Britain’s social care crisis will escalate after Brexit as tens of thousands of pensioners living in the EU return home, cabinet ministers have been warned.

Failure to secure continued access to healthcare for elderly Britons based on the Continent could trigger many to move back to the UK, ministers were told.

Such a change would pile pressure on the NHS and increase demand on care homes that are already under strain from an aging population.

The Sunday Telegraph has learnt that the warnings were made during a private meeting at a Brexit cabinet sub-committee on Wednesday afternoon.

A Government source said: “While we hope and expect to reach a deal, the Government wants to make sure they cover every precaution.

“There is a question about whether the NHS could cope with the strain of a large-scale return of pensioners from the EU.”