EU carers must be allowed to continue coming to the UK for work regardless of what happens with Brexit, a charity has said.

Age UK warned that the number of carer vacancies will only rise unless the Government takes action to continue to allow EU staff to work in the UK.

It said there are around 110,000 job vacancies in care in England already, with high numbers of staff leaving the care sector every year.

At present, around 104,000 care jobs are held by EU nationals, figures suggest.

Age UK has written to Home Secretary Sajid Javid saying EU carers must be exempt from proposed new rules that say low-skilled EU workers should no longer have preferential access to the UK.

Last year, the Migration Advisory Committee said high-skilled workers made a positive contribution to the public finances.

It recommended a policy allowing greater access for higher-skilled migration while restricting access for lower-skilled workers, such as those earning less than £30,000.

Age UK, which said it has not yet received a reply from the Home Office, has argued that carers are low paid, not low-skilled.

It has also warned of a particular impact on live-in care. At present, many of these jobs are held by EU carers who move in and out of the country regularly to take up posts.

Regionally, Age UK said the South and London would be hit hardest by a slow down in carers from the EU.

For example, one in seven carers in London are from the EU. Other regions that would be affected include the South West, the Midlands and Manchester, it said.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “The social care workforce is already struggling but if, after a UK withdrawal, we shut the door on staff from the EU we’ll make a bad situation even worse.

“Care work is low paid, not low-skilled, so it is quite wrong that it is being caught by the new rules proposed by the Migration Advisory Committee.

“The Government should recognise this and allow EU nationals to continue to come and work as paid carers.”

Shadow social care minister Barbara Keeley said the Government must “rethink this dangerous decision”, adding: “The social care system stands on a cliff edge and this Government’s short-sighted refusal to exempt care staff from new post-Brexit immigration rules could push it over the edge.”

Kevin Bentley, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Brexit Taskforce, said 8% of social care staff are non-UK EU nationals and “therefore represents one of the sectors most vulnerable to changes in migration rules.”

He added: “With people living longer, increases in costs and decreases in funding, adult social care is at breaking point.

“This is something that the Government must address in its Green Paper on social care and in the forthcoming spending review.”

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “As the Home Secretary has said, EU citizens make a huge contribution to our economy and to our society and we want them to stay.

“The social care sector is vital to the UK and our future immigration system will ensure that we have access to the skills and talents we need after the UK leaves the EU.

“As part of this, we are considering whether a lower salary threshold should apply for some roles in shortage. This is already in place for nurses, paramedics and some teaching and social care roles in short supply.

“The new skills-based immigration system will be implemented from 2021 following an extensive 12-month programme of engagement with businesses and stakeholders, including the social care sector across the UK and the EU and international partners.”