An adult care review is a planned check of someone’s care and support plan. Its purpose is straightforward: to make sure the plan still fits the person’s life, still meets their needs, and still keeps them safe.
Under section 27 of the Care Act 2014, local authorities have an ongoing legal duty to keep care and support plans under review. That duty does not end once the plan is signed off. It continues for as long as the person has eligible needs.
Key Points Covered
- What an adult care review is and when it should happen
- The legal duties that sit behind it under the Care Act 2014
- What actually happens during a review
- Why reviews matter for safety, wellbeing, and independence
- How families and carers can be involved, and when independent support can help
Understanding the Legal Duty to Review
Once a local authority has carried out a needs assessment and put a care and support plan in place, it cannot simply leave it and move on. Section 27 of the Care Act 2014 places a clear duty on councils to keep plans under review. That includes the person’s care and support plan and, where one exists, a carer’s support plan.
Crucially, the council must carry out a review if the adult, or someone acting on their behalf, makes a reasonable request. That is not just good practice. It is a legal obligation.
Statutory guidance makes clear that reviews exist to ensure the plan stays accurate, up to date, and genuinely reflects the person’s needs and the support arranged to meet them. If circumstances change in a way that affects the plan, a reassessment of needs may be required before any changes are made.
How Often Should a Review Happen?
The Care Act does not set a fixed timetable in the legislation itself, but statutory guidance and good practice point to some clear expectations.
For a stable, established plan, a review should generally happen at least once a year. For a new plan, an earlier review, typically around six to eight weeks after it starts, gives everyone a chance to check it is working as intended.
And if things change before those timescales arrive? A review should happen sooner. That might be because someone’s health has declined, a carer’s circumstances have changed, or the person themselves has asked for one. Waiting for the annual date is not always appropriate.
What Actually Happens During a Review?
A care review is not, or should not be, a box-ticking exercise. Done well, it is a genuine conversation about what is working, what is not, and what needs to change.
The review should involve the person at the centre of the plan. Where appropriate, their carer, a family member, an attorney, or an advocate should also be included. Who is involved depends on the person’s wishes and their circumstances.
In practice, reviews can take different forms. Some are face to face. Others are done by phone, online, or through a self-review form the person completes at home. The format matters less than the quality of the conversation.
The worker leading the review should be looking at several things:
- Whether the person’s needs have changed since the plan was last reviewed
- How far the agreed outcomes are actually being achieved
- Whether there are new risks or safeguarding concerns
- Whether the current services, support arrangements, and personal budget are still right
If the review reveals that needs have changed significantly, the Care Act requires the local authority to carry out a proper reassessment, and in some cases a new financial assessment, before revising the plan. Changes should not simply be imposed. The council must take all reasonable steps to reach agreement with the person.
Why Reviews Matter More Than People Realise
I often speak to families who were not told they could ask for a review, or who did not realise a review had even taken place. That troubles me. Reviews are not an administrative footnote. They are one of the most important protections the Care Act offers.
A timely review can catch early warning signs: increased falls, deteriorating mental health, a carer who is struggling, or services that are no longer showing up reliably. Left unchecked, those things can escalate quickly.
Reviews are also about more than risk. The Care Act requires councils to promote wellbeing, and that includes looking at the person’s goals, independence, and quality of life, not just whether the basics are covered. A good review should be a chance to recognise progress, build on what is going well, and give the person more choice and control where that is possible.
One point I want to be clear about: a review must not be used simply as an opportunity to cut a personal budget. Reductions in support should only follow a proper reassessment that shows needs have genuinely reduced, or that they are being met in a different way. Cutting a budget without that evidence is not lawful, and families should feel confident in challenging it.
How Families and Carers Can Be Involved
The Care Act places real value on the role of carers and family members. During a review, the council should involve anyone the person wants to be there, provided that is in keeping with the person’s wishes and appropriate in the circumstances.
Carers have their own rights under the Care Act, including the right to a carer’s assessment and, where eligible, a carer’s support plan. That plan should also be reviewed regularly. When a carer asks for a review, good practice is for the council to look at both plans together, because they are often closely connected.
If you are supporting someone as a family member or carer, there are practical things you can do to prepare. Keep brief notes about what is working and what is not. Raise concerns early rather than waiting. And if you notice significant changes in the person’s needs or wellbeing, do not wait for the annual review date – ask for one sooner.
If there are concerns about abuse, neglect, or significant risk, that may need to be addressed as a safeguarding matter. Anyone in that position should contact adult social care, or in an emergency, the police. If you are unsure about the threshold or what to do, speaking to a social worker, advocacy service, or solicitor is a sensible first step.
When Independent Support Can Make a Difference
Care reviews do not always go smoothly. In my experience, they can sometimes feel rushed, overly focused on budgets, or poorly explained. The person at the centre of the review can end up feeling like a bystander in a conversation about their own life.
That is where independent social work support can help. An independent practitioner can help someone prepare for a review, get clear on what matters most to them, and identify any gaps or risks in the current plan that might otherwise be missed.
For families, attorneys, and deputies, having someone alongside who understands the Care Act, mental capacity principles, and safeguarding processes can make a real difference. It can mean the difference between a meeting that leads somewhere and one that leaves everyone more confused than before.
In more complex situations, where needs have increased significantly, where there are concerns about neglect, or where there is a disagreement between the family and the local authority, independent input helps to keep things structured and grounded in evidence rather than emotion.
If wider issues are involved, such as questions around care funding, property, or deputyship, it is also worth taking legal or financial advice. This article is general information only and cannot replace tailored professional guidance.
A Note on This Article
This post is based on current Care Act 2014 duties, statutory guidance, and good practice. Every situation is different, and local processes can vary. If you are unsure what applies in your circumstances, please seek individual advice from a social worker, advocate, solicitor, or other qualified professional.
If you are worried about an upcoming care review, or feel that a recent one did not properly reflect the person’s needs, get in touch. I am happy to have an initial conversation and help you work out what the right next steps might be.
Questions People Often Ask About Adult Care Reviews
What is an adult care review under the Care Act 2014?
An adult care review is a formal check of a person’s care and support plan to make sure it still meets their current needs and reflects how they want to live their life. Under section 27 of the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a legal duty to keep care and support plans under review and must carry out a review if the person, or someone acting on their behalf, makes a reasonable request.
How often should a care and support plan be reviewed?
Statutory guidance suggests that a stable care and support plan should be reviewed at least once a year. For a brand new plan, an earlier review at around six to eight weeks is good practice. A review should also happen sooner if needs, risks, or circumstances change, or if the person or their carer asks for one before the annual date.
Can I ask the council to review my care plan if my needs change?
Yes. Under section 27 of the Care Act 2014, a local authority must carry out a review if the adult, or someone acting on their behalf, makes a reasonable request. You do not have to wait for the annual review date. If your needs or circumstances have changed, you have the right to ask for a review at any time.
Can a personal budget be reduced at a care review?
A personal budget should only be reduced if a proper reassessment shows that needs have genuinely reduced or are now being met in a different way. Using a review simply as a way to cut costs, without evidence of changed needs, is not lawful under the Care Act. If you believe a reduction has been proposed without proper evidence, you have the right to challenge it.
Can a family member or advocate attend my adult care review with me?
Yes. The Care Act recognises the important role that carers and family members play, and the council should involve anyone the person wants to have with them, where that is appropriate and in line with the person’s wishes. You can also bring an independent advocate or, where relevant, an attorney or deputy, to help you prepare and speak up during the review.
