Five care chains thought to make £150m a year for low-rated homes in England

Nadia Whittome MP, a Labour member of the levelling up, housing and communities committee, tweeted: ‘Time for a National Care Service, publicly owned and free at the point of use.’ Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

Five of the largest private care chains are taking £150m a year in taxpayers’ money for places in English elderly care homes rated inadequate or requiring improvement, including some that are “not safe”, the Guardian has estimated.

The leading earner from public funds is HC-One, a chain of 285 care homes majority-owned by a US private equity company, according to analysis of council spending records.