Food and drink Weekends okLicense neededRepeat customers

How to start a catering business in the United Kingdom

Everything you need: what it costs, what you can make, what the United Kingdom asks for, and every step from your first idea to your tenth customer.

Start this business with PressUp

Checked October 2026 In pounds 12-minute read

The prices and costs in this guide are estimates for the United Kingdom: researched US figures converted to pounds by price levels. Registration fees and taxes are the United Kingdom's own.

To start£1k–3.5kLean to full setup

Per month£2.4k–8.2kOnce established

Profit margin55–65%Gross margin, after food and event staff

First customer2–8 weeksFrom today

DifficultyCooking for a crowd takes planning

From homeNoYou'll need a place

01Is it right for you?

A good fit if you can cook for a crowd and stay calm under pressure

Every birthday, office lunch, graduation and wedding needs food, and many hosts would rather hire someone than cook. Small caterers often start with drop-off trays for offices and parties, then add buffets, staff and bigger events. You'll need a licensed kitchen: catering usually can't be cooked at home.

You'll like it if

You cook for big groups and enjoy it
You stay calm when the schedule is tight
You're organized with lists and timings
You're happy working weekends

Think twice if

You want to cook only in your own kitchen
Heavy lifting and long days are hard for you
Weekend and evening work doesn't suit you
You'd rather not hire and manage staff

02What it costs

From £1,010 to start

Start lean with the essentials and upgrade as customers come, or set up fully from day one.

Total to start£1,010

What	Cost
Chafing dishes and fuelKeep buffet food hot	£100
Insulated food carriersCarry hot and cold food safely to the event	£180
Hotel pans and serving utensilsPans, tongs, spoons and ladles	£60
Registering your businessFree as a sole trader; more to form a company	£0
Folding tables and linensFor buffets where the venue has none	£0
Commercial kitchenFirst month, plus a deposit at some kitchens	£200
Caterer permit and food manager certificateFrom your health department and an accredited course	£270
Liability insuranceFirst year	£200
Total	£1,010

Once you're running: about £270 a month, plus about 40% of what you earn. Kitchen membership or hours, insurance and fuel every month, plus food, disposables, event staff and card fees for each event.

03What you can make

Work out your own numbers

Move the sliders to match your plans. The chart shows a first year that builds up as word gets around.

Average price per event £820 £270£3,700

Events a week 2 110

Monthly costs £270 £0£1,100

Typical in the United Kingdom: £540–£1,850 per event, 1–4 events a week once established.

Revenue a month—

Profit a month—

Pays back in—

Your first yearTotal: —

Money inCosts

Side hustle£540–1.7k

Two to four parties or office lunches a month

Full-time, on your own£2.4k–4.8k

Four to eight events a month, with part-time staff

Growing£4.8k–8.2k

Weddings, regular office clients and a small team

04Step by step

13 steps to your first customers

Each step says what it costs and how long it takes. Most owners get through them in a few weeks.

1
Choose what you'll cater
2–3 days Free

Pick where you'll start: office lunches, parties or weddings. A short menu you can cook well for fifty people beats a long one.
- Your first kind of event
- A tested menu for fifty
- What local caterers charge
2
Choose your name
1 day Free

Pick a name that sounds like good food and good service. Make sure no one in the United Kingdom has it.
- 3–5 name ideas
- Check no one else uses it
- Check the domain
Get name ideas for your businessFind a name
3
Register your business in the United Kingdom
1 day to 2 weeks £0–£100

Most owners start as a sole trader with HMRC; a limited company with Companies House costs a little and keeps business debts separate.
- Register as a sole trader: free
- Set up a limited company: £100
4
Get your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)
1–5 days Free

Your business's tax number from HMRC, for taxes and banking.
- Register with HMRC
- Open a business bank account
5
Find a commercial kitchen
1–3 weeks £200–770

Catering usually has to be cooked in a licensed kitchen. Shared kitchens rent by the hour or by membership, often with a deposit and storage.
- Shared kitchens near you
- Hourly rate or membership
- Cold and dry storage
6
Get your permits and certificate
2–6 weeks £270–770

Your health department issues a caterer permit for the kitchen you cook in. Many also require a certified food protection manager.
- Caterer permit
- Food manager certificate
- Temporary event permits, if needed
7
Sort out VAT
1–3 days Free

You must register for VAT once your sales pass £90,000 a year. The rate is 20%.
- Know when to register for VAT
- Keep records of income and costs
- Set money aside for income tax
8
Get insured
1–2 days Quotes are free

Insurance protects you if something goes wrong on a job. Get quotes from two or three insurers.
- General and product liability
- Liquor liability, if alcohol is served
- Commercial auto
- Workers' compensation, once you hire
9
Buy your equipment
1 week £340–1.7k

