Run a healthcare business
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UK Act of Parliament
2014
United Kingdom
Care Act 2014
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
31 compliance obligations, 4 practical guides · 5 journeys
Penalty landscape
1 of 31 obligations carry a fine up to £2,500. 1 carries different penalties and 29 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 3
Plus 28 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Direct — cites this Act
1 guidesSupporting — topic alignment
2 guidesMentioned in related content
1 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — Care and support
Promoting individual well-being
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must promote individual well-being in care decisions Local authority
Providing information and advice
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must provide care and support information and advice Local authority
Promoting diversity and quality in provision of services
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must ensure a diverse and high-quality care market Local authority
Co-operating in specific cases
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities and partners must cooperate in individual care cases Local authority
The eligibility criteria
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must determine eligibility for care and support Local authority
The steps for the local authority to take
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must create support plans and provide clear care advice Local authority
Care and support plan, support plan
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must prepare and share care and support plans Local authority
Personal budget
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must provide a personal budget statement Local authority
Review of care and support plan or of support plan
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must review and update care and support plans Local authority
Cases where adult expresses preference for particular accommodation
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must accommodate an adult's preference for specific housing Local authority
Direct payments: further provision
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must administer and monitor direct care payments Local authority
Notification, assessment, etc.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must coordinate care continuity for residents moving areas Local authority
Case where assessments not complete on day of move
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must maintain care and support during a move Local authority
Enquiry by local authority
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must investigate suspected adult abuse or neglect Local authority
Safeguarding Adults Boards
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must establish Safeguarding Adults Boards (SABs) Local authority
Safeguarding adults reviews
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Safeguarding Adults Board must review cases of serious abuse or neglect Local authority
Supply of information
- Supply information to the Safeguarding Adults Board if requested Any Person
Protecting property of adults being cared for away from home
Fine up to £2,500- Obstructing a local authority protecting an adult's property Any Person
Temporary duty on Health and Social Care trust in Northern Ireland
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Health and Social Care trusts must provide emergency cover for failed providers Local authority
Sections 48 to 51: supplementary
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must step in and manage care during business failures Local authority
Assessment of financial sustainability of care provider
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- CQC must assess the financial sustainability of certain care providers Statutory regulator
Informing local authorities where failure of care provider likely
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- CQC must warn local authorities and may request information from providers Statutory regulator
Child's carer's assessment: requirements etc.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must assess a child's carer's needs for future support Local authority
Guidance, etc.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must consult and consider well-being before issuing guidance Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 58 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Preventing needs for care and support
Promoting integration of care and support with health services etc.
Co-operating generally
How to meet needs
Assessment of an adult's needs for care and support
Assessment of a carer's needs for support
Refusal of assessment
Assessments under sections 9 and 10: further provision
Power of local authority to charge
Cap on care costs
Cap on care costs: annual adjustment
Assessment of financial resources
Duty to meet needs for care and support
Power to meet needs for care and support
Duty and power to meet a carer's needs for support
Exception for persons subject to immigration control
Exception for provision of health services
Exception for provision of housing etc.
Independent personal budget
Care account
Adults with capacity to request direct payments
Adults without capacity to request direct payments
Deferred payment agreements and loans
Deferred payment agreements and loans: further provision
Alternative financial arrangements
Where a person's ordinary residence is
Disputes about ordinary residence or continuity of care
Financial adjustments between local authorities
Abolition of local authority's power to remove persons in need of care
Temporary duty on local authority
Section 48: cross-border cases
Temporary duty on local authority in Wales
Specifying criteria for application of market oversight regime
Determining whether criteria apply to care provider
Sections 54 to 56: supplementary
Assessment of a child's needs for care and support
Child's needs assessment: requirements etc.
Assessment of a child's carer's needs for support
Power to meet child's carer's needs for support
Assessment of a young carer's needs for support
Young carer's assessment: requirements etc.
Assessments under sections 58 to 64: further provision
Continuity of services under other legislation
Involvement in assessments, plans etc.
Safeguarding enquiries and reviews
Recovery of charges, interest etc.
Transfer of assets to avoid charges
Five-yearly review by Secretary of State
Part 1 appeals
Default power of Secretary of State
Default power of Secretary of State: supplementary
Human Rights Act 1998: provision of regulated care or support etc a public function
Discharge of hospital patients with care and support needs
After-care under the Mental Health Act 1983
Prisoners and persons in approved premises etc.
Registers of sight-impaired adults, disabled adults, etc.
