What Schools Need to Know Now

In March, when the government first opened its consultation on updated allergy safety guidance for schools, the direction of travel was already clear. That guidance has now been published in full, and while the broad shape of the changes hasn't shifted, the detail has sharpened considerably now that the final wording is confirmed.

What has changed since March

The consultation ran from 5 March to 15 May 2026, and the Department for Education published the final statutory guidance on 6 July 2026, under Section 34 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026. The guidance is expected to come fully into effect from September 2026, alongside further Regulations that will convert several of its expectations into explicit statutory duties.

What the guidance requires

The final guidance confirms most of what was anticipated in March, with far more precise detail attached. Schools, colleges and PRUs are now required to:

• Maintain a published, dedicated allergy safety policy, reviewed at least annually
• Ensure all staff on site when pupils are present receive allergy awareness training, at least annually. This now explicitly includes permanent, temporary, supply and agency staff, catering teams and regular volunteers, not just teaching staff
• Provide access to "spare" adrenaline auto-injectors, which can now be purchased without a prescription, stocked in pairs at the correct dosage for pupils on site, and kept within five minutes' reach of anywhere they might be needed
• Implement Individual Healthcare Plans for pupils who need them, incorporating any Allergy or Asthma Action Plan issued by a healthcare professional
• Record, report and review serious incidents and near misses relating to allergy safety

The duty to have an allergy safety policy is already a live statutory requirement. Several of the other expectations above, including the specifics of annual training, the named senior leader role, and incident recordin, are set out clearly in the guidance now, with the government confirming its intention to convert these into explicit statutory duties through forthcoming regulations.

Why this matters

For many schools, allergy management has historically relied on a small number of trained staff or informal processes. The published guidance confirms a shift toward:

• Whole-school responsibility, not just first aiders
• Consistent systems and documentation
• Evidence of training and compliance
• Preventative risk management, not just emergency response

This reflects a broader safeguarding mindset: ensuring all staff are prepared, not just a select few.

What this means for staff training

The guidance is direct on this point in a way the consultation was not: "First aid training is not sufficient." Staff need training that goes beyond a general first aid certificate, and should be able to:

• Recognise allergic reactions, including early signs of anaphylaxis
• Understand the difference between food allergy, coeliac disease and food intolerance
• Respond quickly and appropriately in an emergency, including calling emergency services
• Administer adrenaline auto-injectors with confidence, whether prescribed to a named pupil or a school's spare devices
• Understand their role within the school's allergy safety policy
• Know how to report an allergic reaction, incident or near miss

Schools will need training that reflects real-world scenarios, school environments and practical decision-making, rather than a general awareness session bolted onto an existing first aid course.

A shift towards systems and not just skills

The guidance also confirms the emphasis on systems and accountability that was anticipated in March. Schools now need to demonstrate:

• Clear policies with a named senior leader responsible for them. The guidance specifically notes this should not sit with the catering manager
• Effective communication between staff, including induction arrangements for new and supply staff
• Robust record-keeping, including near misses
• Regular review of practice, at least annually, and following any serious incident

Compliance will not be judged solely on whether training has been delivered, but on how well the whole system functions together.

Where things stand now

1. Allergy safety is now a confirmed compliance area and as with safeguarding or fire safety, allergy management is now a core operational requirement for maintained schools, academies and PRUs, with independent and non-maintained special schools expected to follow through separate regulatory standards.
2. Evidence and audit will matter and schools will need to be able to show who has been trained, what systems are in place, and how incidents are recorded and reviewed. Inspectors are expected to consider allergy safety policies and their implementation as part of the wider inspection process.
3. Prevention remains central and reducing exposure to known allergens, through better planning, communication and awareness, sits alongside emergency response as an equal priority in the guidance.
4. Training now explicitly covers all staff which is one of the areas made most precise since March. Training is confirmed to extend to lunchtime supervisors, temporary and supply staff, agency workers, and support staff anyone on site when pupils are present.

A note on where things stand

The guidance has now been published and is no longer subject to consultation. However, several of its expectations including the statutory duty around annual training and the named senior leader role are still due to be formalised through further Regulations. Schools that begin preparing now, rather than waiting for those Regulations, will be in a stronger position when they land.

How schools can prepare now

• Review current allergy policies against the published guidance, not the earlier consultation document
• Identify pupils with allergies and check Individual Healthcare Plans are in place and up to date
• Assess current staff training levels against the guidance's specific staff scope
• Confirm arrangements for spare adrenaline devices, including storage location and five-minute accessibility
• Consider how incidents and near misses are currently recorded and reviewed

Early action now can reduce pressure later and help ensure a smooth transition as the remaining Regulations are introduced.

Final thoughts

Benedict's Law has moved from consultation to confirmed guidance. What was described in March as an expected direction of travel is now published, statutory guidance that schools must have regard to. The message from March holds, just with more certainty behind it:

Allergy safety is now a fundamental part of school safeguarding and compliance.