If 200 or more people can be in your premises at once, Martyn’s Law expects you to have four simple procedures ready and to tell the SIA you exist. We help venues across the UK write them properly — remotely, from your floor plan and a walk-round video — and on site in South and West Wales.
Martyn’s Law is the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. It is expected to come into force in spring 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed. Venues where 200–799 people can be present at once are in the standard tier and need evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication procedures; 800 or more puts most premises in the enhanced tier.
Not equipment, not a security guard, not a certificate. The standard duty is to have procedures that staff understand, for four situations, so far as is reasonably practicable.
Getting people out and away from a threat — which may be a different route and a different meeting point from your fire plan, because the danger might be outside.
Bringing people inside, or further inside, to a safer part of the building away from glazing and entrances, when leaving would be more dangerous.
Stopping an attacker getting in or moving through the building: who locks which doors, shutters and gates, and how quickly.
How staff raise the alarm and tell visitors what to do — a code phrase, PA, radios or simply who shouts what — so people act without panic.
You also have to notify the Security Industry Authority (SIA) that you are responsible for the premises once its portal opens. There is nothing to submit to the SIA for the standard tier beyond that notification. The maximum penalty for the standard tier is £10,000.
Before you pay anyone: the Home Office says premises do not need to buy consultancy to meet the standard tier, and its guidance, the SIA’s guidance and the ProtectUK training are free. Neither the Home Office nor the SIA endorses any provider, including us. The legal responsibility stays with the person responsible for the premises; we help with the work, we do not take the duty off you.
We work through who can be on site at your busiest normal time — staff included — and write down the reasoning, so you can show it later. How tiers work.
From your floor plan, photos and a phone video walk-round. Written for your doors, your staff numbers and your quiet and busy nights — and checked against your fire plan so the two do not contradict each other.
A short video-call briefing and a tabletop run-through using the free ProtectUK “ACT in a Box” exercise, so people know their role rather than having a document in a drawer.
The SIA’s final guidance, templates and notification portal are still coming. We track the changes on our guidance updates page and tell clients when their procedures need a tweak.
Many venues will do this themselves, and the government has designed the standard tier so they can. It is worth having help when:
We say plainly on whether you need a consultant when the free route is enough.
The Act is known as Martyn’s Law after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena attack on 22 May 2017. His mother, Figen Murray, campaigned for the law. This site is independent and has no connection with her or with the campaign. The free government resources are on ProtectUK.
The Act received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025 with an implementation period of at least 24 months. The SIA expects it to come into force in spring 2027 and will confirm the exact date.
No. The Home Office says premises do not need to buy consultancy to meet the requirements, and the guidance and ProtectUK training are free. Some venues choose help to save time or because their building is complicated.
No. There is no certificate, register of approved consultants or accreditation scheme. Anyone claiming to make you 'Martyn's Law certified' is misleading you.