Private firms ran almost all care homes forced to shut for breaches in England

Study finds more than 90% of facilities for children and 98% of those for adults that were closed down were run for profit

Almost all the care homes shut down for endangering children or vulnerable adults were run to make a profit, according to a landmark study examining the long-term impact of outsourcing care to the private sector.

Research published last week by Oxford University reveals that 98% (804 out of 816) of the adult care homes closed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England to protect disabled, mentally ill and elderly people from harm between 2011 and 2023 were operated by private companies. Only 12 homes were run by either local authorities or charities.