Perry opened his Hatters account by diving to head home Darren Currie's cross in the 52nd minute.
And a dominant home performance was sealed two minutes from time when Bell hit his fourth of the season from 18 yards after Paul Furlong's lay-off.
Julian Bennett ensured a nervous finale by drilling home in the last minute, but the hosts held firm.
Luton made three changes to the side that lost 2-0 at Crewe as Dean Brill, Dave Edwards and skipper Chris Coyne returned to the team.
Forest, meanwhile, saw Grant Holt replace Nathan Tyson in their only change to the side that drew 0-0 with Doncaster in their last outing.
The hosts started brightly and Furlong registered the game's first effort on target in the 12th minute when his eight yard header from Perry's right-wing cross was comfortably held by visiting goalkeeper Paul Smith.
Coyne set up Luton's next opening three minutes later with a superb interception and forward run before a clever reverse pass found Edwards in space only for the midfielder to blaze over from 12 yards.
Coyne was involved again in the 26th minute as his powerful downward header had to be punched away by Smith after a Currie corner - Luton's fifth of the half.
The Hatters' dominance continued as Smith was forced into action again on the half-hour mark, diving to his left to hold Bell's curling 25-yard free-kick.
Bell then went close four minutes later as he robbed Kris Commons on the edge of the area and rifled in a right-foot shot that flew just past the post.
More home pressure saw Currie this time threaten as he curled a 22-yard free kick just wide in the 39th minute.
But it was Forest who almost took the lead with their first attack three minutes before the break as Sammy Clingan's free-kick on the edge of the penalty area was superbly palmed away by Dean Brill at full stretch.
Luton continued to dominate after the break and took the lead in the 52nd minute when Perry dived to head home Currie's left-wing cross from five yards out.
Forest eventually began to play from the hour-mark and managed an attempt at goal from open play in the 62nd minute when Commons' 30-yarder flew off target.
The visitors replaced the hugely ineffective Neil Lennon with Lewis McGugan and came close to an equaliser when Holt teed up Junior Agogo for a ten-yard effort that was superbly blocked by Brill.
Luton came again though and Furlong should have done better than head Matthew Spring's left-wing cross wide in the 79th minute.
Furlong made amends by teeing up Bell to drill home Luton's second from 18 yards two minutes from time.
There was still time for Forest to register as substitute Wes Morgan had a header cleared off the line by Spring only for Bennett to drill home the rebound from 15 yards.