Nuffield Trust analysis showed people in the most deprived fifth of local areas had less than half (£47,300) spent on them compared with those in the fifth least deprived areas (£95,085).

In addition, a person in the North West had a third spent on their care (£22,432) compared with the English average (£65,012).

Nuffield Trust Fellow, Rachel Hutchings said: ‘CHC is a window into the stark divide in our system between care that is funded by the NHS and care that isn't, and it exposes yet more flaws with our wider social care system.'

The report found that despite overall demand for health and care services being on the rise and spending on CHC increasing by around 17% between 2017 and 2023, the total number of people found eligible fell by 9% between June 2017 and December 2024 and varied significantly across the country.

Nuffield Trust called on the Government to improve consistency and fairness in how CHC operates, through better training, sharing good practice and ensuring assessments are conducted in line with national standards.

The trust said the Casey Commission into adult social care offered a key opportunity to create a resilient and fair care system which can work alongside the NHS.

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Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor, chair of the LGA's Health and Wellbeing Committee, said: ‘Issues with Continuing Healthcare are not a new problem for councils. Financial pressures on the NHS are making it increasingly difficult for councils to deliver essential services, particularly Continuing Healthcare, but also SEND and complex care.

‘Cost-shunting behaviours create local tensions and offer no net benefit to the public purse. Ultimately, they make it harder for people who draw on care and support to access the services they need, and to live the independent and dignified lives they want to lead.

‘Efforts to examine how Continuing Healthcare is working in practice and the interface between health and care is something we would encourage the Casey Commission to consider. But ultimately, this must be matched with sustainable funding if we are to improve services for people who draw on care and support.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘We recognise everyone should have access to high-quality, compassionate care, from diagnosis through to end of life.

‘Continuing Health Care eligibility is based on the need of the local area and so there will always be some variation due to factors including the age profile of the local population, variations between geographical regions in terms of health needs, and the availability of locally commissioned services.

‘As part of our 10-Year Health Plan we will shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families can access the care they need, where and when they need it.'

The DHSC said NHS England continued to monitor eligibility rates by comparing ICBs with similar demographics to investigate outliers.