Better Care Fund framework 2026 to 2027
This guidance constitutes the formal planning requirements, national conditions for expenditure and legal framework for the Better Care Fund for 2026 to 2027.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
The aim of the Better Care Fund (BCF) is to support integrated care boards (ICBs) and local authorities in designing and delivering more integrated and preventative care, particularly for people with more complex health and social care needs. This will help people stay independent for longer.
This guidance sets out:
- how we expect ICBs and local authorities to plan and agree expenditure for 2026 to 2027, working with local partners
- how these plans will be assured
Plans will need to be developed collaboratively and agreed by health and wellbeing boards as in previous years.
New arrangements for 2026 to 2027 include asking health and wellbeing boards, ICBs and local authorities to more closely align plans for integrated health and social care services to the development of relevant areas of neighbourhood health services, such as intermediate care.
This framework should be read alongside:
- supporting documents on the BCF Exchange (NHS Futures login required)
- NHS medium term planning framework
- NHS (Expenditure on Service Integration) Directions
- ICB allocations of the minimum NHS contribution to BCF for 2026 to 2027
- final local government finance settlement in England, April 2026 to March 2029