Food hygiene training records What to keep and how to keep it simple
Training your team is only half the job. If an inspector asks "how do you know your staff are trained?", you need to be able to show them. It doesn't need to be complicated.
Keep a simple record of who has been trained in what, when, and when they're due a refresher. A spreadsheet, a notebook or the free record sheets in Safer Food, Better Business all work perfectly well.
Why records matter
The law says your staff must be trained to fit their jobs. It doesn't tell you how to write that down, but records are how you show it. When an inspector scores your food hygiene rating, part of the score is about how well you manage food safety, and good training records help with that. Our guide to how staff training affects your food hygiene rating explains more. Both the official Safer Food, Better Business pack and Northern Ireland's Safe Catering pack include a staff training record, which tells you how much inspectors value them.
A simple training matrix you can copy
A training matrix is just a table showing everyone on your team and what training they've had. Here's an example with made-up names.
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
| Name | Role | Main course | Allergen training | Refresher due | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Doe | Head chef | Level 2, June 2024. Level 3, January 2025 | September 2026 | June 2027 | Leads the weekly team briefing |
| Ali Khan | Kitchen assistant | Level 2, September 2026 | September 2026 | September 2029 | New starter, still supervised |
| Sam Lee | Server | Level 1, August 2026 | August 2026 | August 2029 | Only carries finished plates |
| Maria Costa | Cook | Level 2, March 2025 | March 2025 | March 2028 | Refresher quiz planned this winter |
What to include
For each person, note their name and job, what training they've had and when, who gave any on-the-job training, and when their refresher is due. If they have a certificate, keep a copy with the record. Also record any training you do yourself, like a hygiene briefing on someone's first day, because that counts too. Our guide to running a team briefing has a free checklist for recording one.
Which format should you use?
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
| Team size | What works well |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 people | A simple spreadsheet, or the free staff training record in your Safer Food, Better Business pack |
| 10 to 25 people | A spreadsheet with refresher dates, plus calendar reminders |
| More than 25, or several sites | A training provider's free tracking tool, such as High Speed Training's Management Suite, or food safety software |
Don't feel you need to buy software to look professional. An inspector will be just as happy with a tidy, up-to-date spreadsheet.
Never miss a refresher
Most providers recommend a refresher every three years. The easiest way to stay on top of it is to add a "refresher due" column and set a calendar reminder for each person a couple of months before.
If you use a spreadsheet, this formula will flag anyone due within the next 60 days. Put it in the column next to the refresher date (here, the date is in cell E2):
=IF(TODAY()>E2-60,"Due soon","")
Free templates
You don't need to design your own. The Safer Food, Better Business pack (England and Wales) has a staff training record you can print or fill in on screen. In Northern Ireland, the Safe Catering pack includes a hygiene training record sheet, and in Scotland, CookSafe does the same job. Or use our own free training record spreadsheet, which works out refresher dates for you. We also have a free new starter induction checklist, a spot-check record and a training folder checklist.
How long should you keep records?
We couldn't find an official rule on this. Many businesses keep them for as long as the person works there, and for a while after they leave. If you're unsure, ask your local council's environmental health team.
For more on getting people trained in the first place, see our guide to training a new starter. If you're buying courses for several people, our guide to buying courses for a team covers tracking tools in more detail.