A policy control method includes receiving, by a policy control network element, an update request message carrying information about a first mobility management network element from the first mobility management network element, updating, by the policy control network element according to the update request message, information about a second mobility management network element in information of a policy association corresponding to a terminal that is stored in the policy control network element to information about the first mobility management network element. The policy control network updates the information about the second mobility management network element in the information of the policy association to the information about the first mobility management network element instead of deleting the policy association and re-establishing a policy association with the first mobility management network element.