Allergen information
Allergen information for the food the school serves, normally shown with the school meal menus. It should be available to parents where the school sells food, and a whole school food policy is encouraged.
Check this on my websiteWho it applies to
- Published on
- The school's own website
- School type
- Academies and maintained schools
- School stage
- All stages, from early years to sixth form
- Does not apply to
- No school types are excluded
When is it due?
- Renewal
- No fixed date
The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.
What's needed
Publish the current school meal menus with allergen information on the school meals page, dated for the current term.
What it must contain
2 parts- Shows the allergen ingredients in food it servesMust
- Publishes a whole school food policyGood practice
What the official sources say
Set out in 2 official sources:
School food in England (standards guidance)
The Food Information Regulations 2014 requires all food businesses including school caterers to show the allergen ingredients’ information for the food they serve.
Should§ Important information
Governing bodies are strongly encouraged to work with the senior leadership team to develop a whole school food policy, including: – setting out the school’s approach to its provision of food – food education (including practical cooking) – the role of the catering team as part of the wider school team – the school’s strategy to increase the take-up of school lunches
Good practice§ What the governing body should do
Food Information Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/1855), revised (incl. Natasha's Law amendments)
The provisions of regulations 6(4) and 7(5) do not apply to an offer for sale made by means of distance communication. Article 14(2) of FIC (as read with other relevant provisions of FIC) applies in the case of such an offer.
Must§ Explanatory Note (note on regulations 6 and 7)
29.Article 14(1) (distance selling of prepacked foods)Articles 1(3), 6, 9 and 14(3) and the first subparagraph of Article 54(1)30.Article 14(2) (distance selling of non-prepacked foods)Articles 1(3), 6, 14(1) and 42 and the first subparagraph of Article 54(1)
Must§ Schedule 5, Part 2, table entries 29 and 30
Questions schools ask
Does every school have to publish the allergen information?
The official sources we check set no requirement for academies. The official sources we check set no requirement for maintained schools.
When does the allergen information need to be published?
Renewal: No fixed date. The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.
What must the allergen information include?
Shows the allergen ingredients in food it serves; Publishes a whole school food policy.
Where does the requirement for the allergen information come from?
It is set out in School food in England (standards guidance) and Food Information Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/1855), revised (incl. Natasha's Law amendments).
Changes to the official sources
Dated change notes published by the Department for Education on the sources above.
14 September 2026 · School food in England (standards guidance)
Updated to reflect that new school food standards will be implemented from 2027.
23 June 2023 · School food in England (standards guidance)
One sentence has been changed for clarity. 'Compliance with the requirements for School Food Regulations 2014 is mandatory for all maintained schools including academies and free schools’ now says ‘Compliance with the requirements for School Food Regulations 2014 is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies and free schools.’
21 June 2023 · School food in England (standards guidance)
Updated the 'Important information' section in 'School food in England' to clarify standards on school trips.
26 August 2021 · School food in England (standards guidance)
Updated to remove references to EU law that no longer apply and added a link to the labelling of allergens on prepacked for direct sales food.
26 March 2019 · School food in England (standards guidance)
Updated 'School food in England' and included a link to healthy eating resources for schools.
9 September 2016 · School food in England (standards guidance)
Updated information on where the School Food Standards are mandatory for some academies and free schools.
2 earlier changes are listed on the source pages.
We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.
Is this on your school's website?
We check your site the way an inspector or a parent would find it: page by page, against the official wording of each requirement. If it's there, you get the page and the words we found. If it isn't, you get every place we looked.
Check this one requirement free, or scan your whole site against every requirement.
Official wording that does not apply to schools (2)
The School Food Regulations do not apply to food provided: – at parties or celebrations to mark religious or cultural occasions – at fund-raising events – as rewards for achievement, good behaviour or effort – for use in teaching food preparation and cookery skills, including where the food prepared is served to pupils as part of a school lunch – on an occasional basis by parents or pupils
For maintained nurseries and nursery units attached to primary schools there is a reduced set of standards for food served at lunchtime (Schedule 5) and whole milk, rather than lower fat milk, may be provided.
Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4