Benedict's Law takes effect, requiring schools to stock adrenaline pens
A new law named after Benedict Blythe now requires all schools in England to have allergy policies, training, and spare adrenaline pens.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A new law named after five-year-old Benedict Blythe has come into force, requiring all schools in England to be fully prepared for severe allergic reactions. The legislation, which took effect from the start of the new school year, mandates that every school has an allergy policy, individual healthcare plans for at-risk pupils, training for all staff, and at least two spare adrenaline auto-injectors on site at all times.
Benedict died in 2021 after having an anaphylactic reaction to cow's milk at school. His mother, Helen Blythe, has campaigned tirelessly since then to make schools safer for children with allergies. Under the new law, schools must also ensure that staff are trained to recognise the signs of anaphylaxis and know how to administer adrenaline.
Training has already begun in schools across England. Teachers are being shown how to use the devices, with simple mnemonics such as "blue to the sky, orange to the thigh" to help them remember the correct technique. The aim is to give staff the confidence to act quickly in an emergency.
The need for such measures is clear. According to the National Allergy Strategy, the UK has one of the highest rates of allergy in the world, affecting 30% of adults and 39% of children. Around 20% of allergic reactions happen in schools, and a severe reaction can occur in a child with no previous diagnosis.
One young woman, Morgan, told how she collapsed during her A-levels after eating a cereal bar containing Brazil nuts, which she had not reacted to since she was 18 months old. She survived only because her school had an adrenaline pen and staff knew how to use it. "I'm only here today because of the slim chance that they had an EpiPen," she said.
For trainer Sarah, who has two children with allergies, the new law is personal. She described the terror of sending a child to school when staff do not understand allergy. "It's completely terrifying and you spend your time next to the phone worrying if they're going to be okay," she said.
Helen Blythe said the law will mean that children with allergies can go to school safely and that parents do not have to worry. "Benedict was a really kind little boy and he looked out for other children, so his legacy is continuing to look out for other children," she said.
The legislation is expected to be transformational, providing a consistent approach across all schools. While the number of incidents in schools is statistically low, the law ensures that staff are trained and that life-saving adrenaline is always available, even for children with unknown allergies.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC One | ITV |
|---|---|---|---|
| New legislation requires all schools in England to have an allergy policy, individual plans, staff training, and adrenaline pens. | |||
| A student survived anaphylaxis because her school had an EpiPen and trained staff. | · | · | |
| Around 20% of allergic reactions happen in schools. | · | · | |
| The legislation is named after Benedict Blythe, who died after being given cow's milk at school in 2021. | · | · | |
| The UK has one of the highest rates of allergy in the world, affecting 30% of adults and 39% of children. | · | · | |
| Training has begun in schools across England as part of the new law. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West focused on the regional impact of the new law, highlighting how schools in the West are preparing. It included the personal story of Morgan, a student saved by a school EpiPen, and cited national allergy statistics. The tone was informative and community-focused, with an emphasis on the law's practical requirements.
- “Benedict Blythe was five years old when he died from an anaphylactic reaction to cow's milk at school in 2021.”
- “According to the National Allergy Strategy, the UK has one of the highest rates of allergy in the world, affecting 30% of adults and 39% of children.”
- “20% of allergic reactions happen in schools, and so it's really important that school staff feel supported, reassured, are fully trained and know how to respond in case of any kind of emergency.”
ITV1 focused on the start of training and the emotional legacy of Benedict Blythe. It showed an anaphylaxis drill in action and included a trainer with personal experience of allergic children. The tone was hopeful and human, emphasising the mother's campaign and the law's life-saving potential.
- “Blue to the sky, orange to the thigh.”
- “Benedict was a really kind little boy and he looked out for other children and so his legacy is continuing to look out for other children.”
- “He had a plan at school but the plan hadn't been seen by staff and the staff weren't fully trained, so they didn't recognise the signs and the medication that we had sent him to school was used too late to save his life.”
5 News took a practical and interview-led approach, featuring Helen Blythe and a paediatric allergy nurse. It focused on what went wrong in Benedict's case, the signs of an allergic reaction, and how to use the devices. The tone was direct and educational, with a strong emphasis on parental concerns.
- “So we'd agreed a process with them for giving him his morning milk. And that process wasn't followed on the day that he died.”
- “It's looking out for the signs of an allergic reaction. So they can be mild in most cases where you can get a bit of itchiness, a bit of swelling.”
- “70% of schools in England didn't have those four things in place together.”
Broadcast Timeline
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