Care Bill becomes law; excludes mandatory advice referrals

The Care Act, which received Royal Assent on 14 May, has created a single law designed to make it clear what kind of care people can expect. It introduces numerous changes including putting personal budgets on a legal footing and placing a duty on councils to provide preventive services to support people's health. The legislation also introduces a national minimum eligibility threshold for council-funded social care and a limit on the amount people will have to pay towards their own care costs. Among local authorities' obligations are that they must provide information to people on...