Law named after Peterborough school boy who died following allergic reaction to be passed

Benedict’s Law — a landmark legislation to improve allergy safety in schools — was read into Parliament on Wednesday evening (March 25) and is expected to receive Royal Assent on Thursday, formally becoming law.

The legislation will, for the first time, place allergy safety protections into primary legislation, requiring schools across England to implement consistent measures to protect pupils with allergies.

The law is named after Benedict Blyth. Benedict was just five when he passed away on December 1, 2021 after suffering a fatal anaphylaxis while at Barnack Primary School. Benedict was rushed to hospital but later passed away later that afternoon.

An inquest in July 2025 found that Benedict’s death came as a result of accidental exposure to cow’s milk, one of his known allergens.

“Knowing that his name is now part of a law that will protect other children means everything to us”

Following Benedict’s death, his family established the Benedict Blythe Foundation and led a national campaign to address long-standing gaps in how schools recognise and respond to life-threatening allergies.

Their work brought together clinicians, educators, allergy charities and policymakers, supported by extensive research including Freedom of Information requests to more than 20,000 schools, national surveys, and the REACT report.

The introduction of the law has been welcomed by Helen Blythe, Benedict’s mother and founder of the Benedict Blythe Foundation, who said: “Today is an incredibly emotional moment for our family. To see Benedict’s Law pass through Parliament and become law is something we could only hope for when we began this journey.

"Nothing will ever change what happened to Benedict, but knowing that his name is now part of a law that will protect other children means everything to us.

“This is about making sure no family has to go through what we have.”

What the law means for schools

The new law will apply to all schools in England, including state-funded, academy, independent and non-maintained special schools. It will require schools to:

Have and regularly review allergy safety policies

Publish those policies

Follow statutory guidance on allergy management

Support measures including staff training, access to emergency medication, and recording of allergic incidents

The law will be supported by new statutory guidance, due to be implemented from September 2026, with a term’s notice to schools meaning the law is expected to come into force from Jan 2027 with further regulations to follow.

“It’s really important schools are safe for children with allergies like our friend Benedict”

Sam (10) and Maisie Palmer (9), Benedict’s friends who attended the House of Lords to hear Benedict’s Law read in said: “It’s really important schools are safe for children with allergies like our friend Benedict. We miss him lots, and it was amazing to be able to hear Benedict’s Law in the House of Lords tonight’