Bedford compared with councils in East of England
Compared with the 6 councils in East of England.
- 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
2
measures below the middle
9
measures in the top half
Bedford compares worst with councils in East of England on:
- households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households (6th of 6; 1st is lowest)
- council tax collected in the year it was due (5th of 6; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- new EHC plans issued within 20 weeks (1st of 6; 1st is highest)
- upheld complaints per 100,000 residents (1st of 6; 1st is lowest)
- fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents (2nd of 6; 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% | 51.6% | Top half 1st of 6 |
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 | 5 | Top half 1st of 6 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 37.7 | 39.8 | Top half 3rd of 6 | |
| 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% | 21.8% | Below the middle 4th of 6 | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | No figure | 93.8% | 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 | 69.5% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | No figure | 71.9% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | No figure | 73.7% | No council homes | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | No figure | 58.2% | No council homes | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | No figure | 75.0% | No council homes | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | No figure | 3.2% | No council homes | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | No figure | 75.8% | 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% | 96.8% | Bottom quarter 5th of 6 |
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 | 14.3 | Top half 2nd of 6 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 60 | 54.1 | Top half 3rd of 6 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 38.0% | 38.8% | Below the middle 4th of 6 |
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 | 7.3 | Bottom quarter 6th of 6 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 22.4% | 24.4% | Top half 3rd of 6 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 66.0% | 56.5% | Top half 2nd of 6 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 36.9% | 34.7% | Top half 3rd of 6 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Bedford | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 90.1% | 89.8% | Top half 3rd of 6 |
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 | £337 | 3rd of 6 | |
| Adult social care | £472 | £430 | 1st of 6 | |
| Public health | £56 | £63 | 5th of 6 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £85 | £54 | 2nd of 6 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £82 | £93 | 4th of 6 | |
| Highways and transport | £47 | £40 | 3rd of 6 | |
| Culture and leisure | £42 | £33 | 2nd of 6 | |
| Planning and development | £9 | £16 | 6th of 6 | |
| Central services | £31 | £41 | 5th of 6 | |
| All services excluding schools | £1,175 | £1,176 | 4th of 6 |
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 6 councils in East of England
- Good
- 3 of the 6 councils in East of England
- Requires improvement
- 1 of the 6 councils in East of England, including Bedford
- Inadequate
- 1 of the 6 councils in East of England
Over time
Bedford against the median of councils in East of England.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Bedford: 94.3%
- Median (councils in East of England): 51.6%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Bedford: 2.5
- Median (councils in East of England): 5
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Bedford: 38.0%
- Median (councils in East of England): 38.8%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Bedford: 10.1
- Median (councils in East of England): 14.3
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.