How to get a 5 food hygiene rating

Updated 6 November 2026 · By Everlong, the maker of Cheflog

In shortA food hygiene rating in England, Wales and Northern Ireland comes from three scores: hygienic food handling (0 to 25), the condition of the building (0 to 25) and confidence in management (0, 5, 10, 20 or 30). Lower is better. A 5 needs a total of 15 or less and no single score above 5. Records that are mostly kept but have some gaps score 10 on confidence in management, and that alone limits the rating to a 4.

Try your scores

Pick the three scores from your inspection report, or the ones you expect, to see the rating they lead to.

How the rating is worked out

Total score	No single score above	Rating
0 to 15	5	5: very good
20	10	4: good
25 to 30	10	3: generally satisfactory
35 to 40	15	2: improvement necessary
45 to 50	20	1: major improvement necessary
More than 50		0: urgent improvement necessary

If one score is higher than the limit for the rating the total would give, the rating drops to the highest level where it fits. Example: a total of 30 with a structure score of 15 gives a 2, not a 3.

Confidence in management is about your records

Score	What it describes
0	Procedures and records appropriate and kept up; all staff supervised and trained; excellent track record
5	Hazards understood, controlled and reviewed; records generally well kept; staff trained, with induction for new starters
10	Generally satisfactory controls; records mostly kept but with some gaps; most staff trained
20	Procedures inadequate; some staff not supervised or trained
30	Little or no documented food safety management

Summary of the FHRS scoring descriptions.

Most kitchens can do little about the building between inspections, but the records score is in their hands. Moving it from 10 to 5 is often what turns a 4 into a 5.

What lifts the records score

A food safety management system that fits what you actually cook: Safer food, better business or your own HACCP plan
Opening and closing checks signed every day, with no blank days
Fridge, cooking, cooling and hot holding temperatures recorded
Problems written down with what you did about them
A cleaning schedule that is followed and signed
A training record for every member of staff
An allergen matrix that matches the menu
A supplier list and a pest control record
A 4-weekly review in the diary
Records you can show in a minute, not hunt for

After a low rating

Appeal in writing within 21 days of being told the rating, if you think it is unfair.
Right to reply: your comments can be published with the rating, at any time until the next inspection.
Re-visit: once the improvements are made, ask for a re-rating visit. In England some councils charge for it; in Wales and Northern Ireland all do.

Ratings of 5 are published straight away; 0 to 4 are published 3 to 5 weeks after the inspection, to leave time for an appeal. Displaying the sticker is a legal duty in Wales and Northern Ireland and voluntary in England. Scotland has its own scheme with Pass or Improvement Required.

Questions

What stops a business from getting a 5?

Any single score above 5, even with a low total. The most common is a confidence in management score of 10 for gaps in records.

Can I appeal a food hygiene rating?

Yes, in writing within 21 days of being told the rating, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

How soon can I be re-rated?

Once you have made the improvements, you can ask for a re-visit. In England, where the council doesn't charge, it usually won't happen in the first three months; where it charges, the visit is within three months.

Does Scotland use the same ratings?

No. Scotland uses the Food Hygiene Information Scheme, with Pass or Improvement Required.

Or let Cheflog keep this record for you

Cheflog is a food safety app for the kitchen tablet. It reminds you what is due, takes the reading with big keys, asks for the corrective action when a value is out of range and keeps signed records an inspector can read. Try it free for 30 days, then pay once (€49.99), no subscription.

See how Cheflog works

Sources

Sources checked on 6 November 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Limits in the templates are a starting point: check them against your own food safety plan and ask your local authority if you are unsure. Cheflog and Everlong are not connected to the Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland or any other authority, and nothing here is approved by them.