A Food Hygiene Level 2 certificate costs between £6.50 and £32.50 in the UK, depending on the provider. Most established names charge £15 to £25 per course. At Chefs Bay Academy, £29 covers Food Hygiene Level 2 plus every other course on the platform: 130+ in total, including Allergen Awareness, HACCP, Fire Safety and Manual Handling.
That single number hides a lot of variation. Here is what the market actually charges, what affects the price, and when the cheapest option stops being the cheapest.
What UK providers charge (checked June 2026)
| Provider | Level 2 food hygiene price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| HSQE | from £6.50 + VAT | Single course |
| food-safety.org.uk | £10 + VAT | Single course |
| Echo3 | £10-£12 | Single course |
| Virtual College | £16-£20 | Single course |
| High Speed Training | £20 + VAT (£24) | Single course |
| CPD Online College | £24 | Single course |
| iHASCO | £27.50 | Single course, single use |
| St John Ambulance | £32.50 | Single course |
| Chefs Bay Academy | £29 | All 130+ courses, 12 months |
Prices were checked in June 2026 and providers change them, so treat the table as a snapshot rather than a quote.
What affects the price
Three things move the number.
The level matters most. Level 1 awareness courses sit at the bottom of each provider’s range, Level 2 is the standard food handler qualification, and Level 3 for supervisors typically costs two to four times the Level 2 price. St John Ambulance charges £75 for its Level 3 course; High Speed Training and Virtual College sit in a similar band.
Accreditation adds a premium. Courses assured by City & Guilds or RoSPA tend to cost more than CPD accredited equivalents. The certificate that matters to an environmental health officer is evidence that training happened and was understood; UK law does not name a specific awarding body. Our Food Hygiene Level 2 guide covers the legal position in detail.
Volume changes everything. Buying for a team of ten at £20 per head costs £200 before you add allergen training, fire safety, or manual handling. This is where per-course pricing stacks up quickly.
Can you get a food hygiene certificate for free?
Partly. The Food Standards Agency publishes free online food safety training, and it is genuinely useful for background knowledge. Council-funded courses also appear from time to time.
The catch is what employers and inspectors want to see: a named, dated certificate per employee that slots into a due diligence file, plus a record you can produce during an inspection or audit. Free modules are built for learning, not for evidencing a training programme across a team. Most food businesses end up paying for certificated training for exactly that reason.
When the cheapest single course stops being cheap
One certificate rarely stays one certificate. A kitchen role typically needs food hygiene plus allergen awareness. Add fire safety because the premises risk assessment requires it, then manual handling because the role involves lifting stock. At average single-course prices that is four purchases:
| Course | Typical single-course price |
|---|---|
| Food Hygiene Level 2 | £20 |
| Allergen Awareness | £20 |
| Fire Safety | £15 |
| Manual Handling | £15 |
| Total | £70 |
The same four courses, and 126 more, cost £29 at Chefs Bay Academy with 12 months of access. The certificates are CPD accredited and download as soon as you pass. Refresher training is also covered: when the three-year renewal guidance comes around for food hygiene, retaking the course costs nothing extra within your access period.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a food hygiene certificate?
Between £6.50 and £32.50 for a Level 2 certificate from UK online providers, with most charging £15 to £25. Chefs Bay Academy charges £29 for access to all 130+ of its courses, food hygiene included.
Is a food hygiene certificate a legal requirement?
UK law does not name a specific certificate. The Food Safety Act 1990 and food hygiene regulations require food businesses to ensure staff are trained, supervised and instructed in food hygiene appropriate to their role. A certificate is the standard way to prove that training happened, and environmental health officers expect to see one.
How long does a food hygiene certificate last?
There is no legal expiry date. Industry guidance recommends renewal every three years, and many employers require it. Some renew annually for higher-risk roles.
How long does the course take?
Food Hygiene Level 2 typically takes 4-5 hours online, self-paced. Level 1 takes 2-3 hours, and Level 3 for supervisors takes 7-9 hours. See our comparison of online versus classroom food safety training for how the formats differ.
Ready to get certified? Get full access for £29 — Food Hygiene Level 2 plus 130+ other CPD accredited courses, with instant certificates.