Home / Martyn's Law
The two tiers, the four procedures, what goes to the regulator and the key dates, checked against official sources. Then an independent review of your own procedures, if you want one.
By Richard G. Prouse, Principal Analyst, Confidential Risk Consulting. Checked against the sources below on 17 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
In short: Martyn's Law, the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, is expected to come into force in spring 2027. Venues and events in the UK where 200 to 799 people are expected must notify the Security Industry Authority (SIA) and have public protection procedures in place. Those expecting 800 or more must also put protective measures in place, document their procedures and measures, and give that document to the SIA.
| Standard tier | Enhanced tier and qualifying events | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | 200 to 799 people reasonably expected at the same time, staff included | 800 or more people |
| Notify the SIA | Yes | Yes |
| Public protection procedures | Yes, so far as reasonably practicable: evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and telling people on site what is happening | Yes |
| Public protection measures | No | Yes: measures that reduce vulnerability and the risk of harm, such as monitoring, controlling movement and physical security |
| Written document given to the SIA | Not required by the Act | Required |
| Senior individual designated | No | Yes, where the responsible person is not an individual |
| Maximum monetary penalty | £10,000 | £18 million or 5% of worldwide revenue, whichever is greater |
Using the SIA templates will be optional. Whatever format you use, the test is the same: could you show the regulator that your procedures were appropriate, known to staff and in place? Once the templates are published, a CRC review checks your procedures against them.
The Act does not require standard tier premises to send a document to the SIA. It does require procedures that are appropriate and in place so far as reasonably practicable. When the regulator, an insurer or an inquest asks how you decided what was reasonable, staff memory is weak evidence and it leaves when people do. A short written procedure, approved, dated and reviewed, is the cheapest proof you will ever have.
Each procedure is scored from 0 to 100 on the Prouse Forensic Index with a prioritised list of fixes. A single-procedure benchmark is US$875, fixed fee, delivered in 5 working days.
It is expected to come into force in spring 2027. The SIA will confirm the exact date beforehand. There is no legal requirement to comply until then.
The Act does not require standard tier premises to give a written document to the SIA. Writing procedures down is still the simplest way to show they were appropriate and in place.
The Security Industry Authority (SIA), through a new regulatory function.
No. It is an independent review of your procedures. Check your obligations with the SIA's guidance or a lawyer.
Twenty minutes, no cost. Tell me which procedures you are responsible for and I will tell you whether an audit would help, and what it would involve.
Or email richard@confidentialriskconsulting.com
Confidential Risk Consulting