This week in Martyn's Law

Several recent items focus on the Security Industry Authority, which will act as the regulator for Martyn's Law. The published material sets out what that new regulatory role will involve and how the SIA expects to work with premises. There is also a profile of Debbie Bartlett OBE, reflecting the people building this side of the work. For venues, the takeaway is simple: get to know who the regulator is and how it intends to operate. The notification process is not yet live, so there is nothing to submit now. This is background to absorb, not action to rush.

The SIA's consultation on its Martyn's Law guidance has now closed, and guidance has been published to help businesses understand what is coming. This is a good moment to read the available material and see how it maps to your premises. Remember the tiers: standard covers places where 200 to 799 people may reasonably be expected at once, and enhanced covers 800 or more, with staff included in the count. Working out which tier likely applies to you is a sensible early step in your preparation.

One of the updates looks ahead at the next stages and how organisations can take part. The picture is still developing, so expect further detail before anything is settled. Use this time to follow the official channels, keep notes on how your venue counts capacity, and start thinking about who would lead on readiness internally. None of this is enforceable yet, so treat it as familiarisation rather than compliance.

The underlying law is the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. The duties are not in force yet. Commencement is expected in spring 2027, and the exact date is still to be confirmed. That gives venues a real runway. The calm approach is to learn the basics now, watch for the confirmed date, and build your understanding steadily — rather than waiting for a last-minute scramble.

GOV.UK: SIA’s consultation on its Martyn's Law guidance closes https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sias-consultation-on-its-martyns-law-guidance-closes

GOV.UK: Martyn's Law and the SIA's role as regulator https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/martyns-law-and-the-sias-role-as-regulator

GOV.UK: Martyn's Law: what comes next and how to get involved https://www.gov.uk/government/news/martyns-law-what-comes-next-and-how-to-get-involved

GOV.UK: Martyn's Law: the SIA's new regulatory role https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/martyns-law-the-sias-new-regulatory-role

GOV.UK: The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025

GOV.UK: Martyn's Law: guidance, consultation and progress https://www.gov.uk/government/news/martyns-law-guidance-consultation-and-progress

GOV.UK: Debbie Bartlett OBE https://www.gov.uk/government/people/debbie-bartlett

GOV.UK: Martyn's Law guidance published to help businesses https://www.gov.uk/government/news/martyns-law-guidance-published-to-help-businesses