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When a young person turns 18, they are often expected to contribute towards their foster carer’s allowance through their wages or benefits in order to make up the shortfall. Of course, young people are required to remain in full-time or part-time education until they turn 18, which impacts on their ability to work and contribute financially. The cost of living pressures associated with financial constraints explains why so many young people continue living with their birth parents well into their 20s. In many cases, care leavers do not have that choice, unless their foster parents are prepared to continue to provide them with a home, without adequate support from the state, to enable the young person to transition to adulthood.