Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, commonly referred to as Martyn’s Law
Martyn's Law requires UK venues and events to implement proportionate public protection procedures and measures to reduce the risk of harm from terrorist attacks, with guidance now published to help organisations prepare ahead of enforcement in 2027.
Overview
Martyn's Law, formally the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, was introduced following the 2017 Manchester Arena attack and received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025.
The law is named after Martyn Hett, who was killed in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017. It is designed to ensure lessons are learned from that tragedy and that venues take steps to keep people safer.
It aims to improve protective security and organisational preparedness across the UK by requiring responsible persons at certain premises and events to plan for potential terrorist attacks and reduce vulnerabilities where appropriate.
The law applies to publicly accessible venues such as shops, restaurants, theatres, stadiums, schools, places of worship, and major events. Premises and events are categorised into two tiers based on expected occupancy:
- Standard Tier: 200–799 individuals; focus on procedural preparedness (evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, communication) without mandatory physical security measures.
- Enhanced Tier: 800 or more individuals; requires documented public protection procedures, additional measures to reduce vulnerability, monitoring, and submission of compliance documents to the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
Key Responsibilities
For Standard Tier Premises
- Notify the SIA when assuming responsibility for a qualifying premises or event.
- Implement public protection procedures to reduce harm in the event of an attack, including evacuation, lockdown, and communication plans.
- Ensure staff are trained and aware of procedures.
- Review procedures regularly and update as necessary.
For Enhanced Tier Premises and Qualifying Events
- All Standard Tier duties apply.
- Implement additional public protection measures to reduce vulnerability and risk of harm, such as monitored CCTV, access control, and situational awareness.
- Document procedures and measures, including an assessment of their effectiveness, and submit to the SIA.
- Designate a senior individual responsible for compliance.
- Maintain ongoing review and updates of security measures.
Compliance and Enforcement
The SIA will act as the regulator, with powers to:
- Inspect premises and events.
- Request information and assess compliance.
- Issue compliance, restriction, and penalty notices.
- Impose financial penalties for non-compliance, scaled by tier and severity.
- Refer serious breaches for criminal prosecution.
The SIA has also launched a public consultation on its draft section 12 guidance, detailing how it will oversee compliance and enforcement, open until 12 June 2026.
Preparing for Martyn's Law
Although the law is not yet enforceable, organisations are advised to begin preparation:
- Assess whether premises or events fall within scope and determine the applicable tier.
- Identify the responsible person for each premises or event.
- Conduct risk assessments to understand site-specific security and terrorism risks.
- Develop proportionate security protocols and emergency response plans.
- Train staff and ensure effective evacuation and communication procedures.
- Review first aid provision and other safety measures.
- Document plans and procedures for Enhanced Tier compliance.
Do you need to employ third party providers
No. Premises and events do not need to spend money on consultants to be compliant with the legislative requirements. The Government’s statutory guidance will assist in determining whether premises or events are in scope of the legislation and if so which tier they fall within. It will enable duty holders to make their own assessments on how they will meet the requirements of the relevant tier and in turn make an assessment on whether they need to seek further support. Please be aware that neither the Home Office nor the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) endorse any third-party products or providers in respect of compliance with this legislation.
Additional Guidance
The Home Office has published section 27 statutory guidance and supplementary documents providing:
- Methods to assess expected occupancy.
- Illustrative examples of qualifying premises and events.
- Resources for training and awareness.
The guidance emphasises proportionality, meaning measures should be reasonable and practicable relative to the size, nature, and risk profile of the premises or event. It also stresses that responsibility cannot be delegated, though tasks may be assigned to staff under supervision.
Implementation Timeline
- Royal Assent: 3 April 2025.
- Implementation period: At least 24 months.
- Expected enforcement: Around April 2027, giving organisations time to prepare and comply.
Martyn's Law represents a tiered, proportionate approach to public safety, focusing on both procedural and physical measures, staff training, and organisational preparedness to reduce the impact of potential terrorist attacks.
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