Benedict’s Law: What It Means for School Food Catering
For children with food allergies, the school day can bring additional challenges. Mealtimes, in particular, require careful planning, clear communication and robust allergen controls to help ensure every child can eat safely and confidently.
From September 2026, state schools in England will need to put new allergy safety measures in place following the Department for Education’s new statutory guidance, Allergy safety in schools, often referred to as Benedict’s Law. The guidance follows the tragic passing of Benedict Blythe after a severe allergic reaction at school and aims to strengthen allergy safety across education settings.
The need for change is clear. According to the Benedict Blythe Foundation’s REACT report, 680,000 pupils in English schools have one or more allergies. This highlights the importance of a consistent, whole-school approach to allergy safety.
For schools, allergy safety is not simply a responsibility for the dining hall. It is a whole-school responsibility, supported by clear policies, appropriate training, strong leadership and consistent everyday practices.
Why is Benedict’s Law important?
Allergy safety has not always been approached consistently across schools. Benedict’s Law aims to support a more consistent approach, helping schools strengthen their policies, staff training, emergency preparedness and day-to-day management of allergies.
Schools will be expected to have measures in place including:
A dedicated allergy safety policy with a named senior lead
Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs) for children and young people who require them
Allergy awareness and emergency response training for staff, including the safe use of adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs)
Spare AAIs available on site for use in an emergency
Accurate recording of serious incidents and near misses
Greater consistency and inclusion for children and young people living with allergies
Our role in creating safer school meals
As a school catering provider, we play an important role in supporting schools with these measures and, most importantly, helping to keep children safe at mealtimes.
Every meal we prepare is an opportunity to demonstrate care, consistency and attention to detail. This means continuing to:
Work alongside schools to support the implementation of their Allergy Safety Policy
Use robust methods to identify pupils and staff with known allergies, in line with agreed school procedures
Maintain accurate, up-to-date allergy and dietary information, including information relating to intolerances, coeliac disease and other food-related medical needs
Communicate with parents and carers where appropriate to understand individual needs and support the provision of suitable meals
Undertake regular allergy awareness training, including emergency response and the safe handling of AAIs
Maintain robust records of allergen-related incidents and near misses, helping us identify opportunities for continuous improvement
By working closely with schools, families and our catering teams, we can help make sure that allergy management is considered at every stage of the meal journey — from menu planning and ingredient selection through to preparation, service and communication.
Creating confidence at mealtimes
Keeping children with allergies safe is a shared responsibility. Through strong partnerships, clear communication and consistent procedures, we can help create an environment where children and families feel reassured and supported.
Every child deserves to enjoy lunchtime with confidence.