Benedict’s Law: What Schools Need to Know About Allergy Safety from September 2026
Allergy safety in schools is moving from recommended good practice to a clearer statutory expectation. Benedict’s Law, also known as the Schools Allergy Safety Bill, has been introduced following growing concern about inconsistent allergy management across schools and the tragic death of five-year-old Benedict Blythe, who died from anaphylaxis at school in 2021 after being mistakenly given milk, to which he was allergic.
The aim of Benedict’s Law is simple but vital: to ensure that every school has robust, consistent and practical arrangements in place to prevent allergic reactions where possible, and to respond quickly and effectively if anaphylaxis occurs.
The Government has committed to introducing mandatory statutory allergy guidance for schools in England, with wider implementation expected from September 2026. The Schools Allergy Safety Bill also sets out requirements for schools to maintain an allergy management policy, hold adrenaline auto-injectors for emergency use and provide allergy training for staff.
Why Benedict’s Law matters
Food allergies and anaphylaxis are not just medical issues; they are whole-school safeguarding and health and safety risks. A serious allergic reaction can happen in the dining hall, classroom, playground, on a school trip, during breakfast club or at an after-school activity.
This means allergy safety cannot sit solely with the school office, catering team or first-aider. All staff need to understand their role in reducing risk, recognising symptoms and acting immediately in an emergency.
Benedict’s Law was developed after campaigning by Benedict Blythe’s family, alongside allergy charities, clinicians and campaign groups. Allergy UK reported in March 2026 that the Government intended to put Benedict’s Law on the statute book, requiring schools to have and publish an allergy safety policy, have regard to statutory guidance and allowing further regulations on allergy safety to be made.
Key requirements for schools
From September 2026, schools in England are expected to prepare for the following core requirements.
1. A standalone whole-school allergy policy
Schools will need to develop and publish a dedicated allergy policy on their website. This should be separate from a general medical conditions policy and should explain how the school manages allergy risk, prevents avoidable exposure and responds to emergencies. Anaphylaxis UK states that the allergy policy will need to be displayed on the school website.
The policy should be practical and operational, covering areas such as pupil information, communication with parents, classroom controls, dining arrangements, food service, trips, clubs, medication storage and emergency response.
2. Allergy and anaphylaxis training for all staff
Benedict’s Law places strong emphasis on whole-school training. This includes teachers, teaching assistants, office staff, lunchtime supervisors, catering staff, caretakers, minibus drivers and wraparound care staff.
Training should ensure staff can recognise the signs of an allergic reaction, identify anaphylaxis, understand when and how to use adrenaline auto-injectors and know the school’s emergency procedures. Anaphylaxis UK notes that all staff are expected to have basic allergy awareness because a reaction may happen anywhere on the school site.
3. Individual Healthcare Plans and allergy action plans
Schools should have clear, current and accessible Individual Healthcare Plans for pupils with serious allergies. These should be developed with parents or carers and, where appropriate, healthcare professionals.
Plans should identify the pupil’s allergens, likely symptoms, medication requirements, emergency contacts, risk reduction arrangements and the response required in the event of a reaction.
4. Spare emergency adrenaline auto-injectors
Schools will be expected to hold spare, in-date adrenaline auto-injectors on site. These are not a replacement for a pupil’s prescribed medication, but provide an important emergency back-up.
Anaphylaxis UK explains that spare AAIs can be used for any child or adult experiencing anaphylaxis, subject to the school’s procedures and the relevant legal framework.
5. Leadership, safeguarding and governance oversight
Allergy management should be treated as part of the school’s wider safeguarding, health and safety and risk management arrangements. Senior leaders and governors should be able to evidence that allergy risks are understood, controlled and regularly reviewed.
This should include monitoring training completion, checking medication expiry dates, reviewing incidents and near misses, ensuring catering procedures are robust and confirming that pupils with allergies are safely included in school meals, trips and activities.
What schools should do now
Although the final statutory guidance is being consulted on and published during 2026, schools should not wait until September to begin preparing. A sensible first step is to complete an allergy safety gap analysis against the expected requirements.
Schools should review whether they currently have:
A standalone allergy policy published on the website.
Current Individual Healthcare Plans for pupils with severe allergies.
A clear process for obtaining, updating and sharing allergy information.
Up-to-date staff allergy and anaphylaxis training records.
Spare in-date adrenaline auto-injectors stored safely and accessibly.
Clear emergency procedures understood by staff.
Robust catering and food service controls, including allergen communication, special diet procedures and prevention of cross-contamination.
Arrangements for school trips, packed lunches, breakfast clubs, after-school clubs and lettings.
A system for recording and reviewing allergic reactions, near misses and concerns.
Governor or trustee oversight of allergy safety.
The catering implications
For schools providing meals, allergy safety must be embedded into day-to-day catering operations. This includes accurate allergen information, safe special diet procedures, controlled communication between parents, school staff and the catering provider and clear identification of pupils with allergies at the point of service.
Menus, recipe changes, ingredient substitutions and supplier changes all need careful management. If a product is changed at short notice, schools and caterers must ensure that allergen information remains accurate and that pupils with allergies are not put at risk. Existing government allergy guidance for schools already highlights the need to continue meeting special dietary needs when menus or products change.
How Nansen Green Catering Consultancy can support schools
Supporting schools with practical advice and signposting ahead of Benedict’s Law
Benedict’s Law represents an important step forward in protecting pupils with allergies and reinforces the need for schools to treat allergy safety as a whole-school responsibility.
Nansen Green Catering Consultancy can support schools and academy trusts by providing practical, independent advice on how Benedict’s Law may affect their catering provision and wider school food arrangements.
As part of our added-value support, schools can speak to Nansen Green for initial guidance on the practical areas they may need to consider. This can include catering allergen procedures, special diet communication, lunchtime service controls, menu information, food service supervision, staff responsibilities and the interface between the school and catering provider.
Where a school requires more specialist whole-school allergy training, policy development, medical guidance or detailed allergy safety review work, Nansen Green can help guide the school in the right direction and signpost appropriate specialist support.
This approach allows schools to benefit from independent catering consultancy advice while also ensuring that more specialist areas of allergy management are supported by suitably qualified experts.
The most effective schools will be those that combine robust catering controls with clear leadership, trained staff, effective communication, practical emergency planning and a whole-school commitment to allergy safety.
Nansen Green can help schools understand the catering implications of Benedict’s Law, identify practical questions to ask and consider what further support may be required as they prepare for the new expectations from September 2026.