Social Care: Challenging decisions and making complaints

You can challenge a decision or make a complaint about your care. This page gives details of the organisations that can help you with this.

Can I challenge decisions about social care?

Yes. For example: if you are worried your personal budget or care plan is not enough to cover the costs of the support you need; or if your budget has been cut. Your care package or personal budget cannot be reduced without an assessment or a review.

There are organisations who can provide further advice:

Access Social Care 

Access Social Care has a confidential 'Ask Ava' chatbot. This provides very comprehensive information.

Citizens Advice and Advice NI

Citizens Advice offer a general advice service across many aspects of law and casework services.

CA England and Wales: Find your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

CA Scotland: Find your local Citizens Advice Bureau in Scotland .

Advice NI: Find local advice in Northern Ireland.

Money Helper 

Money Helper has advice specifically related challenging your local authority over your care.

Disability Rights UK

Disability Rights UK (DRUK) runs a Personal Budgets Helpline. This is a telephone and email service that provides advice to individuals.

Call 0330 995 0404. Or email personalbudgets@disabilityrightsuk.org. Find more details about the DRUK Personal Budgets helpline.

Can I raise a complaint with public authorities about social care?

Yes. It’s recommended that you speak to your local authority first. If you are not satisfied, you can contact the ombudsman for your area of the UK.

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman for England: Adult Social Care Complaints Factsheet

Citizens Advice Wales: Social services complaints - when can you use the complaints procedure?

See also: the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales

Scotland: mygov.scot – Complain or give feedback about care services

See also: the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

Northern Ireland: NI Direct – How to complain or raise concerns about health and social care services.

See also: the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO)

How to get social care: Advice and guidance for disabled adults

This page aims to help disabled adults in the UK to make informed choices about care.

Paying for social care

You can use the information and links on this page find out who would contribute to social care costs. You can also find out the different ways people can receive money to pay for social care.

Social care: PAs and direct payments

If you are eligible for social care, you’ll have a care plan with a personal budget – the total cost of your care.

You can receive money for your social care in the form of direct payments. The direct payment can be paid to you, so that you arrange your care. It can also be paid to someone close to you, such as a trusted family member.

Social care in and around the UK: Country-specific advice

This page is aimed at disabled adults living in and around the UK who are looking for social care. It’s for people looking for advice that is specific to their area.