Life-saving allergy pens will now become compulsory in all schools in England after a whole range of vita measures were brought in by Benedict’s Law this week.

Benedict’s Law takes the form of landmark statutory guidance to transform allergy safety in schools.

The guidance has come to pass following years of campaigning from the Blythe family (Benedict’s mother Helen and father Peter) after their son Benedict died following an allergic reaction to cow’s milk protein that he suffered at Barnack Primary School in December 2021.

Coming into effect from September 2026, the guidance introduces a new national framework designed to better protect the estimated 680,000 pupils living with allergies in England.

It will lead to around 1.5 million adults working in schools receiving allergy awareness and emergency response training – making it the largest public health training initiative ever delivered

across England’s schools.

The measures require schools to:

- Stock emergency adrenaline auto-injector pens on site.

Benedict's parents Helen and Peter, little sister Etta with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Early Education Olivia Bailey MP (left).

- Publish a whole-school allergy policy.

- Train all staff to recognise and respond to allergic reactions and anaphylaxis.

- Put Individual Healthcare Plans in place for pupils whose allergies require management at school.

The reforms form the first phase of Benedict’s Law. From 2027, these same measures will be placed into primary legislation, creating a legal duty on all schools in England, including independent schools and fee-paying special schools, where implementation remains voluntary during the autumn term.

Helen Blythe, Co-Founder of the Benedict Blythe Foundation and Benedict’s mother, said: “This week marks a historic turning point for children with allergies and their families. For too long, whether a child was safe at school depended on where they happened to go.

"From September, schools across England will have clear national expectations on how they keep children with allergies safe.

"The publication of this guidance is the beginning of a new era for allergy safety. It will improve the

safety of hundreds of thousands of children and ensure around one and a half million adults working in schools have the knowledge and confidence to recognise an allergic reaction and respond quickly in an emergency.’

“We are incredibly proud that Benedict’s legacy will help protect generations of children to come.”