for sellersAre there cottage food laws in the UK? (No: here's what applies instead)
No. The UK has no "cottage food law" and no lighter regime for home kitchens. A home food business is a food business like any other: you register free with your local council at least 28 days before trading, follow food hygiene law, give allergen information, and can be inspected and given a food hygiene rating. In return there's no sales cap and no list of foods home kitchens are banned from making.
UK rules compared with US cottage food laws
Many US states have "cottage food" laws that let people make lower-risk foods at home without a licence or inspection, often with an annual sales cap. The UK works differently:
| Compared | Typical US cottage food law | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Often none, or a simple permit | Register with your local council at least 28 days before trading. Free. Covers home, online-only and market-stall businesses (GOV.UK: register a food business) |
| Inspection | Often none | Yes. Councils inspect home food businesses and give them a food hygiene rating (FSA: food hygiene rating scheme guidance for businesses) |
| Which foods | Usually limited to lower-risk foods (bread, biscuits, jam) | No banned list. Higher-risk foods (cream, meat, cooked rice) need tighter controls: temperature, shelf life and records |
| Sales cap | Often an annual limit | None. The nearest thing is VAT registration once taxable turnover passes £90,000 in 12 months (GOV.UK: when to register for VAT) |
| Labels | A standard "made in a home kitchen" statement | Depends on how you sell: full labels for prepacked food, a name and full ingredients with allergens for food packed before it's ordered (PPDS), allergen information for food made to order (GOV.UK: packaging and labelling) |
| Nutrition labels | Usually exempt | Not needed for handcrafted food supplied directly by a small-quantity maker to the consumer or local shops (Food information regulation, Annex V (nutrition declaration exemptions)) |
What "the same as any other food business" means in practice
- Training: everyone handling food must be trained or supervised in food hygiene to a level that fits their work. The law doesn't name a certificate, but many councils recommend a Level 2 course (Cheltenham Borough Council: food safety pack for home bakers (2025)).
- A food safety system: in England and Wales most small businesses use the FSA's free Safer Food, Better Business pack (FSA: Safer Food, Better Business). Scotland has its own version, CookSafe.
- A hygiene rating: in England, Wales and Northern Ireland ratings run from 0 to 5. For businesses run from a private home, only the first part of the postcode is published (FSA: food hygiene rating scheme guidance for businesses). Scotland uses a separate scheme with "Pass" or "Improvement Required". See how to get a 5 from a home kitchen.
- Allergens: the 14 regulated allergens, for every food item. See our allergen guide.
Differences between the UK nations
The rules are broadly the same across the UK, but Food Standards Scotland regulates Scotland, and displaying your hygiene rating is a legal requirement in Wales and Northern Ireland, while it's voluntary in England (FSA: food hygiene rating scheme guidance for businesses).
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Join as a founding sellerQuestions people ask
Is there a cottage food law in the UK?
No. Home food businesses follow the same food law as any other food business: register with the council 28 days before trading (free), follow food hygiene rules, give allergen information and expect an inspection.
Is there a limit on how much I can sell from my home kitchen in the UK?
There's no sales cap in food law. Tax rules apply as your income grows, including VAT registration once taxable turnover passes £90,000 in 12 months.
Are some foods banned from home kitchens in the UK?
There's no banned list, but higher-risk foods such as fresh cream, meat and cooked rice need tighter temperature, shelf-life and record-keeping controls. Your council's environmental health team can advise.
Do I need a nutrition label on homemade food?
Not for handcrafted food supplied directly in small quantities by the maker to the final consumer or to local shops. You still need allergen information, and prepacked food needs a full ingredients label.
Sources (checked October 2026): GOV.UK: register a food business; FSA: food hygiene rating scheme guidance for businesses; GOV.UK: packaging and labelling; Food information regulation, Annex V (nutrition declaration exemptions); GOV.UK: when to register for VAT; FSA: Safer Food, Better Business; Cheltenham Borough Council: food safety pack for home bakers (2025). Last reviewed 2026-11-05.