Care home quality in Bedford: CQC ratings report
Of the 42 care homes in Bedford with a current CQC rating, 85.7% are rated Good or Outstanding, against 83% across the East of England and 85% across England. 2 are rated Outstanding and 6 are rated Requires improvement or Inadequate. Bedford ranks 59th of 118 English council areas for the share of homes rated Good or better.
Ratings in Bedford
| CQC rating | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding | 2 | 4.8% |
| Good | 34 | 81% |
| Requires improvement | 6 | 14.3% |
| Inadequate | 0 | 0% |
How Bedford compares
| Area | Rated homes | Good or better |
|---|---|---|
| Bedford | 42 | 85.7% |
| East of England | 83% | |
| England | 7,798 | 85% |
Care homes rated Outstanding in Bedford
- Pathway House — Bedford (rated 24 April 2025)
- Rutland Road Care Home — Bedford (rated 3 February 2026)
By town
| Town | Rated homes | Good or better |
|---|---|---|
| Bedford | 35 | 85.7% |
Towns with at least 5 rated homes. Small numbers move a lot: in a town of 5 homes, one inspection changes the figure by 20 points.
Types of care
Of the 44 care homes in Bedford, 11 provide nursing care and 24 are registered to care for people living with dementia. Compare every care home in Bedford.
Method. Every open care home in Bedford in the CareFinder database was counted, using the council area assigned from its postcode. The rating is the home's current overall CQC rating, taken from the CQC's own record where we hold it. The rank orders the 118 English council areas with at least 20 rated homes by the share rated Good or Outstanding.
Sample. 44 open care homes, 42 of them with a current CQC rating.
Excluded. Homes not yet rated by the CQC, homes that have closed, and home care agencies (which the CQC rates separately).
Data correct as of. 18 September 2026. Source: CareFinder database, built from the Care Quality Commission register, with council areas assigned from each home’s postcode.
You are welcome to quote these figures with a link to this page. For a story or a report, get in touch and we can supply the underlying breakdown. All council areas compared.