Women will have to give up work to look after their ageing parents and grandparents unless EU care workers are given priority after Brexit, ministers have warned.

The Department of Health said that in a "worst case scenario" if EU migrants are barred from coming to the UK there will be a shortfall of 6,000 doctors, 12,000 nurses and 28,000 care staff within five years.

In a 37-page dossier it said that there will be a "wider risk to labour market participation" because growing numbers of people, "especially women", will have to give up their jobs to provide "informal care" for loved ones.

It highlights mounting Cabinet tensions over the end of free movement and the UK's post-Brexit immigration policy, which is due to be unveiled by the end of the year.

Ministers including Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary and James Brokenshire, the Housing Secretary, have all lobbied for exemptions in their sectors.