The Department for Education’s statutory guidance Allergy safety in schools – widely known as Benedict’s Law – was published on 6 July 2026. Schools in England should have regard to it now, including allergy-awareness and anaphylaxis training for all staff, and the legal duty to hold and publish an allergy safety policy is in force from 1 September 2026. Here is what your school needs, and how we make it simple.
Benedict’s Law is named after Benedict Blythe, a five-year-old who died from anaphylaxis at school. The statutory guidance is now published and schools in England should have regard to it; the legal duty to hold, review and publish an allergy safety policy is in force from 1 September 2026, with hard duties on spare adrenaline and staff training to follow through forthcoming regulations. Under the guidance, schools should:
The Department for Education’s final statutory guidance, Allergy safety in schools, was published on 6 July 2026. Schools should have regard to it now; the binding policy duty is in force from 1 September 2026 (commencement order SI 2026/933), and hard duties on spare adrenaline devices and staff training will come through forthcoming regulations. Requirements differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which follow their own national guidance. Our training reflects the published guidance.
You will see it written that schools must now keep spare adrenaline auto-injectors by law. That is not what the statutory guidance says, and the difference matters if you are budgeting or writing a policy. Here are the exact words, with links, so you can check them yourself.
Spare adrenaline – an expectation, not yet a duty
“We expect that all schools will stock ‘spare’ adrenaline devices of the correct dosage for their pupils, for use in emergency situations.”
“The Government intends to introduce a statutory duty requiring schools to stock ‘spare’ adrenaline devices for use in emergency situations through forthcoming Regulations.”
DfE, Allergy safety in schools, page 38. So it is an expectation in statutory guidance that schools must have regard to – not a stocking duty. The duty is coming, through regulations not yet made.
What IS law from 1 September 2026
“Section 34 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 amends this by placing a further requirement on LA-maintained schools, academies and PRUs to have allergy safety policies, publish them and keep them under review. Schools must also have regard to statutory guidance on allergy safety. Regulations will permit the Secretary of State to make further allergy safety requirements, including to require schools to stock ‘spare’ adrenaline devices and to require allergy safety training.”
DfE, Allergy safety in schools, page 6. Commenced on 1 September 2026 by SI 2026/933. Note the scope: the duties apply to LA-maintained schools, academies and PRUs; independent and non-maintained special schools follow later through their own standards.
Who may hold spares – and what kind
“The Regulations only apply to schools and not to early years setting or FE colleges, which are not permitted to stock ‘spare’ devices in this way.”
“Non-injectable adrenaline devices (nasal spray) may be prescribed to individuals but cannot currently be stocked as a ‘spare’ device.”
DfE, Allergy safety in schools, page 38, on The Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017. If you run a nursery or a college, you cannot hold spares – you rely on each child’s own prescribed devices.
Training – and why we still recommend a practical session
The DfE guidance expects training but does not say how it must be delivered. The Department of Health’s 2017 guidance on spare adrenaline is the one that addresses practice:
“The specialist training should include practical instruction in how to use the different AAI devices available… although this is not a substitute for face-to-face training.”
DHSC, Guidance on the use of adrenaline auto-injectors in schools (2017; non-statutory). A binding all-staff training duty is expected to follow through the same forthcoming regulations.
Read the source yourself: Allergy safety in schools (DfE statutory guidance, July 2026) · Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, section 34 · SI 2026/933 (commencement). Quoted here for reference; always check the current version, which may have been updated since we last reviewed it.
Answer a few simple questions about your policy, training, adrenaline devices, record-keeping and drills. In around 10 minutes you get a personalised action plan and a policy checklist mapped to the new DfE statutory guidance – free, no sign-up needed.
Start the Free Readiness Check →A free starting point to help you prepare — it is guidance, not advice, and does not replace your school’s own allergy safety policy, risk assessment or professional and clinical advice.
Good allergy training has two parts – the knowledge and the hands-on skill. You need both.
Our free online course covers recognising an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis in children, giving adrenaline (auto-injectors and the new EURneffy nasal spray), and the school’s emergency response and systems. Ideal for your whole team to complete each year, with a certificate for your records.
Start the Free CourseThe DfE guidance does not specify how training must be delivered, but hands-on practice with adrenaline devices is strongly recommended good practice: the Department of Health’s 2017 guidance on spare adrenaline describes “practical instruction in how to use the different AAI devices”, and the Anaphylaxis UK / BSACI model school policy says allergy training “should include a practical session”. The online course does not replace this – a short onsite session handling a trainer auto-injector and the EURneffy nasal spray completes the picture and builds real confidence to act.
Book Onsite TrainingIn an emergency, never wait. Under Regulation 238 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, any member of staff may give adrenaline to a child they believe is having anaphylaxis – you do not need a formal qualification first, and you must never delay treatment while waiting for a trained person.
Free tool – the Allergy Drill Log. The DfE guidance says it is good practice to run allergy safety drills “in the same way as fire drills” and record the results like a near miss. Log your termly drills – scenario, time to adrenaline, outcome and follow-up actions – free with a semseo.training account: open the Allergy Drill Log.
The regulatory summaries on this page reflect the Department for Education’s statutory guidance Allergy safety in schools, published on 6 July 2026, and are provided for general guidance only — not legal advice. Always check the current requirements that apply to your school. The free allergy readiness check is a screening and preparation aid: it supports but does not replace your school’s own allergy safety policy, risk assessment or professional and clinical advice. The online course provides awareness/knowledge training and does not replace hands-on practical training or a formal first-aid qualification.