Food Hygiene Ratings Report 2025: UK Cities and Regions Ranked

Welcome to the Food Hygiene Ratings Report 2025, your definitive guide to food hygiene standards across UK cities and local authorities. Sourced from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), this report highlights average hygiene scores for key cities like Ipswich, Gloucester, and Belfast, as well as regional breakdowns for London, Northern Ireland, Wales, and more. As of July 2025, these scores reflect the latest inspections, helping food business owners, managers, and staff ensure compliance and customer trust. At Skilltopia, our Level 2 and Level 3 Food Hygiene training courses empower you to achieve a 5-star rating. Explore the data below!

UK Food Hygiene Ratings 2025: Where Does Your City Rank?

Each year, 50 million people in Great Britain enjoy approximately 2.4 billion dining occasions, choosing from over 120,000 food establishments across the UK. But what guides their choices? Location and cuisine are obvious factors, but food hygiene ratings are often overlooked. At Skilltopia, we believe hygiene is critical for customer trust and compliance. That’s why we’ve analysed data from over 500,000 food businesses to rank the UK’s 50 largest cities and towns by their average food hygiene rating (0-5) in 2025, as sourced from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Our report also compares UK regions against the national average and breaks down each region by local authority, revealing which areas excel and which need improvement. Whether you’re a food business owner or a curious diner, discover how your city stacks up and how Skilltopia’s training can help achieve a 5-star rating.

Key Findings from the 2025 Food Hygiene Ratings Report

• The UK’s average food hygiene score is 4.65, with 146 local authorities scoring below and 198 above this benchmark.
• Waltham Forest, London, has the lowest average rating in the UK at 3.95, followed by London’s Newham, Ealing, Lambeth, and Enfield.
• Outside London, Birmingham has the lowest hygiene rating, followed by Walsall, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and Blaenau Gwent.
• Northern Ireland is the UK’s most hygienic region with an average score of 4.80, followed by East Midlands, North East England, and South West England, each at 4.73.
• London ranks as the least hygienic region with an average score of 4.40.

These insights highlight the importance of maintaining high hygiene standards to stand out in a competitive market. Want to boost your rating? Enrol in Skilltopia’s Level 2 and Level 3 Food Hygiene training courses to ensure compliance and customer confidence.

Why Food Hygiene Ratings Are Critical

The UK’s Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS), managed by the FSA, scores businesses from 0 to 5 based on hygiene practices, facility cleanliness, and management standards. A 5-star rating enhances customer confidence and ensures compliance with regulations like EC Regulation 852/2004. This report ranks cities and local authorities, revealing top performers and areas for improvement so that you can benchmark your business.

Top 25 UK Cities by Food Hygiene Rating (2025)

Below are the average food hygiene scores for the top 25 UK cities, showcasing leaders like Ipswich and Gloucester. Data is current as of July 2025.

Rank	City	Region	Average Score
1	Ipswich	Suffolk	4.92
2	Gloucester	Gloucestershire	4.84
3	Bournemouth	Dorset	4.81
4	Nottingham	Nottinghamshire	4.80
5	Exeter	Devon	4.80
6	Colchester	Essex	4.80
7	Oxford	Oxfordshire	4.76
8	Southampton	Hampshire	4.74
9	Warrington	Cheshire	4.72
10	Swindon	Wiltshire	4.72
11	Milton Keynes	Buckinghamshire	4.71
12	Belfast	County Antrim, Northern Ireland	4.69
13	Peterborough	Cambridgeshire	4.66
14	Newcastle upon Tyne	Tyne and Wear	4.66
15	Solihull	Warwickshire	4.65
16	Telford	Shropshire	4.65
17	Brighton	East Sussex	4.65
18	Cambridge	Cambridgeshire	4.65
19	York	North Yorkshire	4.65
20	Plymouth	Devon	4.64
21	Coventry	West Midlands	4.64
22	Derby	Derbyshire	4.64
23	Hull	East Riding of Yorkshire	4.62
24	Bristol	Gloucestershire	4.62
25	Wolverhampton	West Midlands	4.62

Regional Breakdown: How UK Regions Compare

Here’s how key UK regions and their local authorities stack up against the national average hygiene score of 4.65, based on 2025 FSA data.

