Strengthening allergy safety in schools: Key proposals from the DfE consultation

Background 

Allergies are among the most common long‑term health conditions affecting children, and anaphylaxis can be life‑threatening if not treated promptly. The DfE has highlighted that a significant proportion of first severe allergic reactions occur in school, including among children with no prior diagnosis. 

The consultation accompanies the government’s announcement that life‑saving allergy pens must be stocked in schools for the first time, alongside compulsory staff training and clearer policies on allergy management. These measures are intended not only to reduce the risk of fatal incidents, but also to support attendance and inclusion for children whose education is disrupted because of their health.  

Key Proposals in the consultation

Mandatory medical conditions policies

Under the draft guidance, every school, academy and pupil referral unit would be required to have a medical conditions policy published on its website. The policy must be owned by a named senior leader and a named governor, and reviewed at least annually. It should set out how pupils with medical conditions are identified, supported, included in trips and activities, and kept safe in emergencies. 

Strengthened Individual Healthcare Plans

The consultation proposes clearer and more consistent use of Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs). Where a child’s medical condition requires specific arrangements, an IHP should document those arrangements, including emergency procedures and responsibilities. Importantly, a formal medical diagnosis would not be required before support is put in place.  

Dedicated allergy safety policies

A central feature of the consultation is the introduction of a separate, published allergy safety policy for schools and other settings. This reflects the particular and immediate risk posed by anaphylaxis. As with medical conditions policies, responsibility would rest with named senior leaders and governors, and policies would need to be reviewed annually, or following any any serious incident or near miss.

These policies should cover the measures in place to reduce risk, training provided to staff, explain who has access to prescribed and spare adrenaline devices, the arrangements for trips and activities, and the promotion of pupil wellbeing. 

Use of adrenaline devices

The government expects all schools to stock “spare” adrenaline devices for emergency use. Policies would need to address how they are stored, who can access them, who will check they are still in date, and the procedures for use in emergencies. This reflects the reality that anaphylaxis can occur without warning and requires immediate intervention. 

Training and incident reporting 

The consultation proposes regular, whole‑setting allergy awareness training for all staff, including those involved in catering and extracurricular provision. It also introduces clearer requirements for schools to record, report and learn from serious incidents and “near misses”, with the aim of preventing repeat failures and improving systemic safety over time. 

Scope and potential expansion of duties

While the statutory duty under section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 currently applies to maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units, the consultation seeks views on whether similar duties should be extended in future to further education colleges, independent schools and non‑maintained special schools. This signals a possible widening of legal obligations across the education sector. 

Next Steps

The consultation closes on 1 May 2026. The DfE has indicated that the final statutory guidance will be published in summer 2026, with the intention that it comes into force from September 2026. 

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