Local Authority assessments

My council care assessment was rejected: how can I challenge the decision?

What to do if you disagree with an adult social-care needs assessment in England, including the council complaints route and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

Updated 26 August 2026

Scope: General information for England. This guide does not determine eligibility, replace the relevant NHS or Local Authority process, or provide individual legal or clinical advice.

Start by identifying what was actually decided

People often say that a council assessment was 'rejected', but several different things may have happened: the council may have declined to carry out an assessment, completed an assessment but found no eligible needs, or accepted needs but proposed a care plan that the person believes is inadequate.

The route you take depends on the actual decision, so ask for the assessment, eligibility decision, reasons and any care-and-support plan in writing.

The Care Act assessment duty

Sections 9 and 10 of the Care Act require a Local Authority to assess an adult who appears to have needs for care and support. The assessment duty is not limited to people who the council already believes will qualify for funded support, and it is not dependent on the person's finances.

If you disagree with the result

There is not one universal national 'appeal form' for an adult social-care needs assessment. NHS public guidance says to complain first through the Local Authority's formal complaints procedure. If you remain dissatisfied with how the complaint was handled, you can normally take the complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

  • Identify factual errors or important needs that were omitted.
  • Explain how those needs affect wellbeing and the outcomes the person is trying to achieve.
  • Attach concise supporting evidence rather than sending an unstructured bundle of documents.
  • State the remedy you are asking for — for example, correction of factual errors, reconsideration, reassessment or a revised care-and-support plan.
  • Keep a dated record of correspondence and the council's complaint responses.

If the council says there are no eligible needs

Even where a needs assessment concludes that a person does not qualify for council-funded care and support, NHS guidance says the council should still provide free advice about other sources of help in the community. Ask for that information if it has not been provided.