Start with chafing dishes, insulated carriers, pans and utensils. Rent tables, linens and extra gear for big events until you need your own.
- Chafing dishes and fuel
- Insulated carriers
- Pans and serving utensils
10
Price per guest
1 day Free

Work out food cost per guest, then add staff, rentals, travel and profit. Food usually runs about a third of the price. See the prices below.
- Food cost per guest
- Staff and rental charges
- A deposit to hold the date
11
Put your business online
1 day Included

Hosts compare caterers online. Show your menus, prices per guest, photos and an inquiry form.
- Website with your menus
- Inquiry form
- Google Business Profile
Describe your business and PressUp builds your websiteBuild your website
12
Get your first 10 events
2–8 weeks Free

Start with people you know, then offices, venues and planners. Bring tastings, and ask every host for a review.
- Tastings for offices and venues
- Meet event planners
- Ask every host for a review
Ask your customers for reviews by email with PressUpSee how
13
Bill and keep track
Ongoing Included

Take a deposit for every booking, send clear invoices, and keep each client's menu and guest count.
- Deposits and invoices
- Menus and guest counts
- Repeat office clients
Keep your customers and invoices in one place with PressUpSee how

05Licenses in the United Kingdom

What the United Kingdom asks for

Registering, taxes, and what this business needs. Check the details with each authority: rules change.

Register as a sole trader

You register as a sole trader by registering for Self Assessment.

HMRCFree

Set up a limited company

Registering online. Registering by post costs more.

Companies House£100once

Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)

Your business's tax number, for banking and taxes.

HMRCFree

Register as a food business

Register with your council at least 28 days before you start. It's free, and you'll need a food safety plan for how you cook and transport food.

Your local councilFree

06Equipment

What to buy first

Buy the "must haves" to start. Add the rest when customers pay for them.

Chafing dishesFull size, about eight quarts each

£20–£65Must have

Chafing fuelA case keeps many events hot

£18–£30Must have

Insulated food carrierHolds four to six full-size pans

£180–£310Must have

Hotel pansFull size, each

£7–£18Must have

Serving utensil setTongs, spoons and ladles

£20–£45Must have

Folding tableSix-foot, for buffets

£60Later

TableclothsA case of twelve

£170Later

07Pricing

3 packages that sell

Simple choices make it easy to say yes. Most customers pick the middle one.

Drop-off lunch for 25

£270 per event · Delivered and set out

Two mains, two sides and dessert
Disposable serving ware
No staff needed

Buffet for 50

£950 per event · Two to three hours

Two mains, three sides and salad
Food kept hot in chafing dishes
One server to keep it full

Wedding for 100

£3,400 per event · An evening

Buffet or plated dinner
Servers, setup and cleanup
Cocktail hour bites

Catering price per guest in the United KingdomTypical: £10–£30

Average £17

£0£10£20£30£40

08First customers

How to get your first customers

You don't need an ad budget. These work for new owners almost everywhere.

Office lunches

Offices order lunch for meetings and trainings all year: steady weekday orders.

Repeat income

Venues and planners

Venues and event planners recommend caterers they trust. Get on their lists.

Partnership

Tastings

Bring samples to offices, venues and wedding fairs. Food sells itself.

Low cost

Your website

Show your menus, prices per guest and photos, with an inquiry form.

With a PressUp website

Reviews

Hosts read reviews before they book a wedding or a big event. Ask every host.

With PressUp Reviews

09Your first 30 days

A month from now, you could be open

Week 1

Plan

Choose your first kind of event
Test your menu for fifty
Visit shared kitchens

Week 2

Set up

Choose your name
Register your business
Get insurance quotes

Week 3

Get licensed

Apply for your caterer permit
Take a food manager course
Buy your equipment

Week 4

First events

Website with your menus
Tastings at three offices
Ask for reviews

10Questions

Common questions

Can I cater from my home kitchen in the United Kingdom?

Usually not. Most places need catering food made in a licensed kitchen, and home food rules usually cover only a short list of foods like baked goods. Many caterers rent a shared kitchen by the hour. Check with your local health department.

What licenses do I need?

Usually a food business permit or registration, a food safety certificate and an inspected kitchen. Serving alcohol needs its own license, so many caterers partner with a licensed bar service.

How do I price catering?

Most caterers price per guest. Work out your food cost per guest, then add staff, rentals, travel and profit. Food usually runs about a third of the price.

Do I need staff?

Drop-off orders you can do alone. Buffets and served events need help: hire servers by the event, often one for every few dozen guests.

How do I avoid no-shows and late changes?

Take a deposit to hold the date, and set a deadline for the final guest count.

Costs and earnings are estimates from the sources below, checked October 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the authorities named in this guide. This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

Sources