UK Food Ratings — Free UK Food Hygiene Ratings API (No Key)

TL;DR

The UK Food Hygiene Ratings API (from the Food Standards Agency) provides access to food hygiene inspection results for establishments across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Search by establishment name, postcode, local authority, or business type. Each result includes the hygiene rating (0-5), inspection date, business name, address, and business type. JSON format, no API key. Ideal for food safety apps, restaurant guides, and compliance tools.

Quick start: https://api.ratings.food.gov.uk/Establishments?name=The+Waterside+Inn&pageNumber=1&pageSize=10

No API key needed — just make a request!

How to Use This API

1. Search by Establishment Name

https://api.ratings.food.gov.uk/Establishments?name=The+Waterside+Inn&pageNumber=1&pageSize=10

2. JavaScript — Find Local Ratings

fetch('https://api.ratings.food.gov.uk/Establishments?name=The+Waterside+Inn', {
  headers: { 'x-api-version': '2' }
})
  .then(r => r.json())
  .then(data => {
    data.establishments.forEach(e => {
      console.log(`${e.BusinessName} (${e.BusinessType})`);
      console.log(`  Rating: ${e.RatingValue}/5 — ${e.RatingDate}`);
      console.log(`  Address: ${e.AddressLine1}, ${e.PostCode}`);
    });
  });

3. Python — Establishments by Postcode

import requests

headers = {'x-api-version': '2'}
data = requests.get(
    'https://api.ratings.food.gov.uk/Establishments',
    params={'address': 'SW1A', 'pageSize': 5},
    headers=headers
).json()

print(f"Found {data['meta']['total']} establishments in SW1A:")
for e in data['establishments']:
    rating_char = '★' * int(e['RatingValue']) + '☆' * (5 - int(e['RatingValue']))
    print(f"  {e['BusinessName']}: {rating_char} ({e['RatingValue']}/5)")

Search The Waterside Inn: https://api.ratings.food.gov.uk/Establishments?name=The+Waterside+Inn&pageNumber=1&pageSize=10

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Frequently Asked Questions

What regions are covered?: England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Scotland has a separate rating system (Food Hygiene Information Scheme) with different endpoints.
What parameters can I search by?: Business name, address, postcode, local authority ID, business type ID, rating value, and geographic bounding box. Supports pagination with pageNumber/pageSize.
What does the rating mean?: 0 = Urgent Improvement Required, 1 = Major Improvement Needed, 2 = Some Improvement Needed, 3 = Generally Satisfactory, 4 = Good, 5 = Very Good.
How recent are the inspections?: Each establishment entry includes the RatingDate of the most recent inspection. Inspection frequency depends on the risk category of the business.
What data is returned per establishment?: Business name, address (multiple lines + postcode), business type, rating value, rating date, local authority, geographic coordinates, and FHRS (Food Hygiene Rating Scheme) details.
Do I need an API key?: No API key is required. Set the required header x-api-version: 2 on all requests. This is the only authentication needed.

API Details

API URL: https://api.ratings.food.gov.uk
Documentation: FSA Open Data
Category: Government
Authentication: Not Required (requires x-api-version header)
Geographic Coverage: England, Wales, Northern Ireland (UK)

What You Can Build

Restaurant discovery app filtering by hygiene rating and cuisine type
Food delivery partner dashboard showing compliance and inspection dates
Local food safety map overlaying hygiene scores on a map of your area
Rating alert system notifying you when nearby restaurants get inspected
Takeaway comparison tool with ratings as a key decision factor