WHAT THE GUIDANCE SAYS
The moment you sell, your kitchen is a food business.
UK guidance treats a cake business run from home much like any other food business: register first, expect an inspection and a hygiene rating, and keep simple records of what goes in and where it goes.
REGISTER 28 days before you sell
THE SHORT ANSWER
The Food Standards Agency's guidance applies to home, market and online sellers.
It covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
REGISTER
Register with your local authority at least 28 days before you start trading. It is free, can't be refused, and covers selling online and on social media too.
See the timingsRECORDS
Traceability rules mean keeping records of every supplier of your ingredients and any businesses you supply, ready for inspection.
What to set upINSPECTION
A council food safety officer inspects and gives a rating from 5 to 0. For a home address, only the first part of the postcode is published.
Read the scaleTHE HYGIENE RATING SCALE
Pick a rating to see what the Food Standards Agency says it means. The bar shows where it sits on the scale.
From the FSA's Food Hygiene Rating Scheme guidance for businesses. General information, not legal advice.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
One figure on when to register,
one on how often inspections come round.
28 days
Register before you start trading
The FSA asks new food businesses to register at least 28 days before trading, and suggests not registering much earlier than that. Anyone already trading unregistered should register as soon as possible.
REGISTRATION · FSA
6–24 months
Time between inspections
Inspection frequency depends on risk, from six months for the highest-risk businesses to two years for lower-risk ones. Some very low-risk businesses may wait longer.
INSPECTIONS · FSA
The officer checks three things: how hygienically food is handled, the condition of the premises, and how food safety is managed. You are told your rating in writing at the inspection or within 14 days.
FOUR THINGS TO SET UP
Council leaflets for home cake makers boil the paperwork down to a few simple habits. None of them needs special equipment.
Food businesses must have food safety procedures, such as the FSA's Safer Food Better Business pack, covering hygiene, pests, cross-contamination and cleaning.
Council guidance for cake makers suggests recording supplier details, customers and dates sold.
A certificate is not compulsory, but you must show adequate food hygiene knowledge. The FSA recommends a qualification and offers free online allergy training.
The FSA's checklist reminds new food business owners to tell HMRC they are self-employed.
YOUR HOME, YOUR BUSINESS
GOV.UK says running a business from home may need permission from your mortgage provider or landlord, and from the council if you expect many customers or deliveries. Home insurance may not cover business use.
You may also have to pay business rates on the part of your home used for the business, depending on whether the Valuation Office Agency has given it a rateable value. Council Tax still applies to the rest of the home.
Questions
Yes, if you sell or regularly supply food to the public. FSA guidance says businesses trading from home or online must register with their local authority, at least 28 days before trading. It is free and can't be refused.
A local authority food safety officer inspects food businesses and gives a hygiene rating from 5 to 0. How often depends on risk, from six months to two years or more.
No. FSA guidance says that for a business registered at a private address, only the first part of the postcode is published with the rating.
It is not compulsory, but you must show you are adequately trained in food hygiene. The FSA recommends a qualification and your council can suggest a suitable course.
Food businesses of all sizes must give allergen information for the 14 allergens in food law, including in cake decorations. Wrapped bakes sold where they are made need a full ingredients list with allergens emphasised.
Sources
ABOUT THIS NAME
bittybakery.com is part of the DoodleSale portfolio. It isn't in an auction right now, but you can ask about leasing it.
