Minister acts on ‘postcode lottery’ of social care

Around £12.5m a year will also be made available to ensure people who move house continue to receive care while awaiting re-assessment by their new local authority.

Both measures, to be included in the Government’s Care and Support White Paper tomorrow, will be welcomed by campaigners seeking reforms. But the package remains under fire because Ministers have failed to give any assurances over finding the £1.7 billion-a-year required to rescue the ailing care system.

Mr Lansley said the present system – where each of 152 local authorities decide their own eligibility criteria – was “confusing and unclear”.

While town halls will remain in charge of deciding who qualifies for care however, from 2015 they will not be able to turn away anyone who meets a set level of need.

Councils were also warned by officials not to further narrow the band of people given state help despite facing massive pressure on budgets.