Do I need to register to sell cakes from home?

Usually yes. Home food businesses generally register with their local authority at least 28 days before trading. Registration is free and cannot be refused, but some activities need approval instead. An inspection is arranged if required; its timing depends on risk and the local authority.

Do I need a food hygiene certificate to sell cakes from home?

Food handlers need supervision, instruction and/or training appropriate to their work. A particular certificate or paid course is not a legal requirement. Keep evidence of how staff learn and follow your food-safety and allergen procedures.

Does Natasha's Law apply to home bakers?

It can. Food packed before customers choose it and sold in person by the same business at the same site or an eligible market stall may be PPDS. Made-to-order and distance-sale products follow different rules, but allergen information is still required.

Guide · Home food businesses

Selling food from home in the UK: the rules in plain English

Cakes, bakes, jams, meal prep, market stalls — home food businesses are completely legal in the UK, but four things must be in place before your first sale. Here they are, without the jargon.

1. Register with your local council (free, required)

Register as a food business with your local authority at least 28 days before trading. It's free, it's a short form on your council's website, and they cannot refuse you. Not registering is an offence — and it's the first thing that surfaces if anyone ever complains about your food.

Your local authority will arrange an inspection if required; the FSA says a first visit may take several months. A rating follows an applicable inspection. England, Wales and Northern Ireland use the 0–5 scheme; Scotland uses a different inspection outcome scheme.

2. Give food handlers suitable training

Food handlers need supervision, instruction and/or training appropriate to their work. A particular certificate or paid course is not legally required; choose training that fits your food and keep a record of it. Free allergen training is available from the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland.

3. Know your allergen duties

You must be able to tell every customer which of the 14 regulated allergens are in anything you sell. How you must do it depends on how you sell:

Made to order (celebration cakes, custom bakes): usually non-prepacked when packed after the order. Provide allergen information; for distance orders, make it available before purchase and at delivery. A matrix is one possible record.
Packed before selection, sold in person (boxed brownies at a market, wrapped flapjacks on a counter): check whether the same business packed and sells the food at the same site or an eligible temporary outlet. If so, PPDS rules require the name and ingredients on each pack, with allergenic ingredients emphasised. A "may contain nuts" sticker is not enough.
Ordered online/by message and delivered: check distance-selling rules, including for PPDS sold this way. Allergen information must be available before purchase and at delivery; written information helps customers check their order. See the PPDS scenarios.

Cross-contamination counts too: a domestic kitchen that handles nuts, flour and sesame needs honest "may contain" judgements. Our free cross-contact poster is a good checklist to work from.

4. Sort your paperwork

A food safety management system suited to your operation; the FSA's Safer Food, Better Business pack is one option in England and Wales. Use the guidance for your nation.
Current allergen information for each product. A dated matrix can help, but the law does not require that format.
Ingredient labels kept from everything you buy — they're your allergen source of truth.
If any of your food is PPDS: labels checked against your actual recipe, supplier information and applicable rules. The free AllergenKit label maker formats one checked ingredient-label draft for browser printing. Pro saves ingredients and reusable recipes: 7 days free, no card, then £9/month only if you subscribe.

Quick-start checklist

Register with the council (28+ days before selling)
Train food handlers for their tasks and record it; FSA allergen training is free
Prepare checked allergen information; build a free matrix if that format suits you
Work out which products are PPDS → label them properly
Set up suitable food safety management records
Print an allergen poster for your stall

General information for England, Wales, Scotland and NI, current at publication — not legal advice. Rules differ slightly by nation and product (e.g. alcohol, imports); check the Food Standards Agency and your local council's guidance.