FAQs

All UK food businesses must comply with food safety law, primarily under the Food Safety Act 1990 and Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004, alongside more specific regulations on allergens, hygiene, and labelling. Key legal requirements typically include:

• Registration – Registering your food business with your local authority at least 28 days before opening.

• HACCP-based food safety management – Having a documented system to identify and control food safety hazards, based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles.

• Staff training – Ensuring food handlers have appropriate training and supervision in food hygiene, relevant to their role.

• Allergen information – Providing accurate allergen information for all food sold, under Natasha's Law and related allergen labelling rules.

• Premises and equipment standards – Maintaining appropriate hygiene standards for premises, equipment, and food handling practices.

• Record keeping – Keeping accurate records of food safety checks, cleaning schedules, temperature monitoring, and supplier traceability.

• Food hygiene ratings – Undergoing inspection by your local authority's Environmental Health Officer, who will assign a Food Hygiene Rating (in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland).

• Approval - applying for approval from your local authority Environmental Health Officer if you produce or handle Products of Animal Origin (POAO) and supply other businesses.

Staff who produce, prepare, or pack food should ideally have a Level 2 Food Safety qualification in catering or manufacturing, which covers the essential principles of safe food handling, including personal hygiene, cross contamination, temperature control, cleaning, allergens, food safety hazards and HACCP.

For staff who don’t handle food e.g. drivers, wash-up etc. a Level 1 Food Safety qualification is suitable which covers the basic principles of food safety.

We offer Highfield accredited online food safety courses suitable for your food business.

Food Safety Level 3 is an advanced food hygiene qualification aimed at supervisors, managers, and business owners who are responsible for food safety within a business, rather than general food handlers, who typically only need Level 2. It builds on Level 2 knowledge and goes into much greater depth, covering areas such as HACCP principles and food safety management systems, the legal responsibilities of food businesses and the powers of Environmental Health Officers, the microbiology behind foodborne illness, how to manage food safety hazards and risk assessments, and how to train, supervise, and build a strong food safety culture among staff.

It's commonly required for chefs, kitchen managers, and business owners who need to design and oversee food safety systems, rather than simply follow them day to day. At FSL, we offer Highfield accredited Level 3 online training tailored to your business, along with support putting what you learn into practice through our food safety management systems and ongoing advice — get in touch to find the right training option for your team.

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, and it's the internationally recognised system food businesses use to identify, assess, and control food safety hazards, whether biological, chemical, or physical. Rather than relying on end-product testing, HACCP is a preventative approach, meaning hazards are identified and controlled at each stage of the food process, from receiving ingredients through to storage, preparation, cooking, and serving. In the UK, having a HACCP-based food safety management system in place is a legal requirement for all food businesses under food hygiene regulations.

At FSL, we help businesses design, implement, and maintain HACCP-based systems that are tailored to how you actually operate, along with the training and ongoing support to keep them working in practice. Get in touch and we'll talk you through what a HACCP plan would look like for your business.

In UK food hygiene, the four principles are commonly known as the "4 Cs," and they form the foundation of safe food handling in any food business:

• Cleaning – Keeping hands, surfaces, and equipment properly cleaned and sanitised to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.

• Cooking – Cooking food thoroughly and to the correct core temperature to destroy harmful bacteria, including reheating food properly where needed.

• Chilling – Keeping food at the right temperature, whether through refrigeration, freezing, or rapid cooling after cooking, to prevent bacteria from multiplying.

• Cross-contamination – Preventing harmful bacteria or allergens from spreading between raw and ready-to-eat foods, surfaces, and equipment.

Yes, We can carry out pre-assessment audits for SALSA or BRCGS to identify any gaps and provide practical recommendations before your certification audit.

The internal audits are carried out on site and may require multiple visits depending on your individual requirements. A non-compliance report will be given to you after the audit so you can identify the areas which require further work before the official accreditation audit is carried out by the approved auditor.

One of our friendly consultant EHOs will visit your premises and a typical audit includes:

• A review of your documented food safety systems and monitoring records

• Inspecting production and storage areas for cleanliness

• Assessing food hygiene controls including hand washing and pest control

• Assessing structure and equipment

• Identifying areas of good practice

• A review of your allergen controls and documentation

• A review of your environmental swabbing and sampling procedures (for manufacturers)

• Highlighting any non-conformities or opportunities for improvement

• Providing a written report with photos and recommendations for improvement

• Providing an estimated FHRS score for caterers in the scheme

No, you don’t need a pest control contract but you do need to be actively checking for evidence of pests such as droppings or gnawing of food packaging every day and throughout the day, and know what to do if there is an infestation.

We recommend to record visual checks on your opening and closing checks and having a pest control contractor on speed dial if an issue occurs.

If you do employ a contractor make sure you have access to their visit reports and action their recommendations such as proofing your building, if they identify an issue

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme was developed by the Food Standards Agency to help customers decide where they eat or shop. Food businesses in the scheme including caterers are rated on a scale from ‘0’ Major Improvement to ‘5’ Very Good. Food inspections are usually unannounced, unless you work from a residential property, and carried out by local authority food inspectors.

No, in England it is not mandatory to display your sticker but if you do want to, put it somewhere prominent like your front door where customers can see it.

Your rating will be uploaded to the FHRS ratings website following an inspection. You can apply for an early rerating once improvements have been made but this is a chargeable service.

Food businesses that receive a low food hygiene rating from having out of date food, no hot water or documentation, pest control issues or dirty premises may also be served improvement notices telling you to improve your hygiene standards.

If there is an imminent risk to health such as a vermin infestation a local authority officer could close your business by asking you to voluntary close or serving a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice, which is ratified with an order from the magistrate’s court. The order will not be lifted until standards improve and you could also be prosecuted resulting in heavy fines or imprisonment.

To ensure nothing like this happens call us for help and support.