Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has pledged to end the "postcode lottery" of social care in England from 2015 by imposing a national minimum eligibility threshold.

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

Both measures, to be included in the Government's Care and Support White Paper on Wednesday, 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."

He said: "No one should fear moving house or areas because they are worried that they will lose out on vital care and support"

The move has sparked a political row, with Labour accusing ministers of abandoning cross-party talks and "kicking the issue into the long grass" and charities saying it had failed to address the looming crisis.