Delegation of local authority functions
Part 1: interpretation
Part 2 — Care standards
Offence
2 years imprisonment- Provide false or misleading information to the CQC Any Person
Browse 14 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Duty of candour
Warning notice
Imposition of licence conditions on NHS foundation trusts
Trust special administration: appointment of administrator
Trust special administration: objective, consultation and reports
Restriction on applications for variation or removal of conditions
Rights of appeal
Unitary board
Chief Inspectors
Independence of the Care Quality Commission
Reviews and performance assessments
Penalties
Offences by bodies
Training for persons working in regulated activity
Part 3 — Health
Ensuring sufficient skilled health care workers for the health service
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- NHS England must ensure a sufficient skilled healthcare workforce in England Statutory regulator
Objectives, priorities and outcomes
Amended 15 timesOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- NHS England must publish and pursue education and training objectives Statutory regulator
Sections 98 and 100: matters to which NHS England must have regard
Amended 7 timesOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- NHS England must consider workforce supply and care integration when planning Statutory regulator
Advice
Amended 7 timesLocal Education and Training Boards
Amended 1 timeLETBs: appointment etc.
Amended 14 timesLETBs: co-operation by providers of health services
Amended 6 timesEducation and training plans
Amended 1 timeCommissioning education and training
Amended 1 timeTariffs
Amended 3 timesThe Health Research Authority
Amended 3 timesThe HRA's functions
Amended 1 timeCo-ordinating and promoting regulatory practice etc.
Amended 3 timesThe HRA's policy on research ethics committees
Amended 1 timeOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HRA must publish and enforce ethics standards for research committees Statutory regulator
Approval of research
Amended 1 timeOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HRA must publish guidance on ethics approvals for health and social care research Statutory regulator
Recognition by the HRA
Amended 1 timeEstablishment by the HRA
Amended 1 timeOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HRA must establish and oversee research ethics committees Statutory regulator
Membership of the United Kingdom Ethics Committee Authority
Amended 1 timeApproval for processing confidential patient information
Amended 1 timeTransfer orders
Amended 2 timesChapters 1 and 2: interpretation and supplementary provision
Amended 6 timesPowers of administrator etc.
Amended 1 timeBrowse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 4 — Health and social care
Part 5 — General
Regulations and orders
Amended 2 timesGeneral interpretation
Amended 1 timeExtent and application
Amended 1 timeBrowse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Power to make consequential provision
Power to make transitional etc. provision
Commencement
Short title
Schedules
Browse 114 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Direct payments: after-care under the Mental Health Act 1983
Health Education England
Cross-border placements
(1) Where a local authority in England is meeting an...
(1) Regulations may provide for this Schedule to apply, with...
Regulations under this Schedule— (a) if they include provision relating...
(1) This paragraph applies for the purposes of this Schedule....
In section 194 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales)...
(1) Pending the commencement of Part 4 of the Social...
(1) Where a local authority in Wales is discharging its...
(1) Where a local authority in Scotland is discharging its...
(1) Where there are arrangements under Article 15 of the...
(1) Any dispute about the application of any of paragraphs...
(1) This paragraph applies where— (a) an adult has been...
(1) In section 86 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act...
(1) In a case where, as a result of this...
(1) Regulations may provide for this Schedule to apply, with...
Safeguarding Adults Boards
(1) The members of an SAB are—
(1) A member of an SAB listed in paragraph 1(1)...
(1) An SAB must publish for each financial year a...
(1) As soon as is feasible after the end of...
Discharge of hospital patients with care and support needs
(1) Where the NHS body responsible for a hospital patient...
(1) The NHS body responsible for a hospital patient, having...
(1) The relevant authority, having received an assessment notice and...
(1) If the relevant authority, having received an assessment notice...
(1) An NHS body may make arrangements with any person...
(1) Regulations may modify, or otherwise make provision about, the...
(1) A hospital patient is a person ordinarily resident in...
Regulations may— (a) specify the form and content of an...
(1) Sections 31 (adults with capacity to request direct payments),...
SCHEDULE A1 Direct payments: after-care under the Mental Health Act...
(1) HEE consists of— (a) a chair appointed by the...
(1) HEE may regulate its own procedure.
(1) The application of HEE's seal must be authenticated by...
(1) HEE is not to be regarded as a servant...
(1) HEE must exercise its functions effectively, efficiently and economically....
(1) HEE may provide help or advice to another public...
(1) HEE must, in the exercise of its functions, co-operate...
