Merger Update: Welltower / multiple care homes

Start of CMA Merger Investigation: completed acquisitions by Welltower Inc. of multiple care homes

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering whether it is or may be the case that the completed acquisitions by Welltower Inc. (Welltower) of care homes managed by Barchester, HC-One, Aria Care (including Asprey) and Danforth Care have resulted in the creation of relevant merger situations under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of any of those situations has resulted, or may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services. As part of this investigation, the CMA is also investigating whether the above arrangements give rise to relevant merger situations between Care UK Care Services Limited and Aria Care (either on their own or together with Welltower) and between Apex Healthcare Properties and HC-One (on their own or together with Welltower).

The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the Parties on 9 March 2026 and has a deadline of 8 May 2026 for its phase 1 decision.

Invitation to comment: closes 23 March 2026

To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on any or all of the transactions from any interested party.

These comments should be provided by the deadline set out above to (specifying which of the transaction(s) they refer to):

Victoria Xia

Victoria.xia@cma.gov.uk

Connor McGowan

Connor.McGowan@cma.gov.uk

Your name and contact details are your personal data. In collecting, receiving, storing, accessing and using your personal data, the CMA, as controller, is processing your personal data. The CMA processes personal data in accordance with data protection law. The CMA is processing your personal data so that it can contact you again, should it need further help or information from you, in order to carry out its merger work under Part 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002. For more information about how the CMA processes personal data and your rights relating to that data, please see our Privacy Notice.