09 December 2025
People trying to access their care records are being let down, the UK’s Information Commissioner warns
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) today (9 December) has warned that people trying to access their care records are being let down and launched a campaign to support both people with care experience and the organisations handling their records.
ICO research found that people are facing systemic and demoralising challenges when it comes to their care records:
- Over two thirds (71%) of people experienced poor communication from the local authority concerned and 69% said the process took longer than expected, with people still waiting up to sixteen years later
- When care records were received, over half (59%) did not receive enough information and nearly nine in ten people (87%) were left with questions or concerns.
The ICO launched the ‘Better Records Together’ campaign by publishing a suite of practical resources to help tackle these issues. The campaign includes:
- new standards for organisations providing clarity on how to handle requests with care, as well as good practice measures to better support people from the moment they enter the care system
- clear advice for people requesting their records to help them to navigate the process and access support.
- UK-wide supervision pilot running across 2025/26, monitoring the performance of 19 organisations to drive improvements.