Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

Run in partnership with the FSA, the food hygiene rating scheme Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is designed to help consumers choose where to eat out or shop for food by giving them information about the hygiene standards in restaurants, cafés, takeaways, hotels and food shops.

We believe the scheme also helps encourage businesses to improve hygiene standards.

How do ratings work?

Local food businesses are inspected to make sure that all food is handled and prepared safely. The rating given is based on an assessment of compliance in these areas. An overall number rating is given, from zero (the worst) to five (the best) and based on food safety standards found in three specific areas:

• Food hygiene: how hygienically the food is handled, prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored
• Structure and cleanliness: the condition of the structure of the buildings, the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities
• Confidence in management: how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe

Scheme disclaimer

The rating does not indicate the general quality of food or the standard of service provided to customers. The food hygiene rating scheme is not an endorsement of current standards but merely reflects the score we awarded a premises at the time of their inspection. 

Where can I find rating information?

Ratings are published on the Food Standards Agency website. Following an inspection it takes up about 35 days for most new ratings to appear on the website, except 5 ratings, which appear within 7-10 Working Days. Once inspected a message will show 'recently inspected - new rating to be published soon'.

After each inspection, food business are given a sticker which they are encouraged to display so visitors can see their rating when they visit.

Appeals 

Following a hygiene inspection of your premises by a food safety officer from the City of London you will be told in writing, either at the time or within 14 days (this includes weekends and public holidays) what your food hygiene rating is.

If you think that the rating is wrong or unfair – in other words it does not reflect the hygiene standards at the time of inspection – you can appeal. You have 21 days to do so.

Before making an appeal, business owners or managers are encouraged to contact us first to understand why the rating was given. If the business owner or manager still thinks that the rating is unfair or wrong, they can appeal in writing.

Download form and return it to the Public Protection Team

Request a re-rating visit

You won’t get another rating between the normal planned inspection intervals unless you make a request. So, if you make improvements to hygiene standards in the interim we suggest you let people know. One way to do this is to make a re-rating request.

Complete the request form providing details of the improvements made with your request, including supporting evidence where appropriate.

Fees

There is no limit to the number of requests you can make but there is a charge for the service which you must pay, this is £210. Our form has information on how to pay. Please note: If we do not receive full payment within 21 days of any initial request we will assume you do not wish to proceed.

What happens next?

If we consider that you have provided sufficient evidence about any improvements an officer will make an unannounced inspection. This will be carried out within three months of the receipt of your request and payment of the fee.

The period will only start once the fee has been received. The reason we allow up to three months before we visit is because we need to be certain that any change or improvements are bedded in to the way you work. This is why we also don't tell you when we plan to come. There are exceptions and we could return much earlier if the required improvement was only structural, for example because a hot water supply needed an upgrade.

When we complete the revisit inspection we will give you a ‘new’ food hygiene rating based on the level of compliance at that time- you should be aware that your rating could go up, down or remain the same.

Post a right to reply

This lets you explain to potential customers any actions that you have taken after your inspection to improve hygiene standards at your premises or to say if there were unusual circumstances at the time of the inspection that might have affected your food hygiene rating.

The reply you make will be vetted by the City Corporation and appropriate details posted with the rating information that the public see on the website. This is not an opportunity to complain or criticise the food hygiene rating scheme or your food safety officer.​

Download form and return it to the Public Protection Team

Published ratings and requests to publish early

​After an inspection, the rating is published on the Food Standards Agency website. Ratings of '5 - very good' will be published as soon as the information is uploaded (weekly). Ratings of 0 – 4 will be published after the Appeal period.

A business owner or manager can request that a lower rating is published before the end of the appeal period. This request must be made in writing and it must include all the relevant information.

Download form and return it to the Public Protection Team