Benedict’s Law: What schools and candidates need to know

Benedict’s Law is named after Benedict Blythe, a five-year-old who died from anaphylaxis at school in 2021. His family campaigned for national reform to stop the same thing from happening again.

That campaign is now law. It will be delivered through new statutory guidance and primary legislation, with final Department for Education (DfE) guidance expected by July 2026 and requirements coming into force from September 2026.

Around two children in every classroom have an allergy, and up to 30% of severe reactions happen in children with no prior diagnosis. The BBC reports that 70% of English schools lacked recommended allergy safeguards before the new guidance was announced.

Benedict’s Law brings mandatory allergy safety measures to English schools from September 2026. Schools must have a published allergy policy, trained staff, spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs), and Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs) for pupils with diagnosed allergies. Candidates should complete allergy awareness training before the new academic year.

Here’s what it means in practice, for candidates and schools.

For candidates

Why allergy training matters before September 2026

Under the incoming guidance, all members of a school’s staff are expected to have allergy awareness training, including supply teachers, teaching assistants, support staff, and other candidates placed by agencies. Schools will be looking for staff who already understand their obligations.

Completing your training early puts you in a stronger position for bookings and means you’ll be ready to respond if a child in your care has a severe reaction.

Free training through Engage Education

As an Engage Education candidate, you can access allergy awareness training for free through our partnership with Creative Education. Not registered with Engage Education yet? Register with us here to access our free CPD courses through our Creative Education partnership. Already registered but can’t access the course? Please contact your Engage consultant, who will be happy to help. 

What to ask when you arrive at a new school

When you’re placed in a new school, ask to see the allergy policy and the IHPs for any children you’ll be working with. In particular, find out:

• Which pupils in your class or year group have a known allergy
• Where emergency AAIs are stored, and how to use them
• What the school’s emergency response protocol is
• Who to contact first if a child shows signs of a reaction

If anything is unclear, the school’s Safeguarding Lead is your first point of contact. Asking questions is exactly the kind of professional behaviour schools want to see.

For schools

Do you have a published allergy policy?

Every school in England will need a dedicated, published allergy safety policy, separate from your general medical conditions policy. It should set out how you prevent reactions, respond to emergencies, manage AAIs, and record incidents.

You’ll also need IHPs for pupils with a diagnosed allergy, personalised documents that record the specific arrangements for that child. These must be current and shared with all relevant staff.

The Benedict Blythe Foundation’s Schools Allergy Code offers a practical framework to review your approach ahead of the statutory guidance.

Is every staff member trained?

This is one of the biggest shifts. Allergy awareness training is expected to apply to all staff, not just first aiders. That includes teaching assistants, lunchtime supervisors, office staff, and supply teachers.

Training is expected to cover:

• Recognising allergy and anaphylaxis symptoms
• Emergency response procedures
• Correct use of adrenaline auto-injectors (such as EpiPens)
• Incident recording

The DfE’s final guidance (September 2026) will confirm the exact specification. In the meantime, audit where your staff stand: do they all know how to recognise anaphylaxis and use an AAI confidently?

Have you started talking to parents?

For families of children with allergies, this is significant news that many have waited years for. Proactive communication builds trust, and updating IHPs accurately needs input from parents and clinicians. Starting early gives you time to get it right before September.

How Engage Education can help

Benedict’s Law is a meaningful step forward for child safety. For schools, the key is preparation: review your policy, train your staff, and communicate with parents ahead of July 2026. For candidates, free allergy training through Engage gives you a head start.

If you have questions about how Benedict’s Law affects your placement or your school’s staffing, your Engage Education consultant is happy to help, or you can email customer care at customercare@engage-education.com.