New allergy safety guidance: practical steps for schools, reassurance for families

What does the new guidance require?

The new Allergy Safety in Schools guidance, which applies in England from 1 September 2026, will change how schools, academy trusts and other education settings are required to deal with allergy risks and how staff should respond in an emergency.

The changes follow years of campaigning by families, clinicians and allergy charities, including the Benedict Blythe Foundation. The reforms have become widely known as "Benedict's Law", named in memory of five-year-old Benedict Blythe, who died following an allergic reaction at school in 2021. 

For the first time, schools covered by the guidance must take a consistent, whole-school approach to allergy safety. In practical terms, this means education settings will be expected to:

• Have and publish a dedicated allergy safety policy
• Provide allergy awareness and emergency response training for all staff
• Identify pupils who require Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs) and ensure appropriate arrangements are in place
• Stock spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) for emergency use for any child or adult experiencing symptoms of anaphylaxis
• Record, review and learn from serious incidents and near misses involving allergies; and
• Ensure suitable arrangements are in place to support pupils with allergies across all aspects of school life. 

The guidance applies to maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England. The government has said that it intends to impose equivalent requirements for independent schools and non-maintained special schools. 

You need a dedicated allergy policy

One of the most significant changes introduced by the guidance is the requirement for schools to develop and publish a dedicated allergy safety policy. This must clearly set out how they will identify, manage and support pupils with allergies across the whole school environment.

The policy should explain how the school will minimise exposure to known allergens, manage food-related risks, respond to emergencies and ensure pupils have access to prescribed medication. It should also cover the storage and use of spare adrenaline auto-injectors, arrangements for school trips and extracurricular activities, staff training requirements, and the support available through Individual Healthcare Plans.

The guidance places responsibility for allergy safety at a strategic level, with senior leaders and governing bodies expected to provide oversight and ensure that policies are embedded consistently across the school community. Importantly, allergy safety is expected to form part of a school's wider safeguarding and inclusion arrangements.

And train your staff how to deal with emergencies

A key theme of the new framework is preparedness. Schools will need to ensure staff can recognise allergic reactions and respond appropriately, including where anaphylaxis is suspected. Individual Healthcare Plans are intended to give staff clear, pupil-specific information about allergies, symptoms and emergency treatment, helping schools respond quickly and giving families confidence that appropriate arrangements are in place.

The guidance also introduces new expectations around adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs). Schools must hold spare AAIs for emergency use and have clear arrangements in place for storing, maintaining and accessing them. Schools should be able to provide life-saving medication to any child experiencing anaphylaxis, including situations where their own prescribed device is unavailable or where a severe allergic reaction occurs in someone whose allergy had not previously been diagnosed.

… and enable children to fully participate in school life

The guidance is not solely focused on emergency response. It also emphasises that children and young people with allergies should be able to participate fully in school life. Education settings are expected to consider allergy safety when planning educational visits, extracurricular activities, classroom activities and catering arrangements. 

This reflects growing recognition that allergies can significantly affect a child's educational experience and wellbeing if they are not managed effectively. For schools, the guidance provides a clearer framework for policy, training and accountability. For families, it should offer greater reassurance that allergy safety is being treated as an integral part of safeguarding and inclusion.

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