As per my answer to Question UIN 75184 on 12 September 2025, it is for local planning authorities, when receiving a planning application, to consider whether, given the type of food and service to be provided at the location proposed, they consider the outlet to be either a hot food takeaway or a fast-food outlet.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, sought feedback on the application of the term ‘fast-food outlets’ in planning decisions, and whether any further clarity could be provided on the types of establishments this policy should apply to.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

In February 2025, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities published data on fast food outlets per 100,000 population. In this analysis, fast food was described as “food that is energy dense and available quickly, usually via a counter service, and for consumption on or off the premises”. This definition covers a range of outlets selling foods, including, but not limited to:

- burgers;

- pizza;

- kebabs;

- chicken;

- Indian takeaway;

- Chinese takeaway; and

- fish and chips.

It is for local planning authorities, when receiving a planning application, to consider whether, given the type of food and service to be provided at the location proposed, they consider the outlet to be either a hot food takeaway or a fast-food outlet.

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England set out the decisive action we are taking on the obesity crisis, to ease the strain on our National Health Service and create the healthiest generation of children ever. As part of this, we have already implemented United Kingdom-wide restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink on television and online from 5 January 2026.

A detailed impact assessment on these advertising restrictions is published on the GOV.UK website. Evidence suggests that dietary choices and behaviour are influenced by the food environment and that advertising of less healthy products increases the preference, purchase, and consumption of these foods. It is estimated that 6.4% of UK childhood obesity and 5% of overweight is attributable to junk food television advertising.

The Impact Assessment also estimated reductions in exposure to less healthy products by implementing the restrictions and the subsequent daily reduction in calories. This translates to a total of 7.2 billion calories being removed from children’s diets every year and 20,000 fewer children living with obesity in the UK because of these restrictions. This lower calorie consumption by children over their lifetimes is expected to generate health benefits of approximately £2 billion.

We have already committed to strengthening the advertising restrictions and our promotions restrictions for less healthy food and drinks by updating the underpinning standards to reflect the latest dietary advice. This will enable both sets of restrictions to more effectively target the products of concern to childhood obesity.

The government is consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that includes clearer, more rules-based policies for decision-making and plan-making.

Through the consultation, we are seeking feedback on the application of the term ‘fast food outlets’ in planning decisions, and whether any further clarity could be provided on the types of establishments this policy should apply to.

The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we are introducing a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

This definition of a retail worker captures someone working in or about retail premises for or on behalf of the owner or occupier of the retail premises.

Our definition is intentionally narrow and does not include hospitality staff, given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job.

Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.

There is also a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.

Alongside this, we are ending the effective immunity that currently applies for theft of goods under £200 by repealing section 176 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

We are also providing over £7 million over the next three years to support the police and retailers tackle retail crime, including continuing to fund a specialist policing team to disrupt organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders.

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a new specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

This definition of a retail worker captures someone working in or about retail premises for or on behalf of the owner or occupier of the retail premises.

Our definition is intentionally narrow and does not include hospitality staff, given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Any ambiguity in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker, will likely lead the courts to take the case forward as common assault meaning specific recording attributed to a retail worker would not occur.

Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.

Public facing workers, including those in the transport and hospitality sectors, are also covered under legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which covers serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.

We introduced a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker via section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. The aggravating factor applies in cases of assault where an offence is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

However, the latest published data that we do have on illegal working and recent enforcement activity focusing on delivery drivers can be found at the links below: Illegal working and enforcement activity to the end of September 2025 - GOV.UK

Hundreds arrested in illegal delivery rider shut down   - GOV.UK

Illegal working activity between 20 July and 26 July 2025 - GOV.UK

The department is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever. We encourage a whole-school approach to healthy eating and would not expect fast food brands to be opening within sixth forms or colleges.

All sixth forms which are part of a secondary school must follow the school food standards. The standards apply even if the sixth form section of the school is located in a separate building or on a separate site. Schools are responsible for the provision of school meals and may enter individual contracts with suppliers and caterers to meet this duty, and we would expect food provided in the sixth form sections to follow the standards.

Further education colleges in England are autonomous institutions, but local planning policies and college governance often restrict or discourage fast food outlets, especially if they conflict with health promotion efforts. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local planning authorities should refuse applications for hot food takeaways and fast food outlets within walking distance of schools and other places where children and young people congregate, unless the location is within a designated town centre.

It is for local planning authorities, when receiving a planning application, to consider whether, given the type of food and service to be provided at the location proposed, they consider the outlet to be either a hot food takeaway or a fast-food outlet.

We intend to consult on a set of national policies for decision making later this year, which will cover policy on hot food takeaways.

We do not intend to require fast food outlets to implement a vehicle registration number printing system for packaging.

Guidance published by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government clarifies the powers available to councils to ensure new hot food takeaways do not increase the impact of litter on local communities. The latest guidance is available here: Healthy and safe communities - GOV.UK

The Home Office does not hold an estimate of the number of people working illegally in the gig economy. The recent joint work between the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office explains the complexities: Measuring illegal migration: our current view - Office for National Statistics.

The government takes illegal working very seriously, and we are determined to clamp down on the employment of individuals with no right to work in the UK.

In July 2025, the Home Office announced a new operational partnership with key food delivery companies to tackle illegal working in the gig economy, particularly among food delivery riders.

This Government has not made an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring all packaging from fast food outlets is marked by the outlet with the car registration of the customer or the use of ANPR to trace back littering to the perpetrator.

The department has not made an estimate of the number of schools in England that have a fast food facility within 400 meters, as the department has no remit over the locations of fast food outlets.

As part of the summer 2024 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) consultation, the government sought views on how national planning policy could better support local authorities in promoting healthy communities, specifically in tackling childhood obesity.

The revised NPPF published in December 2024 introduced a new policy to restrict new hot food takeaways and fast food outlets within walking distance of schools and other places where children and young people congregate unless the location is in a designated town centre. Applications should also be refused where there is evidence that a concentration of such uses is having an adverse impact on local health, pollution or anti-social behaviour.

In February 2025, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities published data on fast food outlets per 100,000 population. In this analysis, fast food was described as “food that is energy dense and available quickly, usually via a counter service, and for consumption on or off the premises”. This definition covers a range of outlets selling foods, including, but not limited to:

• burgers;
• pizza;
• kebabs;
• chicken;
• Indian takeaway;
• Chinese takeaway; and
• fish and chips.

It is for local planning authorities, when receiving a planning application, to consider whether, given the type of food and service to be provided at the location proposed, they consider the outlet to be either a hot food takeaway or a fast food outlet.

It is for local planning authorities, when receiving a planning application, to consider whether, given the type of food and service to be provided at the location proposed, they consider the outlet to be either a hot food takeaway or a fast food outlet.