This guide examines the size and scale of the care home sector and the largest care home providers, answering some of the most commonly asked questions we receive about care homes in the UK.
The care sector in the UK is one of the biggest employers in the country. And with the UK’s ageing population, its significant growth shows no sign of slowing down.
Unlike hospitals and other healthcare settings, care homes are primarily offered within the private sector, rather than within the NHS.
These care homes also vary greatly, with some being part of larger care providers, and others still operating independently.
Find out more about some of these care home providers in our healthcare employers directory.
The Largest Care Home Providers In The UK
Working out which of the UK’s care home providers are the biggest is a little complex in itself.
That’s because there are different ways of measuring it.
We could, for example, calculate the biggest providers by either number of care homes, number of beds, or even market share.
There’s no definitive agreement on the best measurement, but the most commonly used metric is number of beds.
With that metric in mind, here’s a top-five list of the biggest care home providers in the UK, including some useful information about each.
Four Seasons Healthcare
Four Seasons Healthcare offer just under 17,000 beds across the UK, located within a network of 405 care homes.
Four Seasons is actually the parent company of three care home businesses: Brighterkind, Four Seasons and The Huntercombe Group.
Founded in 1989, it is by most measurements the biggest care home provider in the country.
About this contributor
Nurses.co.uk Co-founder / Co-owner
I believe people working in healthcare should be able to choose to enjoy work. That is, choose an employer who reflects their values and provides them with a sustainable career. This leads to better patient care, higher retention rates and happier working lives in this most important employment sector.
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