The number of pensioners living in North Somerset is expected to rise by nearly 60 per cent in the next 20 years.

The figures, contained in the North Somerset Primary Care Trust's Joint Strategic Needs Assessment report, reveal that North Somerset has a higher proportion of residents over the age of 50 compared with the South West or England as a whole.

Projections show that by 2026 the number of people aged over 65 living in the district will increase by 58 per cent, meaning one in four people in North Somerset will be of pensionable age.

The figures also show that by 2026, the number of people aged 75 and over who live alone will also increase by 58 per cent.

Findings in the report also reveal that older people living in the most deprived wards in the district – Weston South and Central – are likely to live on average with nine years of poor health at the end of their lives compared to 5.4 years in the more affluent wards – such as Nailsea – across the district.

The figures also reveal that the number of district nurses in North Somerset is among the lowest in the South West.

The findings in the report will now form a blueprint to identify the current and future health, wellbeing and social care needs of the local population.

Director of public health for North Somerset, Dr Max Kammerling, said: "It is likely that the increase in the number of older people will put greater demands on our services. This situation is indicative to what is happening across the country.

"However, it is difficult to talk about budgets and funding now when we are planning for 20 years into the future. The PCT is a significant player in the process of putting together a shared approach with our partners on how we can help people stay healthier and living more independently for longer."

North Somerset Council and the PCT are now putting forward a series of measures to care for the growing elderly population.

A number of recommendations are contained in the report to help older people stay healthy and more independent.

Recommendations include improving support systems for mobility, vision and continence to allow older people to continue living independently.

It also recommends increase the level of care available to people with dementia and providing a wider range of supported accommodation.

The population of North Somerset is currently 205,000, with the number living in the area expanding at twice the national average over the past 10 years. It is projected that the population across the district will increase by a further 22 per cent to 246,000 by 2026 – a growth rate of one per cent a year