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Care and support plans: what yours must include and how to change it

In short: If the council is going to meet your care needs, it must write a care and support plan with you and give you a copy. You can ask for a review if things change.
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In short

  1. If the council is going to meet your care needs, it must write a care and support plan with you. Carers get a support plan.
  2. The law says what the plan must include, such as your needs, how they will be met, and your personal budget. You must get a copy.
  3. Plans should be reviewed at least once a year. You, or someone on your behalf, can ask for a review at any time if things change.

Urgent? If someone is in danger or very unwell, call 999. For urgent medical help, call NHS 111 or contact your GP. This page cannot give medical or personal advice.

After a care needs assessment, the council decides which of your needs are eligible. You can read about that in our guide to eligible needs. If the council is going to meet your needs, the next step is a care and support plan. For a carer, it is called a support plan. (Care Act 2014, section 24)

The plan is about you. The official guidance says the plan "belongs" to the person it is for, and you should be fully involved in making it. (Care and Support Statutory Guidance, 10.2) People who live in a care home must get a plan too. (Statutory Guidance, 10.7)

What the plan must include

The law says a care and support plan must set out (Care Act 2014, section 25(1)):

If some needs are met by direct payments (money paid to you to arrange your own care), the plan must also say which needs, and how much will be paid and how often. (section 25(2))

The guidance also says the plan should record what an unpaid carer is willing to do. That way the council can respond if the caring stops. (Statutory Guidance, 10.40) It also suggests a named contact, so you know who to call at the council. (Statutory Guidance, 10.33)

Your personal budget

The personal budget is a statement in your plan. It shows (Care Act 2014, section 26):

The council must also tell you which needs could be met by direct payments, and help you decide how to have your needs met. (section 24(1))

Who must be involved

When the council writes your plan, it must involve (section 25(3)):

If you lack capacity to ask, the council must involve anyone who seems to be interested in your welfare. The council must take all reasonable steps to agree with you how your needs will be met. (section 25(3) and (5)) You can also ask to write the plan jointly with the council, if it agrees. (section 25(7))

Help to speak up. If you would find it very hard to take part, and there is no family member or friend who can help, the council must give you an independent advocate. (Statutory Guidance, 10.34; Care Act 2014, section 67)

Getting a copy

The council must give you a copy of your care and support plan. It must also give a copy to your carer, if you ask, and to anyone else you ask it to. (section 25(9)) The guidance says the copy should be in a format you can use. That could be large print, easy read, or another format. The council can also share a draft with you while the plan is being made. (Statutory Guidance, 10.87)

Not had your copy? Ask the council's adult social care team for it in writing. Keep a note of the date you asked.

If the council will not meet your needs

If the council assessed you but is not going to meet your needs, it must give you its reasons in writing. It must also give you advice and information about what can be done to meet or reduce your needs, and to prevent or delay needs in future. (section 24(2))

How the plan is reviewed

The council must keep plans under review. (Care Act 2014, section 27(1)) The guidance says:

(Statutory Guidance, 13.15 and 13.32)

A review must not be used just to cut your care. The guidance says any cut to a personal budget should come from a change in your needs or circumstances. (Statutory Guidance, 13.4 and 13.33)

How to ask for a change

You can ask for a review at any time. The council must review the plan if you, or someone acting for you, makes a reasonable request. (section 27(1)(b)) A family member, friend or neighbour can also tell the council they are worried, and the council should consider it. (Statutory Guidance, 13.22)

  1. Write down what has changed. For example, a fall, a hospital stay, new pain, or a carer who can no longer help as much.
  2. Contact adult social care. Phone, email or write to the council. Use our find your council tool if you need the details. The guidance says councils should offer more than one way to ask. (Statutory Guidance, 13.20)
  3. Ask for a review in writing and keep a copy. You can use the short letter below.
  4. Take part in the review. The council must involve you, your carer and anyone you ask it to. (section 27(2))

If the council is satisfied your circumstances have changed in a way that affects the plan, it must carry out a new assessment where it thinks this is right, and revise the plan. (section 27(4)) If it decides not to review your plan, the guidance says it should tell you why, and how to take the matter further. (Statutory Guidance, 13.25)

A short letter to ask for a review

[Your name] [Your address] [Date] Adult Social Care [Council name and address] Dear Sir or Madam, Request for a review of my care and support plan I am asking for a review of the care and support plan for [me / name, date of birth], under section 27 of the Care Act 2014. What has changed: - [for example: I had a fall on (date) and now need help getting up] - [for example: my daughter can no longer help each morning] Please contact me on [phone number] or [email] to arrange the review. Please also send me a copy of my current plan, if I do not already have one. Yours faithfully, [Your name]

If you do not agree with your plan

  1. Talk to the council first. Raise your worries with your social worker or named contact. If the plan cannot be agreed, the guidance says the council should explain why and what needs to happen next. You must not be left without support while a dispute is sorted out. (Statutory Guidance, 10.86)
  2. Make a complaint. Use the council's complaints process. You can use our free complaint letter.
  3. Then go to the Ombudsman. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman is free and independent. You usually need to finish the council's process first. You can also go to them if the council has not replied in a reasonable time. The Ombudsman says this should usually be up to 16 weeks. They cannot normally look at a complaint if more than 12 months have passed since you first knew about the problem.

Examples

Example A woman who never got her copy. Her mum had carers four mornings a week, but the family had never seen the plan. She wrote to the council and asked for a copy. It came two weeks later, and they found the evening visits had been left out.
Example A man after a fall. He came home from hospital and could no longer get up the stairs alone. His son asked the council for a review. The plan was changed to add more help in the mornings.

These are made-up examples to show how things can work. They are not real people. Every case is different.

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Information only. This page explains official guidance in plain English. It is not legal or medical advice. Rules can change. For advice about your own case, contact Citizens Advice or another free adviser.

Where this applies: England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different rules.

Written by Social Care Made Easy. Last checked: 27 October 2026.