Martyn’s Law is now a reality, and your premises or event could be subject to its new legal requirements. Do you know whether your venue falls within the scope of the legislation, what duties it imposes, and the specific steps required to achieve compliance? These are critical questions every public sector operator and organisation should be addressing today.
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is anticipated to begin enforcing the law as early as April 2027. Crucially, venues subject to Martyn’s Law must be fully compliant before this regulatory enforcement commences.
To ensure these safety duties are met, Martyn’s Law grants the SIA robust enforcement powers. If your premises or event falls short, the financial penalties for non-compliance can be severe: up to £10,000 for Standard Tier venues and up to £18 million or 5% of qualifying worldwide revenue for Enhanced Tier venues.
Achieving compliance is not an overnight task. Accurately determining your scope, assessing your current security procedures, addressing any operational gaps, and thoroughly documenting this process will take considerable time. For those affected by the Act, the window to prepare is now. Acting early provides you the best chance to ensure your premises or event remains secure, compliant, and ready for enforcement without the stress of a last-minute rush.
On 22 May 2017, a terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena tragically claimed the lives of 22 people. The subsequent public inquiry concluded that operators of public-facing venues and events needed to do more to protect individuals on their premises. It recommended that previously optional security practices be mandated by law to establish a baseline standard of public protection.
Following the tireless campaigning of numerous individuals, including Figen Murray, mother of Martyn Hett, after whom the legislation is colloquially named, the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 was officially passed into law in April 2025.
Under Martyn’s Law, premises or events that, among other qualifying criteria, reasonably expect 200 or more people to be present at their premises at the same time (including staff) will be classified as "qualifying premises."
For premises expecting between 200 and 799 individuals (including staff), the venue will fall into the Standard Tier. This means the individual or organisation in control of the premises, legally defined as the "Responsible Person", must notify the SIA of their status. Crucially, you are legally required to establish and maintain four core Public Protection Procedures: evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, and communication.
Do you know whether you have the appropriate public protection procedures in place? What immediate actions you must take to establish them if not? Whether you have gathered and documented all the specific details the SIA will require for your formal notification? Every premises or event affected by the Act should be considering these essential questions today.
A qualifying premises will be classified as an Enhanced Tier premises if it reasonably expects 800 or more people (including staff) to be present at the same time, from time to time. Likewise, if you are hosting a publicly accessible event at a building, on open land, or a combination of both, it will be a qualifying event if it enforces entry controls and reasonably expects 800 or more individuals to be present simultaneously. However, an event cannot be a qualifying event if it takes place at an Enhanced Tier premises, or if it is held at a location excluded under Schedule 2 of the Act.
In addition to Public Protection Procedures, enhanced duty holders must implement "Public Protection Measures." The Act does not prescribe a rigid checklist of specific measures you must implement. Instead, you must implement reasonably practicable measures within four categories (monitoring, physical security, the movement of people, and information security) for your site, balancing the security benefit against the cost and operational impact.
Enhanced duty holders face stricter administrative requirements. If the Responsible Person is an organisation, they must designate a "senior individual" to take responsibility for compliance. Furthermore, you must maintain a formal compliance document. This must include an assessment of how your procedures reduce the risk of physical harm to the public, and how your measures reduce the premises or event’s overall vulnerability to a terrorist attack.
Do you know whether your current security measures are appropriate and where your safety gaps lie? Have you determined what additional measures are "reasonably practicable" for you to address them? Have you documented exactly how your procedures and measures will reduce both the venue's vulnerability to an attack and the risk of harm to the public?
If your premises or event falls into the Enhanced Tier, you should consider addressing these questions today. Taking proactive steps allows you to be prepared for the enforcement of Martyn’s Law.
While navigating these changes can feel daunting, getting started early provides the foundation needed to make the confident decisions necessary for compliance. At United Outcomes, we have a team of specialists from the world of Counter-Terrorism, Police, Security and the Military, that can guide you through the legislation, and make it clear and relevant to your organisation. With vast experience in the Public Sector, we know how important it is to get this right. Visit our website for more information and to get started ahead of the deadline: https://united-outcomes.com
