Martyn's Law in 2026: What UK Businesses Must Do as the Final Guidance Lands

What is Martyn's Law?

Martyn's Law is the common name for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. It is named after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, following a long campaign by his mother, Figen Murray.

The Act places a legal duty on those responsible for certain publicly accessible premises and events to take steps to reduce the risk of harm in the event of a terrorist attack — and to be better prepared to respond if one occurs. In short, it asks venues to think ahead about how they would protect the public, and to put simple, proportionate procedures in place. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) will act as the regulator, with powers to inspect, advise and, where necessary, enforce.

What Actually Changed in Spring 2026

Two pieces of statutory guidance moved the Act from principle towards practice, both published on 15 April 2026:

• The Home Office published its section 27 guidance, which sets out what duty-holders must actually do to comply with the Act.
• The SIA launched a consultation on its draft section 12 guidance, which explains how the SIA intends to exercise its functions as the regulator. That consultation closed on 12 June 2026.

Together, these documents answer the two questions every business has been asking: what do we have to do? and how will we be held to it? With the consultation period now over, the SIA will finalise its approach — meaning the regulatory picture is clearer than at any point since the Act passed.

Who Does Martyn's Law Affect?

The Act uses a tiered approach based on how many people are reasonably expected to be present at the same time. Crucially, the test is what it is reasonable to expect — not the maximum figure printed on a fire certificate.

Standard tier — 200 to 799 people

These premises must put in place straightforward public protection procedures: practical steps staff can take to reduce the risk of harm. No physical alterations or paid security are required at this tier — the focus is on planning and training.

Enhanced tier — 800 or more people

Larger venues must do more. On top of procedures, they must put in place public protection measures, document their assessment, designate a senior individual responsible for compliance, and notify the SIA.

This sweeps in far more than concert arenas. Standard-tier duties are designed for everyday settings:

If your business sits in hospitality, retail, education or community services, there is a good chance Martyn's Law will apply to at least one of your sites.

The Four Behaviours at the Heart of the Procedures

For standard-tier premises, the guidance focuses on four simple things your team should be ready to do in the event of an attack. You do not need expensive equipment to plan for them:

• Evacuate — getting people out of the premises safely.
• Move to safety inside (invacuation) — bringing people to a safer place within the premises where leaving is not the safest option.
• Lock down — securing doors, barriers and other access points to restrict an attacker's movement.
• Communicate — alerting staff and the public quickly and clearly so they know what to do.

What Businesses Should Do Now

The duties are not yet in force, but the preparation a sensible operator does today is exactly what the guidance asks for. Four practical priorities:

Where ProPolicyForge Fits In

Martyn's Law is one more obligation layered onto an already crowded compliance landscape — CQC for care providers, HSE for workplaces, FSA for food businesses, Ofsted for childcare. The common thread is documentation: clear, current, regulation-aligned policies and procedures you can produce on demand.

That is exactly what ProPolicyForge is built for. Our generator produces policies aligned to the relevant UK framework for your sector, so you are not starting from a blank page or trusting a generic template an inspector will see straight through. You can browse the full document library to see what is available for your sector, and compare plans on our pricing page as your obligations grow.