Course and certificate
Level 2 HACCP for Food Handlers
For food handlers in UK catering, retail and manufacturing who work under a HACCP-based food safety system and record its checks. Nine short lessons in plain English cover what HACCP is and why the law requires it, the four kinds of hazard, the seven principles, critical control points and limits, monitoring and records, corrective actions, verification and review, prerequisites, and your role, followed by a 25-question test.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Languages
- English, Български, Español, Italiano, Polski, Português, Română, Українська
- Lessons
- 9
- Time needed
- About 45 minutes for the lessons and the test
- Assessment
- 25 questions, pass mark 80%
- Refresher
- Recommended after 3 years
- Content updated
- 27 October 2026
- Certificate fee
- £15.00, payable after passing
01Who this course is for
- Cooks, chefs and kitchen assistants who probe, chill and hot-hold food
- Food handlers in shops, delis, bakeries and supermarkets
- Production and packing staff in food factories and food manufacturing
- Team leaders and supervisors who sign the SFBB diary or other HACCP records
- Anyone who has to take temperatures and record checks as part of a food safety management system
02Syllabus
- 01What HACCP is and why the law requires it
- 02Hazards: microbiological, chemical, physical and allergenic
- 03The seven HACCP principles in plain words
- 04Critical control points and critical limits
- 05Monitoring and record keeping
- 06Corrective actions when a limit is missed
- 07Verification, review and when the plan must change
- 08Prerequisites: cleaning, pest control, training and suppliers
- 09Your role as a handler and the HACCP team's role
03Assessment
25 multiple-choice questions drawn from the whole course. The pass mark is 80%. The test is free and can be retaken as often as needed; wrong answers point to the lesson to read again.
04The certificate
- With your name, your score and the date you passed.
- A unique number, recorded in our register.
- Your employer or an inspector scans it to see that it is genuine.
- Download it, print it or show it on your phone.
05Sources
The course follows the published guidance below. We are not affiliated with the bodies that publish it.
- Regulation (EC) 852/2004, Article 5
- Codex — General Principles of Food Hygiene CXC 1-1969 (rev. 2020)
- FSA — HACCP and food safety management
- FSA — Safer Food, Better Business
- FSA — Temperature control
- FSA — Cooking food safely
06Questions
Do I need a HACCP certificate to work with food?
UK food law requires food businesses to have procedures based on HACCP principles (Regulation 852/2004, Article 5), and food handlers to be supervised and instructed or trained to suit their work. It names no particular certificate, but many employers ask for HACCP training as evidence that staff understand the checks they carry out.
Is this certificate accredited?
No. It is a certificate of completion: it shows you finished the course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification, and your employer decides whether this training meets their requirements.
Does this course replace my employer's own HACCP plan or training?
No. It teaches the principles and the typical checks. Your employer must still explain their own plan, critical control points and limits, show you the equipment and records at your workplace, and supervise your work. A manager responsible for developing the plan needs training in applying the HACCP principles.
How is this different from the Level 2 Food Hygiene course?
The food hygiene course covers the whole of safe food handling, including one lesson on HACCP. This course goes further into HACCP itself: the seven principles, critical limits, monitoring, records, corrective actions and review.
How long does it take?
Most people finish the lessons and the 25-question test in about an hour. You can stop and come back at any time on the same device.
What if I fail the test?
Nothing is charged. You see which lessons to read again and can retake the test as often as you need.
When do I pay, and how much?
Only after you pass: £15 for the certificate. The course and the test are free.
How does my employer check the certificate?
Every certificate has a number and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the number on our check page, shows your name, the course and the date you passed.
How long is the certificate valid?
The law sets no expiry date. Refresher training every three years is common practice, so the certificate shows a renewal date three years after you pass.
The certificate confirms that you completed this course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification; your employer decides whether this training meets their requirements.