Allergy safety in schools and education settings

Allergy safety is an important responsibility for schools and other education settings. New statutory guidance for schools in England, published in July 2026, sets out expectations for supporting pupils with allergies, including allergy safety policies, staff training, Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs), emergency responses and learning from serious incidents and near misses.

Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of those in your care includes being prepared for the unexpected. Serious allergic reactions can affect anyone, including individuals with no previous history of allergies. By understanding how to recognise the signs and symptoms of allergic reactions and anaphylaxis, staff in educational and childcare settings can react confidently, in a timely manner, and potentially save a life.

Anaphylaxis (pronounced ana–fil-ax-is) is a life-threatening allergic reaction that usually occurs suddenly - but can be delayed for up to two to three hours - and requires immediate treatment.

Anaphylaxis can happen when the body reacts to something it’s allergic to, releasing chemicals such as histamine in response. It is the release of these chemicals that cause the allergic symptoms.

Studies suggest between 5-8% of children are living with an allergy and 20% of allergic reactions happen at school, with a significant number of these being in students with no known allergy. With that in mind, it is critical for schools and other educational settings to have robust allergy management systems in place.

ABC Symptoms

Most health professionals consider an allergic reaction to be anaphylaxis when it involves difficulty breathing or affects the heart rhythm or blood pressure. Any one or more of the following symptoms may be present – these are often referred to as the ‘ABC’ symptoms.’

A is for Airway - Swelling in the throat, tongue or upper airways, hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing

B is for Breathing - Sudden onset wheezing, breathing difficulty, noisy breathing, persistent cough

C is for Circulation - Dizziness, feeling faint, sudden sleepiness, confusion, pale clammy skin, loss of consciousness or collapse

REMEMBER - If any one of these symptoms are present, administer an adrenaline device - don’t delay.

See Anaphylaxis UK’s factsheets for detailed information on anaphylaxis and adrenaline.

During Benedict Blythe's inquest, the Department for Education committed to updating the statutory guidance for schools that was first published in 2015 and updated in 2017 to include the ability for schools to hold spare adrenaline auto-injectors.

That update has culminated in the publication of the statutory guidance, Allergy Safety in Schools 2026. This applies to:

• governing bodies of LA-maintained schools, including special schools, with specified exclusions;

• PRU management committees; and

• academy proprietors, including free schools and alternative provision academies, with specified exclusions.

Allergy Safety in Schools and Benedict’s Law are intertwined. Allergy Safety in Schools explains what has to be included in the allergy safety policy and what has to be included in the training. Allergy Safety in Schools goes further than Benedict’s Law and requires schools to:

• have an allergy lead who is a member of the senior leadership team.

• adapt the curriculum to ensure that students are fully included in the life of the school.

• practice emergency response sometimes known as a drill.

• be recording and reporting allergy incidents and near misses.

• be monitored by the governing body as part of their regulatory duties with it being Have good practice to appoint a governor with responsibility for allergy.

Allergy Safety in Schools 2026 is clear that staff training must include:

• Have an awareness of allergy, the risks it poses, how allergic reactions can occur and how to manage it;

• Understand that allergy includes multiple conditions (food allergy, asthma, eczema, hay fever, others), which can co-exist;

• Understand the difference between food allergy, coeliac disease and food intolerance;

• Know where to find information on allergy triggers;

• Can identify the range of symptoms of allergic reactions;

• Understand and can recognise anaphylaxis;

• Know how to respond in an emergency, including:

  • calling emergency services and informing parents;

  • how to locate and administer emergency medication (adrenaline for anaphylaxis, asthma reliever inhaler for an asthma attack).

  • training on how to use the medication/device in an emergency (whether prescribed to a given person or a school’s “spare” adrenaline devices);

• Understand the impact allergy can have on a child or young person’s wellbeing;

• Understand the school, college or setting’s allergy safety policy; Know how to check whether an individual is on the record of those with known allergy and how to use an Allergy or Asthma Action Plan;

• Understand their responsibilities in reducing the risk of individuals with known allergy coming into contact with their known allergens;

• Understand how to report an allergic reaction or case of anaphylaxis (whether an incident or a “near miss”).

Schools are responsible for training every member of staff who is employed by the school regardless of how frequently they have or may have contact with the student. Schools are required to make arrangements to include training for new staff during their induction. Schools are responsible for ensuring that those contracted to deliver services in school such as; catering, cleaning (if students are present), wrap around care, music teachers and supply teachers have undertaken the training as outlined above.

Training is required annually for all staff. It is a good idea to enable the Allergy Lead and governors to have training for their new roles. In person training and access to webinars can be found through Anaphylaxis UK’s dedicated page to Benedict’s Law.

During the school year, schools are encouraged to hold an anaphylaxis practice (not involving students) and to learn lessons from this exercise.

It is good practice to keep allergy safety alive throughout the year in the same way that safeguarding is to ensure that the impact of the training remains high with staff being prepared to respond confidently in an emergency situation.

Benedict’s Law requires every school to hold spare adrenaline auto-injectors. These have been approved by MHRA to be obtained without prescription and to be used on students in the event of an emergency where their own are unavailable or unusable.

Spare adrenaline auto-injectors are not a replacement for a student’s own.

Schools are required as a minimum to hold the following quantities:

* Secondary schools with larger sites should consider having two pairs of 'spare' AAIs, so that a pair of 'spare' AAIs are available within five minutes of wherever they may be needed.

A member of staff needs to check the integrity of the adrenaline device on a monthly basis to ensure that it remains in date, clear without any particles in it. The checks need to be documented.

Adrenaline devices can be obtained from a range of places with a very wide variation in price. A list of places to obtain devices is available here.

Anaphylaxis UK has been supporting people living with serious allergies as a charity for over 30 years, offering evidence-based, trusted information for individuals and their families, for businesses and for schools helping them navigate the challenges of allergy management with confidence. To learn more about how you can support students living with serious allergies and access practical tools for your educational and childcare settings, contact Anaphylaxis UK:

For information and support for specific questions contact Anaphylaxis UK on: allergywise@anaphylaxis.org.uk or check out the range of resources on the website: www.anaphylaxis.org.uk.

Together, we can create a brighter future for everyone at risk of serious allergies.