Home Instead Senior Care, which provides support to enable older people to carry on living in their own home rather move into a residential unit, plans to create 200 new jobs in Essex and Suffolk this year.

The company, which operates through 150 franchised centres across the country which together employ more than 6,000 people, has five offices in the two counties, covering the Ipswich, Colchester, Clacton-on-Sea, Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea areas

It says the need to employ more carers in the region reflects a national trend resulting from the ageing of the population, with a recent report from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills identifying a need to recruit more than 500,000 carers by 2022.

Chris Lye from Home Instead in Ipswich said: “With an ageing population, caring for the elderly has never been a more important issue.

“The huge increase in demand for home care has resulted in a significant period of change and growth in social care, which is leading to a broader range of improved job opportunities in the sector.

“We are delighted to be creating 200 jobs across the region, bringing a welcome new year employment boost to the region.

“We consider our fantastic caregivers as everyday superheroes; they are everyday people doing extraordinary work. Whether they are providing companionship care, preparing meals, or helping with daily living routines, they are making a difference to the lives of the elderly.”