Bedford compared with similar councils
These are the councils most like Bedford on the things that drive demand for services, such as deprivation and population, from the Department for Education's statistical neighbours: Bexley, Milton Keynes, West Northamptonshire, Havering, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Swindon.
- Residents
- 196,398 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,472 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where Bedford sits
2
measures in the bottom quarter
4
measures below the middle
7
measures in the top half
Bedford compares worst with similar councils on:
- households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households (6th of 7; 1st is lowest)
- relief cases ending with a home secured (6th of 7; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- new EHC plans issued within 20 weeks (1st of 7; 1st is highest)
- council tax collected in the year it was due (1st of 7; 1st is highest)
- fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents (1st of 7; 1st is lowest)
SEND assessments
Education, health and care plans set out support for children with special educational needs. The law says a new plan should be issued within 20 weeks.
| Measure | Bedford | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 94.3% | 32.0% | Top half 1st of 7 |
Ombudsman complaints
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman looks at complaints the council's own complaints process has not resolved. Upheld means the Ombudsman found the council at fault.
| Measure | Bedford | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 2.5 | 4.9 | Top half 3rd of 7 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 37.7 | 46.1 | Top half 2nd of 7 | |
| Upheld complaints about children's services per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld complaints about special educational needs per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld complaints about homelessness per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld cases the council had already put right 2025-26 | 20.0% | 20.0% | Below the middle 4th of 7 | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | No figure | 72.7% | No figure |
Council housing
From the tenant survey and performance figures every council landlord reports to the Regulator of Social Housing. Only councils that still own council homes are included.
| Measure | Bedford | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service 2024-25 | No figure | 53.6% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | No figure | 53.2% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | No figure | 60.2% | No council homes | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | No figure | 41.1% | No council homes | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | No figure | 93.0% | No council homes | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | No figure | 6.4% | No council homes | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | No figure | 82.6% | No council homes |
Council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Bedford | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 96.5% | 95.7% | Top half 1st of 7 |
Streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | Bedford | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 10.1 | 14.7 | Top half 1st of 7 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 60 | 24.1 | Top half 3rd of 7 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 38.0% | 46.0% | Below the middle 5th of 7 |
Homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Bedford | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 11.6 | 3.7 | Bottom quarter 6th of 7 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 22.4% | 22.4% | Below the middle 4th of 7 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 66.0% | 51.7% | Top half 2nd of 7 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 36.9% | 41.0% | Bottom quarter 6th of 7 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Bedford | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 90.1% | 91.5% | Below the middle 5th of 7 |
What the council spends
Net spending per resident in 2025-26, after fees, charges and specific grants, not counting schools. Spending more is not better or worse on its own. Negative highways figures come from parking income.
| Service | Bedford | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £339 | £291 | 2nd of 7 | |
| Adult social care | £472 | £406 | 2nd of 7 | |
| Public health | £56 | £53 | 3rd of 7 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £85 | £60 | 1st of 7 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £82 | £97 | 5th of 7 | |
| Highways and transport | £47 | £27 | 2nd of 7 | |
| Culture and leisure | £42 | £32 | 2nd of 7 | |
| Planning and development | £9 | £13 | 7th of 7 | |
| Central services | £31 | £42 | 7th of 7 | |
| All services excluding schools | £1,175 | £1,002 | 1st of 7 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Bedford’s children's services requires improvement at its last full inspection, in July 2025.
- Outstanding
- 1 of the 7 similar councils
- Good
- 2 of the 7 similar councils
- Requires improvement
- 2 of the 7 similar councils, including Bedford
- Inadequate
- 2 of the 7 similar councils
Over time
Bedford against the median of similar councils.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Bedford: 94.3%
- Median (similar councils): 32.0%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Bedford: 2.5
- Median (similar councils): 4.9
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Bedford: 38.0%
- Median (similar councils): 46.0%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Bedford: 10.1
- Median (similar councils): 14.7
How to read these figures
Position 1 is the best in the group. The bottom quarter is shown in red, below the middle in yellow and the top half in green. Councils with the same figure share a position.
In each chart, every mark is a council in England and the large dot is Bedford. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.