Martyn’s Law Legislation: Sets out tougher security requirements for public venues
Martyn’s Law is Coming – Is Your Organisation Ready?
Understand Your Obligations. Build Your Confidence. Protect Your People.
On April 3, 2025, the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025—commonly known as Martyn’s Law—received Royal Assent. Over the next 24 months, organisations across the UK must prepare to meet new legal duties designed to protect the public from terrorist threats in publicly accessible spaces.
Martyn’s Law isn’t just another compliance requirement—it’s a transformative step forward in public safety. From schools and hospitals to stadiums, shopping centres, universities, and nightclubs, over 250,000 premises are expected to be affected.
“Martyn’s Law is a major and necessary step forward in protecting people in public spaces. But for many organisations, especially in education and the public sector, meeting the new legal duties will require culture change and the right support in place,”
— Adam Jones, Security Project Manager at Sitemark
“It’s not just about compliance — it’s about preparing people and places to respond confidently and effectively in the event of a threat.”
What is Martyn’s Law About?
This legislation places a new legal duty on venues and event operators to assess terrorism risks, train staff, and put proportionate protection measures in place. Your responsibilities will depend on how many people your premises can hold:
|
Tier |
Threshold |
Example Premises |
|
Standard Tier |
200–799 persons |
Restaurants, schools, places of worship, local theatres |
|
Enhanced Tier |
800+ persons |
Universities, stadiums, transport hubs, festivals, arenas |
What Will You Need to Do?
Depending on your tier, your responsibilities may include:
- Notifying the Security Industry Authority (SIA) of your premises
- Implementing evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, and communication plans
- Training staff in threat awareness and emergency procedures
- Conducting proportionate risk and vulnerability assessments
- Testing plans through exercises and rehearsals
- Reviewing and updating procedures over time
These measures should be tailored, realistic, and reasonably practicable—not one-size-fits-all.
Why Act Now?
Although Martyn’s Law won’t be enforced until April 2027, starting now helps you:
- Spread investment and preparation over time
- Avoid rushed compliance at the last minute
- Build a safety-focused culture
- Reassure staff, service users, and the public
- Demonstrate leadership and due diligence
How Sitemark can help
At Sitemark, we take the complexity of Martyn’s Law and make it practical, clear, and achievable. We support both Standard and Enhanced Tier premises with guidance grounded in real-world experience.
Our Services Include:
- Threshold Assessments
Determine if and how Martyn’s Law applies to your premises - Risk & Vulnerability Assessments
Identify terrorism-related risks and site-specific vulnerabilities - Policy & Procedure Development
Develop or review your plans for evacuation, lockdown, communication, and more - Staff Training & Awareness
Deliver practical training for frontline teams and leadership alike - Testing & Exercising
Run scenario-based drills and tabletop exercises to validate readiness - Ongoing Support & Legislation Updates
Stay ahead of future changes in guidance, enforcement, or reporting procedures
