Standard vs enhanced tier
Martyn’s Law has two tiers, set purely by the number of people you can reasonably expect at the same time. The tier decides how much you have to do — so it is worth being clear which side of the line you are on.
Last reviewed: June 2026
| Standard tier | Enhanced tier | |
|---|---|---|
| People reasonably expected at the same time | 200 – 799 (staff included) | 800 or more (staff included) |
| Four public protection procedures | Yes — evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, communication | Yes |
| Public protection measures | Not required | Yes — monitoring, movement, physical safety, security of information (so far as reasonably practicable) |
| Written document provided to the SIA | Not required (but writing procedures down is good practice) | Yes — a document setting out procedures and measures |
| Designated senior individual | Not required | Yes, where the responsible person is an organisation |
| Typical cost | Low — mainly staff time, no mandated equipment | Higher, but proportionate to the venue and its risks |
The standard tier (200–799)
Most in-scope venues sit here: pubs on a match night, mid-size cinemas and theatres, halls running a big event, clubs below the 800 line. The standard tier is deliberately achievable without spending money. It asks for four simple public protection procedures — evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication — that your staff can actually carry out, plus the good sense to write them down and practise them. There is no requirement to buy equipment, hire a consultant or submit anything to the regulator.
The enhanced tier (800+)
Larger venues and qualifying events cross into the enhanced tier. On top of the four procedures, enhanced premises must put in place public protection measures— across monitoring, the movement of people, physical safety and the security of information — so far as reasonably practicable. They must also keep a document setting out their procedures and measures and provide it to the Security Industry Authority, and, where the responsible person is an organisation, name a senior individual responsible for it. The penalty ceilings are higher at the enhanced tier, which is another reason to be sure which side of 800 you are on.
The special cases
A few Schedule 1 uses — places of worship, and childcare and primary, secondary and further education premises — stay in the standard tier even when 800 or more people are expected. Higher education is not treated this way. And an event can qualify in its own right at 800+ with controlled entry, even if the premises themselves would be standard. These edge cases are exactly where the readiness checker earns its keep.
Not sure which side of the line you are on?
Start with the free capacity calculator to find your number, then run the full readiness check for the reasoning and what to do next.
What this is — and what it is not
martynslaw.app is a preparation and document-management tool. It is not legal advice, not official guidance, not official certification, not SIA approval and not a guarantee of compliance. The responsible person must review and approve all documents before use.
martynslaw.app is an independent product. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Home Office, the Security Industry Authority or any other public body. Official sources are cited as sources only.