Choices Care group in administration

A care group providing services to about 800 people with learning disabilities in Scotland and north-east England has gone into administration.

Administrators were called in after Choices Care suffered continuing cash flow difficulties.

The Livingston-based group employs 1,400 staff and provides supported living, home care and residential services.

Administrators at Zolfo Cooper said services were continuing uninterrupted.

The supported living division has already been sold to Mears Care Scotland Limited, with about 500 staff transferring to their new employer with immediate effect.

Zolfo Cooper said the registered services and home care divisions would continue to trade as normal with a view to selling these as going concerns.

The administrators said they had already received inquiries “from a number of interested parties”.

All staff employed in the divisions would continue to be employed as normal.

Zolfo Cooper partner Peter Holder said: “The key aspect all along in this process has been to ensure that services continue to be provided to all users without interruption.

“We are extremely pleased therefore to have agreed a swift sale of the supported living business and wish all parties concerned well in their respective futures as they continue to provide services to users.”

Mr Holder said administrators were now focusing on securing a suitable buyer for the remaining businesses.

He added: “We have already received a number of inquiries from interested parties and would welcome further expressions of interest.

“In the meantime, we will continue to ensure that service users experience no disruption to the quality care they are accustomed to.”