Trading Standards business advice
How we can help you with a wide range of consumer laws and keeping livestock.
On this page
What can we help with
Trading Standards offers limited, basic signposting advice business advice on a variety of consumer laws. For more extensive advice there is a charge.
The areas we cover are:
- metrology (weights and measures)
- product safety
- food labelling
- website compliance
- statutory information
- keeping livestock
We have experienced officers who can answer your questions promptly. We will provide you with clear, jargon-free information.
For advice and guidance, use the Business Companion first.
Allergy information for businesses
The Food Fraud Resilience Self-Assessment Tool guides food business owners and employees through a series of questions designed to help them identify the risk to their business from food crime, and outlines steps that they can take to mitigate this. Businesses can complete this anonymously or choose to share their details with the FSA to receive tailored advice and support.
Read Food labelling and packaging on GOV.UK guidance.
All businesses
Business companion provides understandable information on the law for all types of businesses, from food to car dealers to farming businesses.
Product safety
Weights and measures
Learn more about the rules on selling goods by weight or measure, quantity, labelling and equipment.
Chargeable services
We also offer additional chargeable services, including business advice, testing of weights and measures equipment, transportation of animals, and hire of a cattle crush.
Business support
| Service | Charging basis | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Business support | Per hour (charged to the nearest minute) | £91.77 (ex VAT) £110.12 (inc VAT) |
| Primary Authority Agreement (includes 10 hours support) | Charged in equivalent minutes | £1013.14 (no VAT charged) |
| Primary Authority – pay as you go | £183.54 start‑up fee, then hourly | £91.77 per hour (nearest minute) |
Fireworks and explosives licences
Minimum separation distance greater than 0 metres
| Duration | Fee (no VAT charged) |
|---|---|
| 1 year | £202.00 |
| 2 years | £266.00 |
| 3 years | £333.00 |
| 4 years | £409.00 |
| 5 years | £463.00 |
| Duration | Fee (no VAT charged) |
|---|---|
| 1 year | £94.00 |
| 2 years | £161.00 |
| 3 years | £226.00 |
| 4 years | £291.00 |
| 5 years | £357.00 |
No minimum separation distance
| Duration | Fee (no VAT charged) |
|---|---|
| 1 year | £119.00 |
| 2 years | £154.00 |
| 3 years | £190.00 |
| 4 years | £226.00 |
| 5 years | £260.00 |
| Duration | Fee (no VAT charged) |
|---|---|
| 1 year | £59.00 |
| 2 years | £94.00 |
| 3 years | £132.00 |
| 4 years | £166.00 |
| 5 years | £202.00 |
Other fireworks licence charges
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Varying name of licence | £40.00 |
| Replacement licence | £40.00 |
| All‑year sales licence | £500.00 |
Petroleum licences (not subject to VAT)
| Storage capacity | Fee (1 year) |
|---|---|
| Not exceeding 2,500 litres | £48.00 |
| Exceeding 2,500 litres but less than 50,000 litres | £65.00 |
| Over 50,000 litres | £137.00 |
Petroleum environmental searches £183.53 (ex VAT) / £220.24 (inc VAT)
Weights and measures
| Service | Price (ex VAT) | Price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Request tests and calibration (weights, weighing machines, petrol measures, length measures) | £111.39 | £133.67 |
Weighing instruments (verification)
| Weight range | Item | Price (ex VAT) | Price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49kg or less | First item | £111.39 | £133.67 |
| Over 50kg to 1,000kg | First item | £144.81 | £173.77 |
| Over 1,000kg to 10 tonnes | First item | £299.17 | £359.51 |
| Over 10 tonnes to 60 tonnes | First item | £495.43 | £594.51 |
| Any range | Subsequent items | £111.39 | £133.67 |
Subsequent items are charged at the hourly rate.
Weights verification
| Weight range | Price (ex VAT) | Price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| 500mg to 5kg | £7.59 | £9.10 |
| Below 500mg and above 5kg (first item) | £11.14 | £13.37 |
Testing for stated errors will be charged at the hourly rate (or part thereof).
Measuring instruments for liquid fuel and lubricants
| Service | Price (ex VAT) | Price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Per nozzle – first item | £163.91 | £196.69 |
| Per nozzle – second and subsequent items (same site) | £102.90 | £123.49 |
| Testing of credit card acceptor (per unit) | £111.39 | £133.67 |
Length measures verification
| Length | Price (ex VAT) | Price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 10 metres | £22.28 | £26.73 |
Testing for accuracy is charged at the hourly rate (or part thereof).
Animal health and welfare services
Hire of cattle crush
| Charge | Price (ex VAT) | Price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| First day | £378.73 | £454.48 |
| Subsequent days | £116.70 | £140.04 |
| Additional relocation fee (per hour) | £23.34 | £28.01 |
| Charge | Price (ex VAT) | Price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| First day | £454.58 | £545.50 |
| Subsequent days | £113.51 | £136.22 |
| Additional relocation fee (per hour) | £23.34 | £28.01 |
Carrying agent for imported dogs, cats and other mammals
| Day | Price (ex VAT) | Price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | £337.52 | £405.02 |
| Saturday and Sunday | £506.83 | £608.2.37 |
| Bank holidays | £677.37 | £812.84 |
Includes local authorities within the TSSE region (excluding the Isle of Wight), Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire and Wiltshire, where pick‑up and destination locations are within the areas listed.
Animal feeding stuffs
| Approval for | Price |
|---|---|
| Carrying out activities producing products placed on the market for use in feed (for example: processing crude vegetable oil, oleochemical manufacturing of fatty acids, manufacturing biodiesel, fat blending) | £451.00 |
| Manufacture, or manufacture and placing on the market, of additives and/or premixtures | £451.00 |
| Placing on the market of additives and/or premixtures | £226.00 |
Buy With Confidence trader approval scheme
| Number of employees | Price (ex VAT) | Price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 employees | £454.00 | £544.80 |
| 6–20 employees | £660.00 | £792.00 |
| 20–49 employees | £862.00 | £1,034.40 |
| Number of employees | Price (ex VAT) | Price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 employees | £295.00 | £354.00 |
| 6–20 employees | £440.00 | £528.00 |
| 20–49 employees | £585.00 | £702.00 |
Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) interview service
| Service | Price (ex VAT) | Price (inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Income received from other local authorities requesting this service to carryout ABE interviews on their behalf. Time charged per hour, per officer |
£91.77 | £110.12 |
Safety at sports grounds
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Work undertaken in relation to the issuing, amending, revising, replacing or transferring a certificate in respect of a designated sports ground and regulated stands | £110.05 |