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Benedict’s Law: what schools need to know
Benedict’s Law marks an important step forward for allergy safety in schools.
Named in memory of Benedict Blythe, the campaign has helped drive national change around how schools prepare for allergy emergencies, support pupils with allergies and create safer school environments.
From September 2026, schools in England will need to take a clearer, more consistent approach to allergy management, emergency preparedness, staff training and access to spare adrenaline auto-injectors.
Helping schools take practical steps towards safer, more prepared environments.
ALLERGY SAFETY IN SCHOOLS
What is Benedict’s Law?
Benedict’s Law is the campaign for stronger allergy safety measures in schools, named in memory of five-year-old Benedict Blythe, who died following an allergic reaction at school.
The campaign calls for clearer responsibilities, whole-school allergy policies, staff awareness, individual healthcare planning and access to emergency medication, so children with allergies are better protected during the school day.
New statutory allergy safety guidance for schools in England is expected to come into effect from September 2026.
Why allergy safety matters in schools
Allergy emergencies can happen quickly. When they do, schools need clear processes, confident staff and emergency support that is easy to find.
For pupils with allergies, feeling safe at school is about more than avoiding allergens. It means knowing that staff understand the risks, recognise the signs of a reaction and know what to do if something happens.
Clearer
policies
A whole-school allergy policy helps everyone understand how allergy safety is managed across the school day.
Better staff
awareness
Training helps staff recognise symptoms, understand emergency steps and respond with greater confidence.
Emergency medication access
Spare adrenaline auto-injectors need to be accessible, in date and easy to locate when every second matters.
Individual
support
Individual Healthcare Plans help record the specific arrangements needed to support pupils with allergies.
What should schools review now?
Benedict’s Law gives schools a clear reason to review how allergy safety is managed across the whole school environment.
Schools should consider:
Whole-school allergy policy
Individual Healthcare Plans
Staff awareness and training
Emergency medication access
Expiry date checks
Incident recording and review
Lunchtime & trip procedures
Clear emergency response steps
Preparation does not need to feel overwhelming. The priority is to make allergy safety visible, understood and manageable.
Preparing schools for Benedict’s Law
ARK Rescue Kits are designed to support the practical side of emergency preparedness.
They help schools keep allergy and asthma emergency support organised, accessible and easier to manage, with clear guidance, expiry reminders and ongoing support.
Clearly labelled rescue kits
Designed to be easy to identify and locate in a school environment.
Practical guidance included
Clear information to help schools understand storage, checking and next steps.
Expiry reminders
Support to help keep emergency medication in date and ready to use.
Ongoing support
Friendly guidance from enquiry through to ordering, replacement support and reminders.
ARK Rescue Kits are manufactured and supplied by Arcadia Medical.
Useful allergy safety resources for schools
Schools should continue to follow official guidance and seek appropriate clinical or legal advice where needed.
Five practical steps schools can take
1
Review your allergy safety policy
Make sure your policy is clear, current and easy to follow.
2
Check pupil support plans
Review Individual Healthcare Plans and make sure relevant staff know where to find them.
3
Build staff confidence
Consider allergy awareness and anaphylaxis training for staff across the school.
4
Review emergency medication access
Check where medication is stored, who can access it and how expiry dates are monitored.
5
Make response procedures clear
Ensure staff know what to do, who to contact and how incidents should be recorded.