Draft statutory guidance for Martyn's Law starts to take shape

The Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) has reported on draft Section 12 statutory guidance for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, better known as Martyn's Law. Section 12 of the Act allows the government to issue guidance to help those responsible for premises understand what will be expected of them. This is a draft, not the final version, so the detail may still change before the duties come into force.

Statutory guidance is the plain-English companion to the law itself. Once finalised, it should help pub landlords, church wardens, hall managers and event organisers work out which tier they fall into and what reasonable steps look like in practice. For now it gives an early sense of direction, but nothing in it is enforceable yet. The duties are expected to begin in spring 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed.

The SLCC represents clerks to local councils, many of whom run community halls, recreation grounds and events. If your council manages premises where 200 or more people may gather at the same time, this guidance is worth watching. The standard tier covers 200 to 799 people; the enhanced tier covers 800 or more, and the count includes staff.

There is no action required today and no need to rush. It is worth reading the draft to get familiar with the likely shape of the final guidance, and to start thinking about how many people your venue can hold at once. Treat anything in a draft as provisional until the finished version is published closer to commencement.