National food hygiene rating scheme
Information for food businesses
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme helps you check hygiene standards at places that sell or serve food.
We run the scheme in partnership with the Food Standards Agency.
The scheme covers food outlets, including:
- restaurants
- pubs
- cafés
- takeaways
- hotels
- supermarkets
- other food shops
- other places where you eat out
Food hygiene ratings are also important for food businesses. A good rating can help people choose your business and keep coming back.
How the scheme works
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme gives you information about hygiene standards at food premises when we inspect them.
It works in a similar way to the previous Scores on Doors scheme.
During an inspection, one of our Environmental Health Officers checks whether the premises meets food hygiene law. The business is then given a rating.
Food hygiene rating levels
After an inspection, a food business receives one of six ratings shown in the table below.
| Rating display sticker or notice | Rating level | Description of rating |
|---|---|---|
 |
Level 5 | Very good |
 |
Level 4 | Good |
 |
Level 3 | Generally satisfactory |
 |
Level 2 | Improvement necessary |
 |
Level 1 | Major improvement necessary |
 |
Level 0 (zero) | Urgent improvement necessary |
Where ratings are published
Food hygiene ratings are published on the Food Standards Agency ratings website.
Your business will also receive a window sticker showing your rating.
You do not have to display the sticker at the moment. However, we encourage you to display it at your premises.
How to get a top food hygiene rating
Food businesses should aim for a high rating.
To get a top rating, you must show very good compliance with food hygiene law. An Environmental Health Officer checks this during your inspection.
Your rating is based on compliance in three areas:
- how hygienically food is handled, including preparation, cooking, reheating, cooling and storage
- the condition of the premises, including cleanliness, repair, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities
- how food safety is managed and documented
To get the best possible rating, you should:
- check your last food hygiene inspection report
- make sure you have completed all actions needed to meet legal requirements
- contact us if you cannot find your last report, so we can give you a copy
- check the Build a Better Food Business page for any charges for printed copies
- get advice before your next inspection if you need help improving your rating
There are services available to help you meet a high level of compliance and get a top food hygiene rating.
Read more about support and costs on the Build a Better Food Business page.
Request a food hygiene re-score
The business owner or manager can ask us to revisit the premises and give a new rating.
You can ask for a re-score when you have made all the hygiene improvements needed.
We charge a fee to cover the cost of the revisit. You must submit evidence of the improvements when you apply.
Evidence can include:
- photographs
- documents
- training certificates
- anything else that shows work has been done to make the improvements
You cannot apply for a re-score if you have been served an improvement notice for hygiene matters. You must wait until the inspecting officer has formally confirmed that you have complied with the notice.
We review all applications. If we approve your application and you pay the fee, we will carry out a re-score visit.
We do not tell businesses when the visit will happen. The original inspecting officer will carry out the visit where possible, to help keep the process consistent.
Your rating may:
- go up
- stay the same
- go down in rare cases
There is no limit to the number of re-score requests you can make. You must provide evidence each time to show that you have made the improvements advised by the inspecting officer.
You will need to create a My Account to use this service.
How to show compliance
You can improve your rating by showing that you meet requirements for:
- food handling
- the condition and structure of your premises
- food safety management and records
Food handling
You can maximise your rating by showing that:
- staff follow high standards of personal hygiene, including clean over-clothing such as aprons, suitable headwear, minimal jewellery and regular hand-washing
- you have measures to prevent cross-contamination, including separate areas for raw and cooked foods
- you use colour-coded chopping boards correctly
- you use suitable cleaning chemicals correctly
- food is stored at the correct temperature
- food kept in refrigerators is kept below 8°C
- the chill chain is protected
- food is cooked, reheated and cooled properly
- food is cooked to 75°C or hotter
- cooked food is checked visually for signs that it is fully cooked
- food is cooled quickly and refrigerated when needed
Condition and structure of your premises
You should show that your premises have:
- a suitable structure that is clean and in good repair throughout
- enough natural or artificial lighting
- enough natural or artificial ventilation
- a structure that is proofed against pest entry
Managing and documenting food safety
Food businesses must provide written evidence that the food they produce is safe.
Your food safety management records should:
- identify food safety hazards in the business
- show that you understand microbiological, physical and chemical hazards
- show that you have measures in place to control these hazards
- show that you review these measures when needed
- show that food handlers are supervised, instructed or trained in food hygiene
- show that food handlers can produce food that is safe to eat
You must have effective control and monitoring procedures at critical control points.
We recommend that you record your daily monitoring.
You may find it useful to use the Safer Food Better Business daily record sheet.
You can choose the system that best fits your business, as long as it reflects what your business does.
You may need to add extra steps or checks to make sure everything is covered.
If you handle food that is not covered by template systems, you should discuss this with one of our Environmental Health Officers.
Safeguards for food businesses
The scheme includes safeguards to make sure it is fair to businesses.
To use a safeguard, complete the right form and send it to the email address on the inspection documents you received after your rating.
For re-score requests, use the online form in the re-score section of this page.
Early publication of your rating
You can ask us to publish your rating before the end of the 21-day appeal period.
This does not apply to ratings of 5, because they do not have an appeal period.
Use the food hygiene rating scheme request for early publication of rating form (PDF)
Appeal your food hygiene rating
You can appeal if you do not agree that your rating reflects the hygiene standards and management controls found at the time of inspection.
You must appeal within 21 days of being given your rating.
Use the food hygiene rating scheme appeal form (PDF)
Right to reply
The right to reply lets you tell people:
- how your business has improved hygiene standards
- whether there were unusual circumstances at the time of inspection
You must use the food hygiene rating scheme right to reply form (PDF)
We will review your reply before deciding whether to publish it online with your rating.
Food hygiene rating re-score
You can ask for a re-score if you have made the hygiene improvements needed.
Use the online form in the request a food hygiene re-score section of this page.