Five local authorities in England will implement the new adult social care charging system earlier than others to ensure a smooth transition from the current system.

The five authorities – Wolverhampton, Blackpool, Cheshire East, Newham, North Yorkshire – will put the charging reform plans in place next January ahead of a national rollout in October next year.

The five areas reflect a cross section of communities and any insight, evidence and lessons learned from the initiative will be useful to providers and authorities in all parts of England. The five authorities will co-produce documentation to educate and inform other local authorities with a series of events to be planned before the full rollout.

The reforms include a new lifetime cap of £86,000 on the amount anyone in England will need to spend on their personal care, alongside a more generous means test for local authority financial support. The government said the Health and Social Care Levy will raise more than £5.4 billion for adult social care reforms.

From October next year no one starting to receive care will pay more than £86,000 over their lifetime, and no one with assets of less than £20,000 will have to make any contribution from their savings or housing assets – up from £14,250. Anyone with assets between £20,000 and £100,000 will be eligible for some means-tested support.