London

London’s average hygiene score of 4.40 is the lowest among UK regions, falling below the national average.

Rank	Local Authority	Average Score
1	Kensington and Chelsea	4.82
2	City of London Corporation	4.80
3	Greenwich	4.68
4	Haringey	4.57
5	Hammersmith and Fulham	4.57
6	Bromley	4.54
7	Richmond-Upon-Thames	4.53
8	Bexley	4.51
9	Tower Hamlets	4.51
10	Southwark	4.51
11	Sutton	4.50
12	Brent	4.50
13	Wandsworth	4.49
14	Havering	4.48
15	Kingston-Upon-Thames	4.47
16	Hillingdon	4.47
17	Redbridge	4.45
18	Hounslow	4.42
19	Westminster	4.38
20	Croydon	4.32
21	Barnet	4.32
22	Harrow	4.27
23	Barking and Dagenham	4.26
24	Lewisham	4.24
25	Hackney	4.24

Key Findings

• Kensington and Chelsea leads London with a score of 4.82, followed by City of London Corporation (4.80).
• Waltham Forest has the UK’s lowest score at 3.95, with other low scorers including Newham, Ealing, Lambeth, Enfield, and Camden.
• 91% of London’s 32 districts score below the national average of 4.65, with only Greenwich, City of London Corporation, and Kensington and Chelsea at or above.

East of England

The East of England boasts a strong average score, led by Ipswich at 4.92, the highest among the UK’s top 50 cities.

Rank	Local Authority	Average Score
1	Ipswich	4.92
2	Broadland	4.88
3	Stevenage	4.84
4	Mid Suffolk	4.84
5	Fenland	4.83
6	West Suffolk	4.81
7	Babergh	4.81
8	Tendring	4.80
9	East Suffolk	4.79
10	Maldon	4.77
11	Castle Point	4.77
12	Broxbourne	4.77
13	Brentwood	4.76
14	Rochford	4.76
15	South Norfolk	4.75
16	North Norfolk	4.75
17	King’s Lynn and West Norfolk	4.74
18	Harlow	4.74
19	Breckland	4.72
20	Dacorum	4.71
21	Braintree	4.70
22	Bedford	4.70
23	South Cambridgeshire	4.70
24	East Cambridgeshire	4.69
25	Basildon	4.68

Key Findings

• Ipswich leads with a score of 4.92, the highest among the UK’s top 50 cities, followed by Broadland (4.88).
• Norwich City has the region’s lowest score at 4.40.
• 59% of the region’s 34 districts score below the national average of 4.65.

East Midlands

The East Midlands ranks joint-second nationally with an average score of 4.73, led by Bassetlaw.

Rank	Local Authority	Average Score
1	Bassetlaw	4.93
2	Boston	4.92
3	North Kesteven	4.85
4	South Kesteven	4.83
5	South Derbyshire	4.83
6	Lincoln City	4.83
7	Bolsover	4.83
8	South Holland	4.82
9	Harborough	4.81
10	East Lindsey	4.80
11	Nottingham City	4.80
12	Charnwood	4.79
13	Chesterfield	4.78
14	Newark and Sherwood	4.78
15	High Peak	4.78
16	North East Derbyshire	4.77
17	North Northamptonshire	4.76
18	Amber Valley	4.76
19	North West Leicestershire	4.75
20	Rutland	4.75
21	West Lindsey	4.71
22	Melton	4.70
23	Erewash	4.70
24	Oadby and Wigston	4.70
25	Ashfield	4.67

Key Findings

• Bassetlaw tops the region with a score of 4.93, second only to Hull and Goole Port (5.00) nationally.
• Leicester has the lowest score at 4.38, ranking 47th among the UK’s top 50 cities.
• Nottingham City ranks fourth nationally among large cities with a score of 4.80, tied with Exeter and Colchester.

