London, January 19, 2026 — The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is seeking views on four completed acquisitions by Toledo, Ohio-headquartered Welltower Inc. involving care homes managed by Barchester, HC-One, Aria Care, and Danforth Care, as the regulator considers whether the transactions could raise concerns in the UK.
The CMA said it has decided to investigate the completed acquisitions, which together include more than 600 operational care homes, as well as a further number of care homes for which planning permission has already been granted.
TheCMA has opened an “invitation to comment” process, calling on interested parties to submit any initial views on the potential impact that any or all of the transactions could have on competition in the UK. The invitation to comment is open from January 19 and closes on February 2, 2026.
The CMA emphasized that it has not yet launched its formal Phase 1 investigation into the transactions. Instead, the invitation to comment forms the first part of the CMA’s information-gathering process, allowing stakeholders to raise any issues before the regulator formally commences its review.
According to the CMA, the transactions being investigated relate to Welltower’s acquisitions of multiple care homes connected to four separate groups.
In relation to the HC-One acquisition, the CMA listed entities including HC One Topco Ltd and its subsidiaries, as well as Ideal Carehomes Ltd and its subsidiaries. For the Barchester acquisition, the CMA listed a number of entities including Barchester Holdco Jersey Ltd and its subsidiaries, along with multiple property and operating companies associated with the group.
The CMA also identified Willhow Carehomes Topco Limited and its subsidiaries in relation to the Danforth Care acquisition. For the Aria Care acquisition, the CMA listed several entities including Farehom OpCo Limited, Orpington Opco Limited, and AriaNL CHD HoldCo Ltd and its subsidiaries.
The statutory timetable for a Phase 1 decision is yet “to be confirmed,” and that the CMA will update the page when it formally commences its Phase 1 investigation.
In October 2025, Welltower announced a series of transactions totalling $23 billion, including $14 billion of acquisitions spanning seniors housing communities in the US and UK. The company said the largest component of its UK activity was the acquisition of a portfolio of Barchester-operated communities for £5.2 billion (approximately $6.9 billion), alongside the purchase of an HC-One-operated portfolio for £1.2 billion, as it intensified its focus on seniors housing.
Source: https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/welltower-slash-multiple-care-homes-merger-inquiries
