Food hygiene ratings
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1. Overview
Food hygiene ratings help you choose where to eat or buy food by showing how well the business met food safety standards when it was last inspected.
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
Ratings are given for businesses like:
- restaurants, cafés and takeaways
- pubs and bars
- supermarkets and other food shops
- schools, hospitals and care homes
How businesses are rated
Local councils inspect food businesses and give them a rating from 0 to 5.
During a food hygiene inspection, the local council looks at how well the business meets food safety law. This includes how they:
- handle, store and prepare food safely
- keep the premises safe and clean
- manage food safety processes and training
| Rating | |
|---|---|
| 5 | Very good |
| 4 | Good |
| 3 | Generally satisfactory |
| 2 | Some improvement necessary |
| 1 | Major improvement necessary |
| 0 | Urgent improvement necessary |
If a business wants to improve or explain their rating, they can publish a ‘right to reply’ response, submit an appeal or request a ‘re-rating inspection’.
2. Find a business’s food hygiene rating
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
Use this service to find out:
- a business’s food hygiene rating
- when it was last inspected
- the local council that inspected it
If you cannot find the rating you’re looking for, contact the business’s local food safety team.
You can also find most food businesses’ hygiene ratings displayed on a sticker in their door or window.
Food businesses in Wales and Northern Ireland must display their hygiene rating sticker by law.
3. Appeal, explain or improve your food hygiene rating
Submit an appeal
If you think your rating does not reflect your business’s food hygiene standards at the time it was inspected, you can submit an appeal to your local council.
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
Before you appeal, contact your local food safety team to understand why they gave you your rating.
How to appeal
To appeal your rating, use the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme appeal form.
Check the letter that told you what your rating is (sometimes known as a ‘notification of rating’) to find out:
- which address you need to send your appeal form to
- if you can appeal another way, such as by email
If you appeal within 21 days of receiving your rating, your local council will not publish it online. Your rating will show as ‘awaiting publication’ until they’ve reviewed your appeal.
Your local council will tell you the outcome within 21 days of receiving your appeal.
Publish a written response (‘right to reply’)
You can respond to your food hygiene rating to explain:
- how your business has improved its food hygiene standards
- anything that affected your inspection result
The contact details you need will be on the letter that told you what your rating is. If you cannot find them, contact your local food safety team.
Your response will be shown online with your rating.
You can submit a response at any time.
Request a new ‘re-rating’ inspection
If you make improvements to your business’s food hygiene standards, you can request a new food hygiene rating inspection. This is sometimes known as a ‘re-rating’, ‘re-rating inspection’ or ‘revisit’.
You’ll need to include details and evidence of what you’ve improved.
Most councils charge a fee for this service. They will tell you how much this is before you apply.
After the inspection, you’ll get a new food hygiene rating. Your rating could go up, down or stay the same.