Where to do food hygiene level 1 training online in the UK

What employers look for in a food hygiene level 1 certificate

Your employer decides the training your role needs, based on the work you do and the food business's own food safety procedures. The law requires food handlers to be supervised and instructed or trained in food hygiene to suit their work, so a front-of-house role and a cook's role can need different levels. When a manager checks a certificate, they usually look for four things:

• The right level for the job. Level 1 suits people who work around food but do not prepare open food, such as serving, clearing tables or selling wrapped food.
• A clear record. The certificate should show the course name, the hours of learning and the date you completed it.
• Content that follows UK food law. The course should cover handwashing, cleaning, the 14 allergens and when to stay off work if you are ill.
• A refresh date. A recommended refresh-by date shows when your training is due for an update.

Lift College's certificate does each of these. It records Food Hygiene Level 1, 2 hours of learning, your completion date and a recommended refresh-by date 3 years later. It carries a unique certificate number and a verification link, so an employer can check it. GOV.UK guidance for food businesses says they should "keep a record of any training staff have completed so you can show this during an inspection", and your PDF certificate gives your employer exactly that record.

What the Lift College course covers

Food Hygiene Level 1 is built around the simple habits that stop germs and allergens spreading. There are 5 short modules, each with a knowledge check, followed by a multiple choice final test with an 80% pass mark and unlimited free retakes.

1. Why food hygiene matters. How food poisoning happens, what the law expects of food businesses and the part you play.
2. Personal hygiene and handwashing. When and how to wash your hands, clean clothing, hair, jewellery and covering cuts.
3. Keeping things clean. Cleaning as you go, using cloths and equipment safely, and dealing with waste and signs of pests.
4. Allergens and customers. The 14 allergens and why you never guess when a customer asks about allergies.
5. Illness and reporting. Telling your manager straight away if you are ill, and staying off for 48 hours after diarrhoea or vomiting stops.

By the end you can explain why food hygiene matters, wash your hands properly and at the right times, keep surfaces and serving areas clean, name the 14 allergens and pass on allergy questions correctly, and report illness. You can finish the modules in one sitting or across several, and pick up where you left off on any device.

The law and guidance it is written around

The course supports the food hygiene law that applies across the UK:

• Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, Annex II, Chapter XII (assimilated law). Food business operators must ensure "that food handlers are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters" commensurate with their work activity.
• Food Safety Act 1990. Makes it an offence to sell food that does not meet food safety requirements, or that is not what the customer asked for.
• Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013. Enforce the food hygiene rules in England, including keeping chilled food at 8°C or below and hot-held food at 63°C or above.
• Food Hygiene (Wales) Regulations 2006, Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and Food Hygiene Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006. Enforce the same food hygiene rules in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

GOV.UK guidance for food businesses says businesses "must be able to show that your staff have the right skills and up-to-date training for their role", and that skills can be learned through courses, on-the-job training, self-study or relevant past experience.

How Lift College compares with other UK providers

Prices and details below are as each provider shows them on its own course page, checked 11 October 2026. "Check provider" means the page did not state it.

With Lift College the £19.99 is the full price for one learner, with nothing added at checkout, and the refresher is free when your recommended refresh date arrives.

Who it suits

Food Hygiene Level 1 is for you if you work around food but do not prepare open food. That includes:

• waiters, servers and bar staff working front-of-house
• kitchen porters and cleaners in a food business
• shop, kiosk and café counter staff who stock or sell wrapped food
• volunteers at a food bank, community café or school event
• anyone new to food work who is starting with the basics

If you prepare, cook or handle open food, Food Hygiene Level 2 is the right course, and our Level 2 guide explains it. Supervisors and managers can read the Level 3 guide. You can see every level side by side on the food hygiene courses page, or browse all Lift College CPD courses. Buying for a team? Ask about team enrolment.

Ready to start? Enrol on Food Hygiene Level 1 for £19.99 and begin module 1 the minute you pay. If you change your mind, ask within 14 days of paying for a full refund.