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General Information
| Name or Prison | HMP Bedford |
| Address: | St Loyes Street Bedford MK40 1HG |
| Other contact details: | |
| Web Site: | |
| Email: | |
| Main switchboard: | 01234 373000 |
| At Risk hotline: | |
| Fax: | 01234 273568 |
| Visits booking number: | 01234 373196 |
| Visits booking email/web: | www.gov.uk/prison-visits |
| Visits booking txt number: | |
| Type of Prison: | Local Cat B Male |
Bedford accepts adult male prisoners remanded into custody from Luton Crown Court and magistrates’ courts in Bedfordshire. The prison also accepts young adult (18-21) male prisoners and is part of the East of England Region. It is run by HMPS and the #1 governor is Ali Barker who has been in post since January 2023. The capacity is 400
HMP Bedford is a Category B local prison on a Victorian site in the centre of Bedford that has held prisoners since 1801, taking men remanded or sentenced by the local courts. Its certified normal capacity is around 400–500, but the prison has repeatedly held significantly more men than this, with occupancy reported at close to 900 against a rated capacity nearer 500.
Bedford’s recent history has been dominated by serious safety concerns. HM Inspectorate of Prisons issued an Urgent Notification — a formal escalation reserved for the most serious failings, requiring the Justice Secretary to respond within 28 days — after finding that violence between prisoners had continued to rise and remained among the highest of any adult male prison in England and Wales. A follow-up Independent Review of Progress in 2024 found only “fragile, tentative improvement”, though inspectors did note a proactive safety team working to understand and tackle the causes of the violence.
Given this history, anyone with a family member or friend at Bedford may want to keep a particularly close eye on communication and wellbeing, alongside the practical visiting and contact information above.