How UK food hygiene ratings work
Every place in the UK that serves or sells food, restaurants, takeaways, cafes, pubs, schools, supermarkets, is inspected by its local council. The Food Standards Agency publishes the result as a rating from 0 to 5. Here's what it actually means.
What the numbers mean
- 5, Very good. Hygiene standards were very good at the last inspection.
- 4, Good. A good standard.
- 3, Generally satisfactory. Broadly fine, with some things to improve.
- 2, Some improvement necessary.
- 1, Major improvement necessary.
- 0, Urgent improvement necessary. Serious concerns were found.
In Scotland the scheme is slightly different, places get a Pass or Improvement Required rather than a number.
What the inspector checks
A rating is based on three things: how food is handled (cooking, cooling, storage), the physical condition and cleanliness of the premises, and how confident the inspector is that management will keep standards up over time. The overall rating reflects the weakest of the three, so a place can lose marks on paperwork and management even if the kitchen looks clean.
How current is a rating?
A rating is a snapshot from the last inspection, which could be recent or a couple of years ago - higher-risk places are inspected more often. On each place's page we show the inspection date and flag when a rating is getting old, so you know how fresh it is.
What to do about a low rating
A low rating doesn't automatically mean a place is unsafe today, it means concerns were found when it was last inspected, and it may since have improved (a re-inspection updates the score). If you're worried, you can ask the business directly, or report a concern to the local council's environmental health team. The official record is held by the Food Standards Agency.