Government Publishes Help to Work Out If Martyn's Law Applies to You
Published
GOV.UK has released material to help those running premises and events check whether they fall within Martyn's Law and understand the duties that will follow. The duties are not yet in force.
What happened
The government has published official material on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, better known as Martyn's Law. The aim is to help the people responsible for premises and events work out whether their place falls within the scope of the legislation, and what complying with the legal duties will involve once they begin.
What it means for venues
This is a chance to find out early where you stand. The Act splits premises into two tiers based on how many people may reasonably be expected at the same time, including staff. The standard tier covers 200 to 799 people; the enhanced tier covers 800 or more. Pubs, churches, halls, cinemas and event spaces can use the material to see which tier, if any, might apply to them.
Remember the timing
The duties are not enforceable yet. Royal Assent was given on 3 April 2025, but commencement is expected in spring 2027, and the exact date is still to be confirmed. The SIA, which will act as regulator, has not yet opened its notification process. There is time to read, plan and prepare calmly.
What to do now
Have a look at the published material and make an honest estimate of your maximum expected capacity, counting staff as well as visitors. Knowing your likely tier early makes the rest of your preparation simpler. Keep your figures and notes handy so you can revisit them as more detail is confirmed.
This is our plain-English summary. Read the original in full at GOV.UK.