption take? →

Why choose Jigsaw →

FAQ — common questions →