In section 9(4) of the National Health Service Act 2006...
(1) HEE may arrange with a devolved authority for HEE—...
(1) If the Secretary of State considers that HEE is...
(1) The Secretary of State must pay HEE for each...
(1) The members of HEE must include persons who have...
(1) HEE must ensure that total expenditure attributable to its...
Where HEE generates income from carrying out activities for the...
(1) HEE must ensure that— (a) its use of capital...
(1) The Secretary of State may direct HEE to ensure...
(1) Section 265 of the Public Health Act 1875 (which...
(1) HEE must keep— (a) proper accounts, and
(1) HEE must prepare consolidated annual accounts for each financial...
(1) The Secretary of State may, with the approval of...
(1) As soon as is feasible after the end of...
In Part 2 of the Table in Schedule 1 to...
(1) A person holds office as a non-executive member of...
In the Schedule to the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings)...
In Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967, at...
In Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the House of...
In section 48(6) of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act...
In Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the Freedom of...
In Part 1 of Schedule 19 to the Equality Act...
(1) Having decided to suspend a person under paragraph 3(6),...
(1) Where a person is suspended from office as the...
(1) HEE must pay its non-executive members such remuneration as...
(1) Each executive member of HEE is appointed as an...
(1) HEE must pay its employees such remuneration as it...
(1) HEE may appoint committees and sub-committees.
Local Education and Training Boards
(1) HEE must ensure that the areas of LETBs—
(1) HEE must, whenever it considers appropriate, assess—
(1) HEE must publish the appointment criteria; but before doing...
(1) Regulations may— (a) give LETBs additional functions relating to...
The Health Research Authority
(1) The HRA consists of— (a) a chair appointed by...
(1) The HRA may regulate its own procedure.
(1) The application of the HRA's seal must be authenticated...
(1) The HRA is not to be regarded as a...
(1) The HRA must exercise its functions effectively, efficiently and...
(1) The HRA may provide help or advice to another...
(1) The HRA may arrange with a devolved authority for...
(1) If the Secretary of State considers that the HRA...
The Secretary of State may, with the consent of the...
(1) Regulations may require payment of a fee in relation...
(1) The HRA must keep accounts in such form as...
(1) A person holds office as a non-executive member of...
(1) As soon as is feasible after the end of...
In Part 2 of the Table in Schedule 1 to...
In the Schedule to the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings)...
In Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967, at...
In Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the House of...
In section 48(6) of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act...
In Part 6 of Schedule 1 to the Freedom of...
In Part 1 of Schedule 19 to the Equality Act...
(1) Having decided to suspend a person under paragraph 2(6),...
(1) Where a person is suspended from office as the...
(1) The HRA must pay its non-executive members such remuneration...
(1) Each executive member of the HRA is appointed as...
(1) The HRA must pay its employees such remuneration as...
(1) The HRA must appoint a committee for the purpose...
Regulations may provide for the committee appointed under paragraph 8(1)...
Research ethics committees: amendments
In regulation 2(1) of the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations...
In regulation 2 of the Mental Capacity 2005 (Appropriate Body)...
In regulation 2(1) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Disclosure...
In regulation 25 of the Independent Health Care (Wales) Regulations...
In regulation 2(1) of the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations...
In regulation 1(2) of the Health Service (Control of Patient...
In regulation 2(1) of the Nursing Homes Regulations (Northern Ireland)...
In regulation 2(1) of the Residential Care Homes Regulations (Northern...
In regulation 2(1) of the Independent Health Care Regulations (Northern...
In article 1(2) of the Approval of Research on Organs...
In regulation 1(2) of the Human Tissue Act 2004 (Ethical...
In regulation 2 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (Appropriate...
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- DoLS — forms and guidance (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Ofsted — the children's social care regulator (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- CQC — register as a new provider (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Code E: Consent | Human Tissue Authority (opens in a new tab) from HTA Code of Practice
- Adult safeguarding - ethical hub topic - GMC (opens in a new tab) from GMC Detailed Guidance
- Self-assessment for local authorities - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- An Introduction to our assessments of local authorities - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- How we report and share information - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- How we assess local authorities - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- Assurance meetings for local authorities - Care Quality Commission (opens in a new tab) from CQC Detailed Guidance
- ... and 12 more
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Care Quality Commission
Independent regulator of health and social care in England. Registers, monitors, inspects and rates hospitals, care homes, GP practices, dental surgeries, and …
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Browse legislation
Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.
Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.