Who Runs It

Who runs and owns care homes in England?

England has 14,783 active care homes with 486,823 beds (CQC register, ). 91% are run by a company with a Companies House number; following the chain of corporate owners upwards, it ends with a company registered outside the UK for 1,597 homes (11%). 1,599 organisations (companies, charities, NHS bodies) run two or more homes; the largest ultimate owner is Welltower Inc. with 586 homes through 71 operators. Of homes with a matched food hygiene rating, 86% score 5. Sources: CQC, Companies House, Food Standards Agency.

How it works ↓

Data: CQC register , Companies House company data 1 November 2026 and owners 7 November 2026, food hygiene ratings 3 November 2026 · calculated 7 November 2026 · Methodology and sources

14,783care homes
486,823beds
91%run by a company with a Companies House number
1,597homes: owner chain ends outside the UK

Find a home or operator with the search above, or browse by council (152 areas) or by operator (1,599 with two or more homes).

Who is at the top of the chain

Chain of owners ends with…Homes
individuals (names not shown)8,333
a statement instead of a named controller2,708
a company registered outside the UK1,597
no persons with significant control registered564
a chain that could not be followed to the end280
a registered charity (no company number)179
an individual provider (no company)363
a partnership (no company)420
an NHS body36
not known303

Largest owners registered outside the UK

The check runs in two steps. You find the care home's operator in the Care Quality Commission (CQC) register, along with its rating and the date of the inspection, then use the operator's company number at Companies House to climb through persons with significant control to the top of the chain.

Where the chain ends

Going by the registers for 1–3 November 2026, the top of the chain is private individuals (8,342 homes, though the site does not show names), a statement instead of a controller (2,703), a company registered outside the UK (1,600) or an unregistered controller (557). The owner's country tells you nothing about the quality of care, and a charge is usually a loan secured against the property. Welltower Inc. owns 586 homes through 71 operators: at the operator level you see only the immediate owner.

How to find your home

Search by council or operator, for example Care UK Care Services Limited with 240 homes. The CQC rating as of 2 November 2026 is only a starting point: the latest report opens through the link to the CQC, and the home itself is worth a visit.

Largest ultimate owners

OwnerHomesOperatorsRegistered
Welltower Inc.58671United States
The Kuwait Investment Authority2588Kuwait
Digitalbridge Group, Inc.1533United States
Remedcouk Holding Limited14323UK
Amalfi Midco Limited13027UK
The BRITISH UNITED PROVIDENT ASSOCIATION LIMITED12115UK
Veilchenblau Estates Ltd11040UK
Icon Infrastructure LLP776UK
Cygnet Inter-Holdings Ltd6912UK
Ivolve Care Holdings Limited686UK
Jocap Limited6452UK
Sscp Pegasus Topco Limited642UK
Acof Vi Holdings Lp6161—
Foundation Partners Asset Management Limited602UK
Khushi Holdings Limited575Jersey

All owners of two or more operators

Largest operators

OperatorHomesBedsOwner of the operator
Care UK Care Services Limited24016,328Debeaubien Care Limited
Barchester Healthcare Homes Limited23714,945Barchester Healthcare Limited
Care UK Community Partnerships Ltd1067,427Welltower Inc
Anchor Hanover Group1206,424no controller registered
Scarborough Hall Limited865,340Welltower Inc.
Sanctuary Care Limited844,295no named controller (statement)
HC-One No.5 Limited734,284Welltower Inc.
Runwood Homes Limited553,929Foundation Partners Asset Management Limited
Willowbrook Healthcare Limited433,918Veilchenblau Estates Ltd
Methodist Homes693,701no named controller (statement)
WT UK Opco 4 Limited433,375Welltower Inc.
The Orders Of St. John Care Trust492,766no named controller (statement)
Aria Healthcare Group LTD382,168Welltower Inc.
Prime Life Limited542,099Dmwsl 532 Limited
Voyage 1 Limited2411,923The Kuwait Investment Authority
Bupa Care Homes (ANS) Limited281,875The BRITISH UNITED PROVIDENT ASSOCIATION LIMITED
HC-One No.2 Limited301,842Welltower Inc.
WT HI OpCo 1 Limited341,818Welltower Inc.
Minster Care Management Limited271,637Khushi Holdings Limited
Willow Tower Opco 1 Limited161,619Welltower Inc
WT NB OpCo 1 Limited251,558Welltower Inc.
Akari Care Limited281,540Akari Care Holdings Limited
Quantum Care Limited221,537no controller registered
Advinia Care Homes Limited101,461Advinia Health Care Limited
Avery Homes (Nelson) Limited171,452Veilchenblau Estates Ltd

CQC ratings ()

Food hygiene: 11,403 homes matched to a Food Standards Agency rating; 9,793 of them score 5.