Check any food hygiene rating

How to check a food hygiene rating

Every food business in the UK is inspected by its local council's Environmental Health team and given a rating from 0 to 5. Those ratings are public. To check one, type the venue's name or postcode into the search box above — this tool queries the official Food Standards Agency (FSA) database live and shows the current rating, the date it was last inspected, and the local authority that issued it. You can also search directly on the FSA's own site at ratings.food.gov.uk.

What the 0–5 ratings mean

The rating reflects three things checked during the inspection: how hygienically food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how well the business manages food safety. The lowest of the three scores usually sets the overall rating.

Where the data comes from

Every rating shown here is pulled directly from the FSA's open data API. The FSA publishes ratings under the Open Government Licence, covering every registered food premises in England, Wales and Northern Ireland — not just restaurants, but schools, hospitals, care homes, manufacturers and distributors too. Because we query the FSA live, you always see the most current rating. Scotland operates a separate Food Hygiene Information Scheme that returns Pass or Improvement Required rather than a 0–5 number.

Checking your own restaurant's rating

If you run a food business, search your name or postcode above to see your current rating and score breakdown. A low rating usually comes down to one of three things: weak paperwork (no documented HACCP plan, missing temperature logs), physical problems (pest control, structural condition), or food-handling mistakes seen during the inspection.

The component that catches most businesses out is Confidence in Management — and it often caps your overall score no matter how clean the kitchen is. The quickest fix is to move from paper to a digital food safety system. See our guide on how to improve your food hygiene rating.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a food hygiene rating?

Type the business name or its postcode into the search box above. We query the official FSA database live and show the current 0–5 rating, the inspection date and the local authority. You can also search on the FSA website at ratings.food.gov.uk.

Is checking a food hygiene rating free?

Yes. Food hygiene ratings are public data published by the FSA under the Open Government Licence. Checking a rating is completely free — no account or sign-up needed.

Can I check any UK restaurant's hygiene rating?

You can check any food business registered in England, Wales or Northern Ireland — restaurants, cafes, takeaways, pubs, schools, hospitals and care homes. Scotland uses a separate Pass / Improvement Required scheme.

What is the range of food hygiene ratings?

Ratings run from 0 to 5. A 5 is the top rating (very good) and 0 means urgent improvement is necessary.

How often are ratings updated?

A rating only changes when an Environmental Health Officer re-inspects the business. The FSA publishes the new rating within a few days, and this tool always shows whatever is currently live in the FSA database.