Official Martyn's Law guidance has now been published

Guidance relating to Martyn's Law — the everyday name for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 — has been published, as reported by Counter Terror Business. The Act received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025, and material like this is intended to help premises understand the framework ahead of time. The duties themselves are not yet in force.

If you run a pub, church, hall, cinema or event space, this is a useful moment to start reading up. The published guidance is background to help you familiarise yourself with the two tiers: standard, for places where 200 to 799 people may be expected at once, and enhanced, for 800 or more. Remember the headcount includes staff. Nothing is enforceable today, so there is no need to rush.

Commencement of the duties is expected in spring 2027, though the exact date has not yet been confirmed. The Security Industry Authority will be the regulator, and its notification process is not yet live. That gives operators a reasonable window to prepare calmly.

Work out roughly how many people your premises can hold at once, including staff, so you know which tier you are likely to fall into. Take time to read the official guidance when you can, and keep an eye out for updates as the commencement date and SIA process are confirmed. This is about steady preparation, not last-minute panic.