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Groups that work with elderly and vulnerable people have said that new proposals on personal care at home do not remove the need for systemic reform.
The Personal Care At Home Bill was announced in the Queen's Speech today as part of the legislative programme for the new session of Parliament.
It will help around 400,000 people with care needs.
For the first time free personal care at home will be provided for those with the highest needs, regardless of means.
The government said it would be the "first step towards setting up a new National Care Service - a simple, fair and affordable care system for everyone".
The legislation would guarantee free personal care for the 280,000 people - including those with serious dementia or Parkinson's disease - with the highest needs.
It will also protect the savings of the 166,000 people who currently get free care from future charges.
At present people who get care at home and have savings of more than £23,000 have to pay.
United Response is a charity that supports people with learning disabilities, mental health needs or physical disabilities to live in the community.
Chief executive Su Sayer told ePolitix.com:
"We welcome the government's plans to introduce a Bill to provide free personal care at home for people with the highest care needs.
"However it is important that we don't lose sight of the need to overhaul the entire system to give greater priority to prevention and early intervention for working age disabled adults as well as older people, and to enabling people to become active citizens."
Her comments were echoed by Age Concern and Help the Aged – the charities are merging and will be known from next year as Age UK.
A spokesperson told the BBC:
"It will be essential that councils are properly funded to provide this care, so that there are no perverse incentives."
And Jane Ashcroft, chairman of the English Community Care Association, said the proposals could lead to "an even greater drain on public resources without having a tangible impact on the quality of life of our older people".
The ECCA is the largest representative body for community care in England.
The session of parliament opened by the Queen today is likely to only have 70 sitting days.
Given the pressures on parliamentary time in the short session, it is thought unlikely that the Bill will become law before the election, which must be held by June 2010.
Other proposals in the Personal Care At Home Bill include the offer of home adaptations or technology that can increase a person's independence and reduce care needs.
£130 million would be invested in re-ablement and prevention to help people to maintain their dignity and rebuild their confidence so that they can live at home for longer.
"This would put prevention at the heart of the system, improving quality, empowering people, and saving the NHS and social care money," the government said.
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