Care UK has confirmed the sale of its domiciliary care services, supporting around 13,000 people in their own homes, to Mears Group.  

The transaction completes a refocusing of Care UK’s health and social care portfolio to concentrate on developing its primary and secondary NHS health services and completing its programme of new residential and nursing homes.

Care UK’s chief executive Mike Parish, said: “Working with supportive shareholders, who continue to actively contribute to our growth and development strategy, we are strongly focused on how to give greater support to NHS commissioners and to continue to grow our residential care services to meet the rising aspirations of self-funding families and the funding challenges facing local authority commissioners.”

The transfer of learning disability services to Lifeways and mental health services to Partnerships in Care were both announced earlier in May.

The three transactions have realised £130 million (before fees and expenses) from services representing a combined annual EBITDA of £12.9 million for the preceding year. Care UK remains one of the leading health and social care providers in the UK with an annual revenue base of £600 million from strong market leading service lines, which are well matched to the needs of commissioners.

Care UK said in a statement that service users and commissioners of domiciliary care services should not see any changes in services as care workers, operational leaders and support teams are transferring to Mears on their existing terms and conditions.

Mike Parish said: “Many exceptionally committed colleagues who have delivered high quality care, often in challenging circumstances, are now moving to new providers.”

Care UK’s programme of new residential and nursing care homes has delivered 18 new facilities over the past two and a half years, with at least 15 more to come over the next three years.