FSA · Food Hygiene Rating Scheme
How to score 5 on the FSA Food Hygiene Rating
The Food Standards Agency rates every UK food business 0–5 across three areas. A 5 means "very good — no improvement necessary". Here's exactly what each area covers and how GovReady captures the evidence as you work.
AREA 1
Hygienic food handling
Temperatures, cooking, cooling, cross-contamination, food storage. Every check is logged the moment it happens with the staff member and photo if relevant.
AREA 2
Structural condition
Cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation, pest control. Cleaning schedules sign themselves off and reorder reminders fire before consumables run out.
AREA 3
Confidence in management
Your HACCP / SFBB system, training records, allergen controls, and how you respond to issues. This is where most restaurants lose a star — and where digital records win.
The 5-star checklist
- Digital fridge & freezer temp logs
- Cooking & cooling temperature records
- Cleaning schedules signed off
- Pest control reports
- 14-allergen matrix per dish
- Staff Level 2 Food Safety certificates
- HACCP plan / SFBB diary
- Incident & complaint follow-up