Benedict's Law:
New Allergy Training Requirements 2026 for Schools

Is Your School Fully Prepared?

[4 May 2026 By: Anaphylaxis UK]

In February 2026, the Government formally passed Benedict’s Law, committing to introduce mandatory, statutory allergy guidance for schools in England through the Department for Education.

Schools are now expected to take clear, demonstrable action to improve allergy awareness, prevention, and emergency response. This represents a major step toward consistent, life-saving protections in every school, not optional best practice but expected compliance for all schools in England.

The new statutory guidance is being consulted on and published in summer 2026 ahead of wider implementation in September, bringing schools closer than ever to formalising the core aims of Benedict’s Law.

What the New Law Means for Schools

From September 2026, schools are expected to implement and maintain these requirements annually across all maintained and academy schools in England:

1. Whole-School Allergy Policy

Develop and publish whole-school allergy policies. Note – allergy policy is not medical conditions policy, and it will need to be displayed on the school website.

2. Staff Training

Ensure comprehensive allergy awareness and emergency response training for all staff (including caretakers, mini-bus drivers, lunchtime supervisors, etc).

3. Emergency Medication

Hold spare in-date adrenaline devices (AAIs) on site. Note – they are not a second set of devices prescribed for an individual child, they can be used on any child or adult experiencing anaphylaxis.

4. Individual Care Plans

Implement individual healthcare and action plans for pupils with serious allergies (including food, animal and venom allergies).

Make sure your staff are compliant, confident, and prepared to protect pupils at risk of anaphylaxis Contact RHQ Safety for further guidance and support