Coeliac disease awareness training to be mandatory for all catering industries

Government must require all staff working in a catering service to be provided with basic coeliac disease awareness training, to ensure a set standard of understanding & awareness around the importance of meal preparation & food serving to a person with Coeliac disease including cross-contamination.

The Government believes that the existing regulatory framework, supported by guidance, training resources and local authority enforcement, provides proportionate and effective protection for people with coeliac disease, and has no plans currently to introduce mandatory coeliac disease awareness training for all catering staff.

The Government recognises the seriousness of coeliac disease and the importance of ensuring food is prepared and served safely for people who must avoid gluten. Coeliac disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition, and even small amounts of gluten can cause harm, including through cross contamination during food preparation.

Under UK law, food business operators must ensure that staff training is appropriate to the type of food handled, including high-risk foods such as those containing allergens or gluten. Food handlers must be supervised, instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activities, in line with the Food Safety Act 1990 and Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 852/2004. Businesses must also comply with the Food Information Regulations 2014, which cover the provision of allergen information to consumers.

While there is no standalone legal requirement for allergen specific or coeliac specific training, food businesses are required to have effective allergen management systems in place, including means to understand and control the risks of cross contamination. The responsibility for ensuring appropriate training sits with the food business operator, and local authorities assess its adequacy during inspections to ensure compliance with allergen management requirements. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing food safety and allergen legislation and are supported by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland through the Food Law Code of Practice, guidance, and enforcement tools.

The FSA supports food businesses in meeting their obligations through a wide range of guidance and tools. This includes free online food allergy and intolerance training, allergen guidance for food businesses, and technical guidance on food allergen labelling, all of which include considerations relevant to gluten free food and coeliac disease. The FSA also promotes best practice through targeted campaigns and resources, such as Safer Food Better Business (SFBB), which include guidance on allergen risks and cross-contact.

In March 2025, the FSA published best practice guidance on providing allergen information when eating out. It recommends that allergen information be provided in writing, supported by a verbal conversation with the customer. The guidance was developed with stakeholders including food businesses, local authorities, allergy charities and people with food hypersensitivities. An evaluation is planned for 2026 to assess its impact and inform future improvements, such as training and support for food businesses.

Although gluten itself is not listed separately as one of the 14 regulated allergens, cereals containing gluten are included. Food businesses may voluntarily label products as ‘gluten-free’ if they meet the legal threshold of 20 parts per million or fewer. They must be able to verify such claims and manage cross-contamination risks so that food is safe for people with coeliac disease.

The Government will continue to keep allergen and food hypersensitivity policy under review in light of emerging evidence, evaluation findings, and ongoing engagement with stakeholders, including people with food hypersensitivities.

Department of Health and Social Care