The Care Act 2014 is the law that sets out how adult social care in England should be provided. It requires local authorities to make sure that people who live in their areas:

• receive services that prevent their care needs from becoming more serious or delay the impact of their needs
• can get the information and advice they need to make good decisions about care and support
• have a range of high quality, appropriate services to choose from
• have more control over how their care and support is organised.

This law also sets out what local authorities (and some other organisations in the care sector) must do related to:

• safeguarding adults (including by setting up a Safeguarding Adults Board in their area)
• promoting people’s wellbeing
• promoting integration of care and support within health services
• providing information and advice
• promoting diversity and quality in provision of services
• assessing people’s needs and deciding how to meet them
• imposing charges and assessing people’s finances
• planning care and support and reviewing those plans
• setting personal budgets (the amount the authority will pay towards someone’s care)
• making direct payments to people to enable them to buy their own social care services.

An assessment under the Care Act is an assessment of needs for care and support (including transition assessments) or carers need for support. The nature of the assessment will vary depending on the person and circumstances. The assessment process should be appropriate and proportionate to the individual and their needs.

To view the full legislation please see useful links box