Food hygiene rating scheme
The scheme helps customers choose where to eat out or shop for food by giving clear information about the businesses’ hygiene standards. We run the scheme with the Food Standards Agency.
Find out more about the scheme
Why the scheme is important
The scheme:
- gives businesses a rating from 5 “very good” (the highest) to 0 “urgent improvement necessary” (the lowest)
- recognises businesses with the highest standards
- encourages businesses to improve
- helps reduce food poisoning - which affects about one million people in the UK every year
Food safety for businesses
The rating shows how well the business is doing overall, based on standards found at the time of inspection. The ratings can be found online and on stickers which are voluntarily displayed at business premises. The back of the sticker and the online rating will also show the date of the inspection by our food safety officer.
Business safeguards including Rescore
Businesses can request an appeal, have a ‘right to reply’ and can request a re-visit (re-rate or re-score) inspection. Find out more about a rescore.
To apply for a rescore:
- pay the fee
- email the filled in rescore form with the inspection reference and attach the payment receipt (without these references we will be unable to accept the application) to Food Safety. You should also include proof such as invoices and photographs to show that the work has been done.
What to expect
Once we accept your request, we will carry out an inspection within 3 months and give you a new rating. Please note that payments made for rescore inspections are non-refundable.
Food safety enforcement
Read food safety enforcement policy (PDF).
Search for food hygiene ratings
You can check the food hygiene rating at:
- restaurants and cafes
- hotels, pubs and other places where you eat out
- takeaways
- supermarkets and other food shops
Search using the Food Standards Agency website: