UK food temperature rules: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

The legal and recommended temperatures for chilling, hot holding, cooking, reheating and cooling food in each UK nation, in one simple table.

Updated 28 September 2026 · 5 min read

Key facts

Chilled food must be kept at 8°C or below by law in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Aim for 5°C.
Hot food must be held at 63°C or above.
Reheating to 82°C is a legal requirement only in Scotland. England and Wales say “steaming hot”; Northern Ireland uses 75°C.
Cook food to 70°C for 2 minutes, 75°C for 30 seconds or 80°C for 6 seconds.

Temperature control is the heart of food safety. The rules are mostly the same across the UK, but there are important differences between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This table shows them side by side.

Temperature rules by nation

Rule	England and Wales	Northern Ireland	Scotland
Chilled food	8°C or below (law). Set fridges to 5°C or below.	Same as England	No legal limit; 8°C or below recommended
Cold display	Out of the fridge once, for under 4 hours	Same	No such allowance
Hot holding	63°C or above; below that once, for under 2 hours	Same	Above 63°C; no allowance
Reheating	Until steaming hot in the centre, and only once	75°C	82°C by law, unless that would spoil the food
Cooling	As quickly as possible (no time limit set)	Into the fridge within 2 hours	Record cooling times, or follow a set method
Freezers	−18°C or below	Same	Same

Cooking temperatures

Cook food until the centre reaches one of these time and temperature combinations:

Core temperature	For at least
60°C	45 minutes
65°C	10 minutes
70°C	2 minutes
75°C	30 seconds
80°C	6 seconds

Take extra care with poultry, minced meat, burgers, sausages and rolled joints: these must be cooked right through.

The 4-hour and 2-hour rules

Cold display (England, Wales, NI): chilled food can be out of the fridge on display for up to 4 hours, once. After that, put it back at 8°C or below, or throw it away.
Hot holding (England, Wales, NI): hot food can drop below 63°C for up to 2 hours, once. After that, reheat it, cool it to 8°C or below, or throw it away.
Scotland has no such allowances.

Cooling cooked food

The official Safer Food, Better Business pack says to chill food down as quickly as possible and then put it in the fridge. It does not set a time limit. Northern Ireland’s Safe Catering says to get food into the fridge within 2 hours. Ways to cool food faster:

Divide food into smaller portions and cut large joints in half.
Spread food such as rice on a tray.
Cover pans and move them to a cooler area, or stand them in cold water or ice.
Stir food while it cools.
Use a blast chiller if you have one.

If the fridge breaks down

Move the food to another fridge or a cold area. If you cannot, or you do not know how long the fridge has been broken, ask your council’s environmental health team for advice. If food that needs to be kept cold has been out of the chill for more than 4 hours, throw it away.

Check your probe thermometer

A simple check: in iced water the probe should read between −1°C and 1°C, and in boiling water between 99°C and 101°C. Many businesses check monthly. Northern Ireland’s guidance asks for at least twice a year, and Scotland’s for monthly checks.

Questions

Is the legal fridge temperature 5°C or 8°C?

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the law says chilled food must be kept at 8°C or below. Official guidance says to set fridges at 5°C or below to stay safe. Scotland has no legal chill temperature, but 8°C or below is recommended.

What temperature should food be reheated to?

In Scotland, at least 82°C by law. In England and Wales, until steaming hot all the way through, and only once. Northern Ireland guidance uses 75°C.

How quickly must cooked food be cooled?

As quickly as possible. The official SFBB pack sets no exact time limit. Northern Ireland guidance says into the fridge within 2 hours.

Sources

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Always check with your local council's environmental health team.