Martyn's Law
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025
'Martyn's Law' refers to the 'Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025' which received Royal Assent on the 3 April 2025.
The law is named after Martyn Hett who tragically died in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017. Determined to see greater protection for public spaces, Martyn's mother campaigned tirelessly for better safeguards for the public against the threat of terrorism at public venues and events.
Martyn's Law will be implemented over the next two years, allowing time for those who are responsible for premises and events to understand what is required. You can read about the law and what it does in the Home Office Martyn's Law factsheet
Premises and venues
If you expect over 200 people to attend your premises simultaneously, your venue will come under Martyn's Law.
Martyn's Law classes premises into 'Standard duty premises' and 'enhanced duty premises'.
Learn more
You can learn more by going to * Protect UK where you will find a helpful summary of Martyn's Law. Protect UK also provide a more indepth 'overview and what you need to know' including a helpful video and useful questions and answers.
Martyn's Law and fire safety
When putting public protection procedures in place to protect the public and venue such as enhanced security measures, please remember to consider what effect this may have on your fire safety strategies, for example additional security fencing and barriers/bollards interfering with means of escape.
You will need to consider the effect of these additional public protection measures in your fire risk assessment, which must be carried out to determine the impact they will have on the fire safety of your venue. This will particularly apply to small-medium places of assembly for up to 300 people, large places of assembly for over 300 people, or if you are organising an event where you anticipate at least 200 people will be present. For further guidance see below ...
Small and medium places - up to 300 people
Guidance for premises where 300 or less people can assemble, for example public houses, clubs, dance halls/schools, village halls, community centres, and more
Large places of assembly - over 300 people
Guidance for premises where over 300 people can assemble, for example sports stadia, swimming pools, large nightclubs and pubs, churches, conference centres, and more
Event Safety for organisers
If you are organising a public event, or own the property where a public event is taking place, you have a legal duty to ensure the safety of the public. Learn more on our dedicated page.
Responsible Persons
Standard tier premises
Responsible persons (RPs) for standard tier venues (200-799 people present at the premises) must 'notify the Security Industry Authority (SIA) that they are responsible for their premises'. They must also 'have in place, so far as is reasonably practicable, appropriate public protection procedures that could be reasonably expected to reduce the risk of physical harm being caused to individuals if an attach was to occur there or nearby'.
Enhanced tier premises and qualifying events
RPs for enhanced tier premises (more than 800 persons present at the same time from time to time) must:
notify the SIA that they are responsible for the premises or event.
They must also - so far as is reasonably practicable - have in place:
'appropriate protection procedures that could be expected to reduce th risk of physical harm being caused to individuals if an attack was to occur there or nearby'*
'appropriate measures that could reasonably be expected to reduce both the vulnerability of the premises or event to an act of terrorism occurring, and the risk of physical harm being caused to individuals if an attack was to occur there or nearby'
and 'document the public protection procedures and measures in place, or proposed to be put in place, and provide this document to the SIA'.*
Please see the *Security Industry Authority Guidance 'Martyn's Law: the SIA's new regulatory role' for further information