North East England

North East England is the most hygienic northern region, with an average score of 4.73, joint-second nationally.

Rank	Local Authority	Average Score
1	Stockton On Tees	4.90
2	Redcar and Cleveland	4.87
3	Darlington	4.85
4	Hartlepool	4.83
5	Newcastle-Under-Lyme	4.83
6	Northumberland	4.80
7	North Tyneside	4.75
8	Newcastle Upon Tyne	4.66
9	Gateshead	4.62
10	Durham	4.57
11	Middlesbrough	4.57
12	South Tyneside	4.54

Key Findings

• Stockton-on-Tees leads with a score of 4.90, followed by Redcar and Cleveland (4.87).
• South Tyneside is the lowest at 4.54, followed by Middlesbrough and Durham (4.57).

North West England

North West England’s average score of 4.52 is below the national average.

Rank	Local Authority	Average Score
1	Sefton	4.78
2	Warrington	4.72
3	Bury	4.71
4	Cheshire East	4.70
5	Cheshire West and Chester	4.67
6	Halton	4.67
7	Stockport	4.62
8	Lancaster City	4.57
9	Trafford	4.53
10	Rochdale	4.52
11	Wirral	4.52
12	Oldham	4.51
13	Blackpool	4.46
14	Tameside	4.44
15	Knowsley	4.42
16	Blackburn	4.42
17	St Helens	4.41
18	Liverpool	4.41
19	Manchester	4.41
20	Wigan	4.33
21	Salford	4.31
22	Bolton	4.24

Key Findings

• Sefton leads with a score of 4.78, followed by Warrington (4.72).
• Bolton has the lowest score at 4.24, the second-lowest among the UK’s top 50 cities.

South East England

South East England’s average score of 4.67 is just above the national average.

Rank	Local Authority	Average Score
1	Wokingham	4.84
2	Mid Sussex	4.82
3	West Berkshire	4.77
4	Oxford City	4.76
5	Bracknell Forest	4.76
6	Medway	4.76
7	Southampton	4.74
8	Milton Keynes	4.71
9	Windsor and Maidenhead	4.69
10	Surrey Heath	4.68
11	Brighton and Hove	4.65
12	Isle of Wight	4.62
13	Buckinghamshire	4.60
14	Portsmouth	4.54
15	Reading	4.46
16	Slough	4.37

Key Findings

• Wokingham leads with a score of 4.84, while Slough is the lowest at 4.37.
• Only five districts (Slough, Reading, Portsmouth, Buckinghamshire, Isle of Wight) score below the national average.

South West England

The South West is joint-second nationally with an average score of 4.73.

Rank	Local Authority	Average Score
1	Dorset	4.92
2	Gloucester City	4.84
3	Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	4.81
4	Mid Devon	4.81
5	Isles of Scilly	4.80
6	Cornwall	4.73
7	Somerset West and Taunton	4.73
8	Swindon	4.72
9	Torbay	4.66
10	North Somerset	4.65
11	Wiltshire	4.64
12	Plymouth City	4.64
13	Bristol	4.62
14	Bath and North East Somerset	4.60

Key Findings

• Dorset leads with a score of 4.92, followed by Gloucester City (4.84), the second-highest among the UK’s top 50 cities.
• Bath and North East Somerset is the lowest at 4.60, just below the national average.

West Midlands

The West Midlands has a lower average score, with Birmingham trailing significantly.

Rank	Local Authority	Average Score
1	Solihull	4.65
2	Coventry	4.64
3	Wolverhampton	4.62
4	Sandwell	4.44
5	Dudley	4.27
6	Walsall	4.20
7	Birmingham	4.18

Key Findings

• Solihull matches the national average at 4.65, while Birmingham has the lowest score among the UK’s top 50 cities at 4.18.
• Walsall also ranks low, second only to Birmingham outside London.

Yorkshire and the Humber

Yorkshire and the Humber’s average score of 4.61 is slightly below the national average.

