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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the food hygiene rating scheme for?
Who runs the scheme?
Is the scheme run in all parts of the UK?
What types of food business are given a rating?
What does exempt mean?
How is a hygiene rating worked out?
What do the different ratings mean?
How often will a restaurant or other food business be given a new rating?
Why are businesses with poor ratings not closed?
How can I find out what the rating is for a takeaway or other food business?
Does a food business have to show its rating?
What does ‘awaiting inspection’ mean?
What can the owner of a business do if they think the rating given is unfair or wrong?
Can the owner of a business ask the local authority to inspect hygiene standards again to get a new rating?
Why isn’t it mandatory for businesses to display the score?
Why doesn’t the scheme apply to businesses that process and supply food?
What is the food hygiene rating scheme for?
The scheme provides information on food hygiene to help you choose where to eat out or shop for food, by giving you information about the hygiene standards in restaurants, pubs, cafés, takeaways, hotels and other places you eat, as well as supermarkets and other food shops.
The scheme also encourages businesses to improve hygiene standards.
Who runs the scheme?
The scheme is run by Fermanagh District Council in partnership with the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
Is the scheme run in all parts of the UK?
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is a ‘national scheme’ run in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A similar scheme is in place in Scotland.
What types of food business are given a rating?
Ratings are given to places where you can eat out such as restaurants, takeaways, cafés, sandwich shops, pubs and hotels. Ratings are also given to schools, hospitals and residential care homes.
Places where you shop for food, such as supermarkets, bakeries, and delicatessens, are also given a rating.
Not all businesses in these groups are given a rating. This is because some businesses, for example a newsagent selling sweets, are a low risk to people’s health so are not included in the scheme. These businesses are said to be ‘exempt’ from the scheme.
What does ‘exempt’ mean?
The two groups of exempt businesses are:
- businesses that are a low-risk to people’s health in terms of food safety and that you perhaps wouldn’t normally think of as a food business, for example, newsagents, chemist shops or visitor centres selling tins of biscuits
- childminders and businesses that offer caring services at home
These types of business can ask to receive a food hygiene rating if they wish.
How is a hygiene rating worked out?
An Environmental Health Officer from Fermanagh District Council inspects food businesses to check that they meet the requirements of food hygiene law-
At the inspection, the officer will check
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how hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored
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the condition of the structure of the buildings – the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities
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how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe
The hygiene standards found at the time of inspection are then rated on a scale. At the bottom of the scale is ‘0’ – this means urgent improvement is required. At the top of the scale is ‘5’ – this means the hygiene standards are very good.
The rating given shows how well the business does overall. The business may do better in some areas, and less well in others, and the rating takes this into account.
The officer will explain to the person who owns or manages the business what improvements need to be made and what action they can take to improve their hygiene rating.
What do the different ratings mean?
The food hygiene rating reflects the hygiene standards found at the time of inspection by an Environmental Health Officer. A business can be given one of these ratings:
  
  
The hygiene standards found at the time of inspection are rated on a scale. At the bottom of the scale is ‘0’ – this means urgent improvement is required. At the top of the scale is ‘5’ – this means the hygiene standards are very good.
A rating shows you how well the business is meeting the requirements of food hygiene law. It gives you an idea of what’s going on in the kitchen, or behind closed doors, so you can choose where you eat or buy food.
How often will a restaurant or other food business be given a new rating?
A new rating is given each time the business is inspected by an Environmental Health Officer.
How often inspections take place depends on the risk to people’s health. The greater the risk, the more often the business is inspected.
If the business owner or manager makes improvements to hygiene standards, the business can ask for a visit to be carried out before the date of the next planned inspection. This means these improvements can be checked and a new rating could be given.
Why are businesses with poor ratings not closed?
Businesses given ratings of ‘0’ or ‘1’ must make urgent or major improvements to hygiene standards. Environmental Health Officer's will use a number of enforcement tools as well as giving advice and guidance to make sure these improvements are made.
If the officer finds that a business's hygiene standards are very poor and there is an imminent risk to health, the officer will take action to ensure that consumers are protected. This could mean prohibiting part of an operation or closing the business down.
How can I find out what the rating is for a takeaway or other food business?
If a takeaway or other food business has been given a rating, you can search the following-
To check the rating of a food business in your area
When you eat out or shop for food, you might see a sticker in the window or on the door, or a certificate on display, showing you the hygiene rating for that business. Businesses are encouraged to display these stickers and certificates in a place where you can easily see them when you visit.
These stickers and certificates will also show the date the hygiene inspection was carried out by the Environmental Health Officer.
If you don’t see the rating at a takeaway or other food business, you can ask a member of staff if the business is in the scheme and what rating was given at the last inspection.
Does a food business have to show its rating?
No, so if you see a business without a hygiene rating sticker or certificate, you’ll have to decide if you want to eat or buy food from there without knowing the hygiene standards.
Putting a hygiene rating on show is a good advertisement for businesses that meet the requirements of food hygiene law.
A good food hygiene rating is good for business.
What does ‘awaiting inspection’ mean?
If a new business has been set up, or there is a new owner, it will not have a food hygiene rating to begin with, but it may display a sticker or certificate that says ‘awaiting inspection’. A rating will be given after an Environmental Health Officer has inspected the business to check the hygiene standards.
What can the owner of a business do if they think the rating given is unfair or wrong?
The owner or manager of the business should talk to the Environmental Health Officer that inspected the business about 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. They can fill in an appeals form and send it to Fermanagh District Council within 14 days (this includes weekends and public holidays) of being told what their rating is.
For guidance on appeals including downloadable forms
The owner or manager of the business also has a ‘right to reply’. This is different from an appeal. The owner or manager can fill in a 'right to reply' form and send it to Fermanagh District Council advising how the business has improved their hygiene or to justify unusual circumstances at the time of the inspection.
For guidance on right to reply including downloadable forms
Can the owner of a business ask Fermanagh District Council to inspect hygiene standards again to get a new rating?
Yes, but only if the improvements to hygiene that the Environmental Health Offcer told the business about at the last inspection have been made.
The food business operator can only request one re-visit to be carried out before the date of the next planned inspection.
For guidance on requested re-visits appeals including downloadable forms
Why isn’t it mandatory for businesses to display the score?
Mandatory display would require new legislation and this will be kept under review
Why doesn’t the scheme apply to businesses that process and supply food?
Principally it is a consumer information tool, so ratings will be given to food outlets where customers can make a decision there and then about where to go and eat or to do their food shopping.
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