Martyn's Law Is Coming, But Don't Pay for Compliance That Doesn't Exist Yet
David Dixon / Floral Tribute at Victoria Station
On 22 May 2017, a terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena claimed the lives of 22 people. One of them was Martyn Hett. In the years that followed, Martyn's mother, Figen Murray, campaigned for legislation that would require publicly accessible venues to take meaningful steps to protect people from terrorism.
That campaign ultimately became Martyn's Law.
Formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, the legislation received Royal Assent in April 2025. It introduces mandatory obligations for venues and events above certain capacity thresholds, and it represents a significant shift in how the UK approaches public safety.
So, what does Martyn's Law actually require?
In short, the Act creates a tiered system of security obligations based on venue capacity:
Standard Duty applies to premises where 200 to 799 people can reasonably be expected to be present at the same time. These venues will need to have public protection procedures in place (things like evacuation plans, lockdown measures, and staff training) and engage with counterterrorism training programmes.
Enhanced Duty applies to premises with a capacity of 800 or more, and to qualifying events. On top of the standard measures, these venues will need to carry out detailed risk assessments, develop comprehensive security plans, implement physical security measures, and appoint a designated senior individual to oversee compliance.
The regulator overseeing all of this will be the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
Penalties for non-compliance are steep: fines of up to £18 million (or 5% of worldwide revenue), daily penalties of up to £50,000, and restriction notices that could limit a venue's ability to operate. These are serious numbers, and understandably, they have caught people's attention.
Here is the issue
We have started to see firms marketing "Martyn's Law compliance" packages, consultancy services, and products that claim to guarantee your venue will meet the requirements of the Act.
On the surface, that sounds perfectly reasonable. The law is coming; surely it makes sense to get ahead of it?
The trouble is, nobody can credibly offer you compliance right now. Here is why:
The law will not come into force until at least April 2027. There is a minimum two-year implementation period built in from Royal Assent.
The Home Office statutory guidance, which will explain how the Act works in practice, has not been published yet.
The SIA's own Section 12 guidance (which will set out how they intend to carry out their regulatory functions) has not been published yet either. It is still to go out for public consultation.
Without either of those documents, no one (including the firms selling you compliance) actually knows what "compliant" looks like in practice.
And this is not just our observation. On 5 March 2026, Laura Gibb, the SIA's Executive Director for Martyn's Law, said the following:
"We are increasingly hearing that people are being encouraged to buy specific products, consultancy advice or services now claiming to ensure or guarantee future Martyn's Law compliance. At this stage, that is very unlikely to be a wise investment."
That is the regulator themselves telling venues to hold off.
Why one-size-fits-all solutions are unlikely to work
The Act requires measures to be in place only as far as is "reasonably practicable." What that looks like will vary enormously depending on the type of venue, its size, its layout, its location, and the nature of the events it hosts.
A village hall that occasionally hits 200 attendees is a very different proposition to a conference centre running multi-day events for thousands of people. Any product or service that is not informed by the official guidance and the specific circumstances of your venue may not actually help you when the time comes.
What you can do right now (without spending a penny)
None of this means you should sit on your hands. There are practical, sensible steps you can take today that will put you in a stronger position once the guidance lands:
Familiarise yourself with the legislation. Read the Act and check whether your premises or events are likely to fall within scope. The Home Office factsheets are a good starting point.
Use the free official resources. The ProtectUK website is packed with technical guidance on protective security, and the Home Office has published a myth buster specifically about Martyn's Law.
Review your existing security measures. Look at your current emergency response plans, evacuation procedures, and staff training. You may already be doing more than you realise.
Train your staff on basic security awareness. Situational awareness and knowing how to respond in a crisis are valuable regardless of legislation.
Wait for the official guidance before committing budget. Once the Home Office and SIA publish their respective guidance documents, you will be in a far better position to understand exactly what is expected and invest accordingly.
Keep an eye on the SIA's Section 12 consultation. When it goes live, take part. It is your chance to shape how the regulation is applied.
It is also worth mentioning that the SIA has committed to taking a proportionate and supportive approach to enforcement.
They have acknowledged that not every venue will be fully compliant on day one, and their strategy will be guided by risk, directing resources where they can have the greatest impact. They are bound by the Regulators' Code, which requires proportionality, consistency, and accountability.
This is not a regulator looking to catch people out. It is one that wants to help venues get it right.
Martyn's Law exists for an important reason, and the intent behind it is something we should all support. Keeping people safe in public spaces matters.
But the best way to honour that intent is to prepare thoughtfully, using authoritative and official sources, rather than handing money to firms selling answers that do not exist yet. The guidance is coming. When it arrives, you will be able to make informed decisions about what your venue genuinely needs.
Until then, lean on the free resources, review what you already have in place, and keep an eye on the official channels.