Journey
Improve your food hygiene rating
Practical steps to improve a poor food hygiene rating. Understand what inspectors scored, fix the issues, and request a re-inspection.
Your food hygiene rating can be improved
A rating below 5 does not mean you have failed permanently. Most businesses can improve significantly by addressing the specific areas flagged during inspection. Your inspection report tells you exactly what to fix.
-
Understand what your rating means
Your food hygiene rating is based on three areas: hygienic food handling, physical condition of the premises, and food safety management. Each is scored separately. Your inspection letter or report details what was found.
Food Hygiene Rating Scheme
How ratings work, what inspectors assess, display requirements, and the appeal and re-rating process.
-
Fix food handling and temperature issues
Hygienic food handling and temperature control are the areas where most points are lost. These can usually be fixed quickly through better procedures and staff training.
Control food temperatures safely
Chilling, cooking, hot holding, cooling, reheating requirements, and daily temperature monitoring.
Food safety training for your staff
Training requirements, Level 2 Food Hygiene, allergen awareness, and keeping training records.
-
Address premises and management concerns
Structural issues (broken tiles, inadequate ventilation, missing handwashing facilities) and food safety management gaps (no SFBB diary, no hazard analysis) take longer to fix but carry significant weight in the rating.
Prepare for a food hygiene inspection
What inspectors check, documentation checklist, premises checklist, and common failures to avoid.
Food safety quick compliance check
A quick compliance check for food business operators.
-
Request a re-rating
Once you have made improvements, you can request a re-inspection. In England, some councils offer one free re-rating between scheduled inspections, while paid re-rating requests are unlimited (fees vary by council). In Wales (fee set by each council) and Northern Ireland (£150), re-rating fees apply and unlimited requests are permitted, with the visit taking place within 3 months of the request. Make sure all improvements are complete and embedded before requesting.
-
Maintain your improved rating
A good rating requires consistent daily practice, not just a one-off effort. Keep your SFBB diary up to date, maintain temperature records, and ensure staff training stays current. Your next unannounced inspection could be months or years away, but your practices must be consistent every day.
Official guidance
Check your food hygiene rating (opens in a new tab)
Search for your current rating and see what was found
FSA
Appeal your rating (opens in a new tab)
How to appeal if you believe your rating is unfair
FSA · England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Safer Food, Better Business packs (opens in a new tab)
Free food safety management packs
FSA · England and Wales
Food Hygiene Information Scheme (Food Standards Scotland) (opens in a new tab)
www.foodstandards.gov.scot
Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS): guidance for businesses (opens in a new tab)
FSA · England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Food and Feed Codes of Practice (opens in a new tab)
FSA · England, Wales and Northern Ireland