Benedict's Law: Publishing School Allergy Information

Parents need to know how a school manages allergies, and catering staff need accurate information about the food they serve. Benedict's Law makes the school's published allergy safety policy an important part of that communication.

From 1 September 2026, schools covered by the new requirements in England must have a written allergy safety policy, publish it on their website and review it at least once a year. For schools and their caterers, the practical task is to make sure the policy describes what actually happens throughout the school day.

What has changed in the law?

Benedict's Law is the name commonly used for the school allergy safety changes in section 34 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026. This inserted section 100A into the Children and Families Act 2014.

The duty includes managing allergies affecting pupils, including the risk of anaphylaxis. The school must make its policy known within the school and to parents, bring it to the attention of pupils, parents and everyone working at the school at least annually, and publish it on the school website. It must review the policy at least annually and make changes it considers appropriate after that review.

Which schools are covered?

The requirements apply in England to local-authority-maintained schools, including special schools, pupil referral units and academies, including free schools and alternative provision academies. Maintained nursery schools and 16-to-19 academies are excluded from this particular framework.

The Department for Education says equivalent requirements are intended for independent schools and non-maintained special schools through their regulatory standards. Its published guidance does not currently describe those requirements as statutory for these schools. Schools elsewhere in the UK should check their own nation's arrangements.

What allergy information must be published?

The new website duty concerns the school's allergy safety policy. It does not, by itself, require every dish's allergen information to be published online. Food allergen information for meals is covered by existing food information rules, which also apply to school caterers.

A useful school website makes both easy to find: the policy explains how allergy safety is managed, while clear menu information helps families understand the food being offered. Link the policy and catering information from the same page so parents can find the right contact before choosing meals.

Publish the general arrangements. Keep individual pupils' medical details and healthcare plans within the school's appropriate confidential arrangements.

Connect the policy to the kitchen

The Department for Education's school food allergy guide, published in September 2026, reminds schools to check supplier changes and product labels when adapting meals. School caterers must provide information about regulated allergenic ingredients. Food prepacked for direct sale must also meet the relevant ingredient and allergen labelling requirements.

For example, a replacement bread roll may have different ingredients from the usual product. Before serving it, check the supplier information, update the dish record and tell the people preparing and serving the meal. Any menu information shared with parents needs to reflect that change.

Keep one agreed process for breakfast clubs, lunches, after-school food and trips. Decide who updates the allergen record, who approves substitutions and how a pupil's agreed meal reaches the right person. A policy is much more useful when a new or temporary member of staff can follow it during a busy lunch service.

Training and wider allergy safety

Schools must have particular regard to the Department for Education's statutory allergy guidance. It addresses staff training, individual healthcare plans, emergency arrangements and learning from serious incidents and near misses. Those arrangements need school leadership as well as catering input.

A digital menu supports food information, but the school still needs to put its wider allergy safety arrangements into practice. Review the policy with the people who use it and make sure staff know where to find the current version.

How Allergy Menu can help

Allergy Menu gives catering teams a central place to manage dish, ingredient and allergen information. A live digital menu can help schools share current food information with parents and give staff a consistent record to check when recipes or suppliers change.

Use it alongside the school's published allergy safety policy, staff training and individual care arrangements. Keeping the kitchen record and the information families see in step helps reduce avoidable confusion.

Try Allergy Menu free for one month to see how it can help your catering team manage and share allergy information.

Written on 2026-11-12 by Juliet Moran

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