News Update 

Martyn’s Law: What Businesses Need to Know

Martyn’s Law – officially the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 – is new UK legislation designed to improve public safety by ensuring certain venues and events that welcome members of the public are better prepared to respond to a terrorist incident. The law was passed on 3rd April 2025 and is now in a minimum 24-month implementation period, meaning requirements are unlikely to become enforceable before mid-2027.

Why Was Martyn’s Law Created?

Martyn’s Law follows the Manchester Arena Inquiry Reports and aims to create more consistent, proportionate public safety measures across the UK. The Government’s goal is to improve preparedness without imposing disproportionate burdens on organisations.

It’s core aims are to:

• Improve how prepared venues are for major incidents
• Reduce harm and save lives
• Encourage proportionate, practical planning rather than intensive security measures

Does Martyn’s Law Apply to My Business?

This can be an area of misunderstanding – so let’s keep it simple.

Martyn’s Law applies only if your premises or event meets one of these capacity thresholds:

• Standard Tier: 200 – 799 people expected at any one time
• Enhanced Tier: 800+ people expected at any one time

What This Means for Businesses

Most small shops, cafes, salons, pubs, restaurants, food trucks, and micro-venues will fall below the 200-person capacity and therefore will not have legal duties under Martyn’s Law.

However, larger venues – such as busy pubs, markets, leisure centres, sizeable office buildings, shopping centres, and event spaces – may be in scope.

What Will I Need to Do?

Your legal responsibilities depend on which tier you fall into.

Here are the confirmed duties for Standard Tier:

You must:

• Register your premises with the regulator – The Security Industry Authority (SIA)
• Establish basic, low-cost safety procedures, including:
  – Evacuation
  – Invacuation (moving people to a safer place inside)
  – Lockdown
  – Communication procedures for alerting staff and customers

Importantly: there is NO requirement for physical security measures in the Standard Tier.

For Enhanced Tier:

In addition to Standard Tier steps, you must:

• Consider and implement appropriate measures to reduce vulnerability, such as:
  – Monitoring (e.g. CCTV)
  – Movement control
  – Bag checks
  – Physical security
• Document your plans
• Appoint a responsible person

Do I Need to Act Now?

Legal duties won’t apply immediately while the law is phased in, but it’s sensible to start preparing by:

• Reviewing your current emergency plans
• Thinking about how people access and move through your site
• Ensuring staff understand basic emergency procedures

Small, practical steps now can avoid a last-minute rush once duties become enforceable.

Where Are We Now?

• The law is passed (April 2025)
• There is a minimum 24-month implementation period
• Duties are unlikely to become enforceable before mid-2027
• Home Office and SIA guidance are being developed and will be released between 2025-2027.

In Simple Terms: What You Need to Know

If your business hosts fewer than 200 people at once:

• You will not have legal obligations under Martyn’s Law
• But improving general emergency preparedness is still good practice

If your business has capacity for 200+ people:

• You will have legal duties – but not until 2027.

Regardless of size, it’s sensible to:

• Review your emergency and evacuation procedures
• Improve staff awareness
• Understand your capacity and whether you may be in scope

You don’t need to do everything at once – but doing nothing is not an option.

All information above is fact-checked as of 30th March 2026.