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Social care needs assessments and care plans

How to get a social care needs assessment and care plan from your local authority or health and social care trust, and what should happen at each stage across the four nations.

Sample content. This prototype article summarises official UK sources listed at the end of the page. It is information, not legal or medical advice, and what you are entitled to depends on your circumstances.

Jurisdiction
UK-wide
Date last checked
18 June 2026
Date last updated
18 June 2026
Next review due
18 December 2026
Article version
1.0
Review status
Review status: Published and checked

Overview

If it appears you may need care and support because of a disability, illness or age-related need, you have a right to a needs assessment from your local council in England (under the Care Act 2014), Wales (under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014), or Scotland (under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013). In Northern Ireland, Health and Social Care Trusts carry out assessments under separate legislation.

The assessment looks at your needs and their impact on your wellbeing, not just a diagnosis, and should consider what you want to achieve in daily life.

If you are found to have eligible needs, the council or trust must produce a care and support plan setting out how those needs will be met, and must tell you what, if anything, you will be asked to pay towards it.

Carers also have a right to their own carer's assessment, looking at the impact of caring on the carer's own life and wellbeing.

Common barriers people describe

  • Long waits for an assessment, especially in areas with high demand.
  • Assessments that focus only on physical tasks rather than wellbeing, relationships and things that matter to the person.
  • People not being told clearly that an assessment is free, regardless of income; only the support that follows may be charged for.
  • Confusion between health-funded support, such as NHS Continuing Healthcare, and means-tested social care support.

Practical support

  • Contact your local council's adult social care team (or the Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland) and ask for a needs assessment; anyone can request one, including a friend, family member or professional on your behalf with consent.
  • Prepare by writing down what a typical day looks like, what you struggle with, and what outcomes matter to you, such as staying in your own home or keeping up a hobby.
  • Ask for an advocate if you would struggle to be involved in the assessment without support and have no one appropriate to help you; councils must arrange an independent advocate in these circumstances in England and Wales.
  • Citizens Advice and local carers' centres can help you prepare for and understand the assessment process.

Your rights

  • In England, eligibility is decided against national eligibility criteria in the Care Act 2014; in Wales, similar national eligibility criteria apply under the 2014 Act.
  • You have a right to be involved in your own assessment and care planning, and to have your own views, wishes and outcomes taken into account.
  • If you disagree with an eligibility decision or the contents of your care plan, you can ask for it to be reviewed, complain through the council's or trust's complaints procedure, and ultimately complain to the relevant ombudsman.
  • Care plans should be reviewed regularly, and you can ask for a review sooner if your needs or circumstances change.

Possible benefits and financial support

These are things you may want to check. Nothing here is a decision, and entitlement always depends on your circumstances.

  • Social care support is separate from, and does not replace, disability benefits such as PIP, Attendance Allowance or Adult Disability Payment, which you can claim regardless of what social care support you get.
  • If your needs are mainly about healthcare rather than social care, you may need an assessment for NHS Continuing Healthcare or its national equivalents instead of, or alongside, a social care assessment.

Workplace adjustments to consider

    Education adjustments to consider

      Getting healthcare that works for you

      • Where health and social care needs overlap, councils, trusts and the NHS are expected to work together and avoid you having to repeat your story to multiple services.

      Related rights topics

      Sources

      Every fact on this page comes from the sources below. Follow the links for the full, official version.

      Update history

      • Version 1.0 — 18 June 2026

        First published sample article covering social care needs assessments across the four nations.

        Approved by: Editorial reviewer (sample)

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