Rank	Local Authority	Average Score
1	North East Lincolnshire	4.81
2	Rotherham	4.74
3	Barnsley	4.71
4	Wakefield	4.68
5	East Riding of Yorkshire	4.68
6	York	4.65
7	Hull City	4.62
8	Sheffield	4.59
9	Leeds	4.56
10	North Lincolnshire	4.55
11	Doncaster	4.53
12	Bradford	4.51
13	Calderdale	4.46
14	Kirklees	4.45

Key Findings

• North East Lincolnshire leads with a score of 4.81.
• Kirklees is the lowest at 4.45.
• 57% of districts score below the national average, with only six at or above 4.65.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is the UK’s most hygienic region, with an average score of 4.80.

Rank	Local Authority	Average Score
1	Mid and East Antrim	4.86
2	Mid Ulster	4.85
3	Lisburn and Castlereagh City	4.85
4	Fermanagh and Omagh	4.83
5	Newry, Mourne and Down	4.83
6	Causeway Coast and Glens	4.82
7	Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon	4.80
8	Antrim and Newtownabbey	4.79
9	Ards and North Down	4.74
10	Derry City and Strabane	4.72
11	Belfast City	4.69

Key Findings

• Mid and East Antrim leads with a score of 4.86, followed by Mid Ulster and Lisburn and Castlereagh City (4.85).
• Antrim and Newtownabbey is the lowest at 4.79, still above the national average.
• All districts score above the national average of 4.65.

Wales

Wales has an average score of 4.56, slightly below the national average.

Rank	Local Authority	Average Score
1	Gwynedd	4.86
2	Wrexham	4.86
3	Anglesey	4.82
4	Flintshire	4.78
5	Conwy	4.77
6	Carmarthenshire	4.72
7	Pembrokeshire	4.71
8	Denbighshire	4.64
9	Powys	4.63
10	Swansea	4.58
11	Monmouthshire	4.58
12	Neath Port Talbot	4.56
13	Ceredigion	4.52
14	Newport	4.51
15	Bridgend	4.41
16	Cardiff	4.39
17	Caerphilly	4.36
18	Merthyr Tydfil	4.29
19	Torfaen	4.25
20	Blaenau Gwent	4.24
21	Rhondda Cynon Taf	4.22

Key Findings

• Gwynedd and Wrexham tie for the highest score at 4.86.
• Rhondda Cynon Taf is the lowest at 4.22.
• 67% of districts score below the national average, with only seven at or above 4.65.

Key Insights from the 2025 Report

• National Leaders: Ipswich (4.92) and Gloucester (4.84) top the UK’s 50 largest cities, with Northern Ireland leading regions at 4.80.
• London’s Challenges: London’s average score of 4.40 is the lowest, with Waltham Forest (3.95) the least hygienic district nationally.
• Regional Strengths: North East England, East Midlands, and South West England tie for second place with an average score of 4.73.
• Consumer Impact: Low ratings can deter customers, with 61% of diners avoiding poorly rated establishments.

These findings highlight the importance of maintaining high hygiene standards, especially in competitive urban markets or tourist-heavy areas like Dorset and Cornwall.

Boost Your Food Hygiene Rating with Skilltopia

Achieving a 5-star rating requires excellence in hygiene, structural compliance, and management. Skilltopia’s training courses help you succeed:

• Level 2 Food Hygiene Training: Ideal for food handlers, covering safe handling, cleaning, and HACCP basics.
• Level 3 Food Hygiene Training: Designed for managers, focusing on advanced HACCP, risk assessment, and compliance.
• Online Access: Learn anytime at skilltopia.co.uk/my-courses.

Our courses align with 2025 FSA standards, helping you avoid issues like improper cleaning or weak HACCP plans.

Why Skilltopia?

Skilltopia offers trusted, flexible training:

• Current: Updated for 2025 regulations.
• Convenient: Online, self-paced learning.
• Proven: 5-star Google reviews from satisfied learners.

Join thousands of UK food businesses in achieving top ratings. Enrol now!

Start Your Food Hygiene Training

Methodology

Data is sourced from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as of July 2025. Scores reflect average hygiene ratings (0-5) for inspected food businesses. Scotland data was not available.