Local government voices weigh in on getting ready for Martyn's Law

The Local Government Chronicle has published a piece by Laura Gibb on preparing for Martyn's Law, the everyday name for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. It reflects the wider effort across local government and the public sector to understand the new duties before they take effect. Councils run and oversee many of the premises the law will touch, from halls and leisure centres to events on public land.

The duties are not in force yet. Commencement is expected in spring 2027, and the exact date is still to be confirmed. Coverage like this is a sign that the people who manage local venues are already thinking ahead, which is sensible. Standard tier covers premises where 200 to 799 people may reasonably be expected at once; enhanced tier covers 800 or more. The count includes staff.

If your venue sits within a council estate, or you hire council-owned spaces, expect questions about your own preparation to come up. The more familiar you are now with how many people your premises can hold and how you would respond in an emergency, the easier those conversations will be later.

Treat this as a prompt, not a deadline. Work out which tier your premises is likely to fall into, based on realistic attendance including staff. Note who is responsible for your building and how you would communicate with people during an incident. There is nothing to file yet; the Security Industry Authority's notification process is not live. Keep an eye out for official guidance as it appears.