Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) - information for businesses

Pages in Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) - information for businesses

  1. 1. You are here: How the scoring system works - Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS)
  2. 2. How to appeal - Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS)
  3. 3. How to request a re-visit - Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS)
  4. 4. Right to reply - Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS)
  5. 5. Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) resources for business

1. How the scoring system works - Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS)

This page is about the scoring system for the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme for the business.

At the end of each inspection you will be given a risk rating score. For the purposes of the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, 3 scores are used to mark premises and calculate the rating.

  • Level of (current) compliance – Hygiene (column A)
  • Level of (current) compliance – Structural (column B)
  • Confidence in management/control procedures

These are worked out in accordance with guidance from the Food Standards Agency, which they have been using for many years as part of their food premises inspection programme.

The total score is then worked out

Example 1

A premises scores 5 for hygiene compliance, 5 for structural compliance and 5 for confidence in management.

Total score 15 - Rating 5

Example 2

A premises scores 10 for hygiene compliance, 5 for structural compliance, but 20 for confidence in management as they have not yet documented their food safety management system and do not understand how such a system should work.

Total score 35 – Rating 1

Example 3

A premises scores 15 each for structural and hygiene compliance, and 30 for confidence in management as they do not fully understand how a documented food safety management system should work and have nothing in place.

Total score 60 - Rating 0

Annex 5 Scores 0 - 15 20 25-30 35-40 45-50 >50
Annex 5 Scoring Factor No Score >5 No Score >10 No Score >10 No Score >15 No Score >20 -
Tier Top Second Third Fourth Fifth Bottom
Rating 5 4 3 2 1 0
Definition Very Good Good Generally satisfactory Improvements necessary Major improvement necessary Urgent improvement necessary