What training do restaurant staff need by law in the UK?

The training the law points to, duty by duty

Food hygiene

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, the food hygiene regulation that still applies in UK law, says in Annex II, Chapter XII that food business operators must ensure "that food handlers are supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activity". It adds that the people who develop and run the business's HACCP based food safety procedures must have "received adequate training in the application of the HACCP principles".

The Food Standards Agency says food handlers "don't have to hold a food hygiene certificate to prepare or sell food", but they must receive appropriate supervision and training in line with the area they work in, and owners or managers "must have had suitable training in food safety and hygiene". GOV.UK guidance for food businesses adds: "Keep a record of any training staff have completed so you can show this during an inspection."

Allergens

FSA allergen guidance on GOV.UK for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, updated in July 2026, says food businesses must tell customers if any food contains one of the 14 listed allergens as an ingredient, and "must make sure that staff receive training on allergens." For food that is not prepacked, such as restaurant dishes, you can give full written allergen information on a menu, chalkboard or information pack, or give it verbally, with a written notice in a clearly visible position.

Food you pack on site before a customer orders it, such as sandwiches, salads or pies, is prepacked for direct sale. Under Natasha's Law, in force across the UK since 1 October 2021, it needs a label with a full ingredients list, with the allergens emphasised.

Health and safety

HSE says: "You must give your workers clear instructions and information, as well as adequate training and supervision." HSE asks employers to include people with particular training needs, such as new recruits, people taking on extra responsibilities and young employees. Training "should take place during working hours and must be free for employees." HSE names the main risks in catering and hospitality as slips and trips, knives, manual handling and skin disease. For manual handling, the employer must avoid hazardous manual handling so far as reasonably practicable, assess the risk of anything that cannot be avoided and reduce it as low as reasonably practicable.

Fire safety

The employer, owner or whoever controls the premises is the "responsible person" for fire safety. GOV.UK says the responsible person must carry out and review a fire risk assessment, tell staff about the risks, and "provide staff information, fire safety instruction and training". New staff must be trained when they start, and you should hold at least one fire drill a year and record the results. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own fire safety law: the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010.

COSHH and cleaning chemicals

Under COSHH, employers must control exposure to substances that cause ill health, which HSE says can include cleaners and flour dust. Employers must "Provide information, training and instruction for employees who work with substances hazardous to health", and HSE adds: "This includes cleaning and maintenance staff." Staff should have access to safety data sheets, and you should keep basic training records.

First aid

First aid law applies to every workplace. At minimum you need a suitably stocked first aid kit, an appointed person to take charge of first aid arrangements, and information for all staff about those arrangements. HSE says it "cannot tell you what provision you should make for first aid": the employer assesses its own first aid needs, which decides whether it needs trained first aiders and at what level.

Training by role in a restaurant

Your employer decides the level each role needs. As a guide, the first row applies to everyone and the other rows show what each role adds:

Each course is £19.99, pay once, for learners aged 16 or over, with an 80% pass mark, unlimited free retakes and a free refresher when it is due: every 12 months for allergens, fire safety, COSHH and first aid, and every 3 years for the others. See every course on the Lift College CPD courses page.

Courses with a practical part

Some training has a part done in your own building. Fire Marshal Training covers the knowledge a nominated fire marshal needs, and your employer walks you through the layout, alarm and assembly point, and many add a practical extinguisher session. Your first aid needs assessment decides whether you need first aiders and at what level. HSE says a first aider is someone trained "by a competent first aid training provider in first aid at work, emergency first aid at work, or some other appropriate level of training (identified by your needs assessment)". Lift College's First Aid Training is written around the Resuscitation Council UK 2025 guidelines and covers first aid knowledge for staff and appointed persons. Manual Handling Training covers the knowledge, and your employer shows you the tasks and equipment in your kitchen.

For restaurant owners and managers

As the food business operator, you must be able to show that each person has the right training for their role. A free Lift College organisation account puts the whole team in one place:

• 15% off every course for every person. Every CPD course is £16.99 through the account, with no account fee and no minimum number of people.
• Card or invoice. Pay by card, or by invoice on 30 day terms with your own PO number. Name each person now, or buy the places and name them later for new starters.
• Records for an inspection. You see every certificate earned as it happens, can download each one the day the learner finishes, and can download a progress report that opens in Excel. Each certificate records the course, hours, completion date and a recommended refresh date, with a unique number and a verification link.

For more detail, compare providers in our guides to the best online food hygiene courses and the best online health and safety courses, or read how paying for staff training by invoice works.