Mears Group has completed its exit from the domiciliary care sector after selling its Scottish business.

The Brockworth-based housing and social care provider sold its domiciliary care business in England and Wales earlier this year as part of a refocusing of its long-term strategy.

Sale of the Scotland Domiciliary Care was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic but a deal has been completed with Cera Care Operations Holdings which is believed to be worth around £2.5million.

The change in strategy is designed to help Mears concentrate on providing housing solutions to its partners in local and central government.

The company has called on the Government and local authorities to build 400,000 extra care homes over the next 10 years which equals the Elderly Accommodation Counsel's estimated shortfall of housing and care provision for older people by 2035.

Chief executive David Miles said: "In January we made the difficult decision to sell our domiciliary care business in Scotland to focus on housing-related services.

"Mears has reportedly warned that until the Government commits to a sustainable funding model for the care sector then providers will not be able to deliver on the basis of continued driving down of cost at the expense of good service user care.

"We chose to halt the sale of the business during the pandemic to ensure there was no unnecessary upheaval to service user at such a difficult time, but we now feel the time is right to proceed."