We carry out regular checks on food premises to make sure that they produce food which is safe to eat and complies with food hygiene regulations.
Our inspectors have a right to enter and inspect your food premises at all reasonable hours. Our inspections usually happen without notification when your business is trading. If you prepare food at home, an officer must give 24 hours notice before the inspection.
For advice on how to make sure the food you serve or prepare is safe, see the safer food, better business guidance on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website.
Inspection frequency
We prioritise inspections based on risk so we visit higher-risk premises more frequently than those in lower-risk categories. Risk is based on:
- type of food
- compliance history
- confidence in management
- premises serving vulnerable groups for example the very young or elderly
You’ll be inspected at regular intervals depending on risk – this will be explained to you following your inspection.
During an inspection
The officer will inspect the structure and cleanliness of the premises, observe practices and check documentation to ensure your business complies with all aspects of the food hygiene legislation. The inspection and any follow up action taken by the inspector must comply with the FAS’s Framework Agreement and the Food Law Code of Practice.
See the Framework Agreement on the FSA website
See the Food Law Code of Practice on the FSA website
The officer will need to see your documented food safety management system. It's important that this is fully completed, up to date and in daily use. It should show you have a commitment to managing your business safely and all members of staff should have received training on this document. If you keep any other records which you use on a daily basis these should also be available for inspection, for example temperature monitoring records.
See how to develop a food safety management system on the FSA website
The length of your inspection will vary depending on the size, nature and extent of your operations. We’ll need to:
- talk to staff about your quality control systems and practices, including how hygienically the food is handled
- inspect all parts of your premises and equipment
- talk to you about staff training, risk assessment and temperature control
Results of an inspection
You’ll be given a food hygiene rating and approximately three to five weeks later the FSA will publish your rating on their website (you may ask them to publish the rating before this). You’ll get a window sticker showing the rating, which we encourage you to display prominently.
We take a graduated approach to enforcement in accordance with the Framework Agreement. Any follow up action will depend upon the conditions found at the time of the inspection and could be:
- a written report of inspection
- a letter which outlines minor contraventions
- serving a notice to deal with more serious contraventions
- legal proceedings
All actions taken by officers will be in accordance with our Food Safety Enforcement Policy.
Find out how to appeal a food hygiene rating
If you’ve made improvements after your food hygiene rating, you can request a visit to be reassessed for a new rating. It costs £172 to reinspect your premises.