Selling food from home in the UK: what the rules say and how to take orders

Are you a food business?

The FSA says that even if you do not think of yourself as a business, if you provide food on a regular and organised basis, you are a food business under food law. If you supply food regularly to the public, for free or otherwise, you need to register. This covers selling from home, from a mobile unit or temporary premises, and online, for example through social media or a website.

1. Register 28 days before you start

Register with the local authority where you live, using the food business registration portal, at least 28 days before you start trading. The FSA recommends you do not register much earlier than that. Registration is free and can't be refused. If you already trade and have not registered, register as soon as possible. If you use more than one trading name, you can include them all on one registration.

2. Expect a home inspection

After registration, local authority officers arrange a visit to your home for a food hygiene inspection, to assess your food preparation areas and food safety procedures. The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme gives a rating from 0 to 5 based on what is found on the day. The FSA notes that higher-risk businesses are prioritised, so a first inspection can sometimes take several months.

3. Tell HMRC

When you start a food business from home you need to inform HMRC that you are self-employed, so that you pay tax through Self Assessment. The FSA says this applies even if you are part-time or have another job, and that you can check whether setting up a limited company instead suits you.

4. Check your permissions

The FSA points to GOV.UK guidance on running a business from home, which covers:

• permission from your mortgage provider or landlord;
• permission from the local council;
• insurance;
• tax allowances;
• business rates; and
• health and safety.

5. Food safety, training and records

• Have food safety procedures in place. Food businesses must use HACCP-based procedures such as the FSA's Safer Food Better Business packs.
• A food hygiene certificate is not compulsory, but the FSA recommends a qualification and says you will need to show you have been adequately trained.
• Keep traceability records of the suppliers that provide your ingredients.
• Put all food waste in the bin rather than down the sink, and use sink strainers to keep fat, oil and grease out of the drains. Pour cooled cooking fats into a container and bin them once solid.

6. Allergens

You must tell customers if any food you provide contains any of the 14 allergens (celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, and tree nuts), including in additives, garnishes and cake decorations. Keep ingredients that contain allergens separate to avoid cross-contamination. For orders placed online or by phone, give allergen information before the purchase is completed and when the food is delivered. See allergen information for online orders and, for food you pack before it is ordered, Natasha's Law and PPDS labelling.

7. Selling and delivering without face-to-face contact

When you sell food without face-to-face contact, the main law is the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, and the UK Electronic Commerce Regulations 2002 also apply to internet sales. Food must be delivered in a way that keeps it safe: use food-grade packaging, keep chilled food cool in transit, and tell the customer when they can expect delivery.

8. Taking orders

Many home businesses start with messages and a spreadsheet. An ordering page takes the order, the collection or delivery choice and the allergen information in one place. With Chefzi you set a pre-order lead time for your location, so customers request a collection time inside the notice you set, and cash on collection works on every plan. See online ordering for cafés and bakeries and click and collect for takeaways. Chefzi gives you your own ordering website with 0% commission ever, from £9 a month per location billed annually (£12 monthly, excluding VAT), with the first month free and no credit card required. See pricing.

Sources

• GOV.UK, Starting a food business, sections "Starting a food business from your home", "Who needs to register", "Allergen management", "Selling food for delivery" (Food Standards Agency, last updated 19 August 2026), read 10 Nov 2026: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/starting-a-food-business