Local authorities are, for the first time, to be issued with government guidance over home care charging in a bid to establish consistency across the country.

Health minister John Hutton is to meet social services directors, user groups and residential and nursing home organisations next month to help map the way forward on the charging issue with outline proposals to be included in the white paper on long-term care due this summer.

Speaking after the second reading of the Care Standards Bill in the House of Commons last week, Hutton said the government had heeded the Audit Commission's call for consistency across councils.

"The charging methods of some councils are simply unacceptable with huge variations from area to area," said Hutton.

He added: " Charging policies need to be consistent with that overriding goal."

Opening the debate in the House, health secretary Alan Milburn told MPs that local councils would have to pay heed to the guidance in order to end the "lottery in care".