Official sources
Every organisation this site summarises and links to — go to these for the authoritative, current position.
This site is a signpost, not a destination. These are the official sources every topic links to. When in doubt — and always for anything important — read the source.
Source check 01/10/2026 — the areas that are in motion were rechecked. GOV.UK's guidance on the 2026 deprivation of liberty judgment was updated on 22/09/2026, with more promised by December. CQC's new adult social care assessment framework is in pilot until October 2026, with evaluation in November and go-live expected late in the year. GOV.UK flags the Care and Support statutory guidance as under review, so treat printed extracts of it with extra care.
Law and regulation
- legislation.gov.uk — the official home of UK Acts and regulations, as enacted and as amended.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) — the regulator for health and adult social care in England: registration, fundamental standards, assessment and enforcement.
- GOV.UK — government guidance and policy, including the Care Act statutory guidance, MCA Code of Practice, and hospital discharge guidance.
Clinical and practice guidance
- NICE — evidence-based guidelines for health and social care, from falls (NG249) to medicines in care homes (SC1).
- Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) — best practice resources on safeguarding, the MCA, dignity and more.
- NHS England — NHS policy and operational guidance, including discharge, intermediate care and records management.
Workforce and safety
- Skills for Care — the workforce development body: Care Certificate, qualifications, funding, and the Care Workforce Pathway.
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE) — workplace safety: RIDDOR, COSHH, manual handling, lone working.
Complaints, data and food
- Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman — unresolved complaints about adult social care.
- Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman — unresolved complaints about NHS care.
- Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — the data protection regulator: UK GDPR guidance and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
- Food Standards Agency (FSA) — food safety and hygiene, Safer Food Better Business, allergen rules.
A good habit: when any page on any website (including this one) tells you what the law says, ask "what's the source, and is it current?" — then click through and check.