in this guide

What is Martyn's Law? Who it applies to The two tiers of duty What it means for training

Martyn's Law is the common name for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act, introduced to improve public safety and preparedness at venues and public-facing premises. It's named in memory of Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, and is the result of a long campaign by his family.

What is Martyn's Law?

The Act places a duty on those responsible for certain premises and events to take steps to be better prepared for, and to reduce the harm from, a terrorist attack. After receiving Royal Assent in 2025, it is being introduced with an implementation period (expected to be around two years) to give organisations time to prepare before the duties take full effect — so now is the time to understand where you stand.

Who it applies to

The law is aimed at premises and events that are open to the public and meet certain capacity thresholds — think shops, venues, visitor attractions, places of worship, hospitality and similar. Whether and how it applies depends on how many people your premises can hold at once.

The two tiers of duty

Standard tier — broadly for qualifying premises with a capacity of 200–799 people. The focus is on simple, low-cost "good practice" procedures: things like evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication plans, and making sure staff know them.
Enhanced tier — broadly for premises and events with a capacity of 800+ people. These carry additional duties, including documented measures to reduce vulnerability and the risk of harm, and keeping records.

Exact thresholds and requirements are set out in the legislation and supporting guidance — check the current detail for your premises.

What it means for training

At the heart of Martyn's Law is a simple expectation: your staff should know what to do. That overlaps heavily with the workplace safety culture you may already be building — clear evacuation procedures, confident wardens, and people who can stay calm and direct others in an emergency.

Our fire safety and fire warden training builds exactly those evacuation and crowd-management instincts, and our first aid training prepares staff to respond if people are hurt. If you'd like to talk through how training fits your Martyn's Law preparations, get in touch.

Note: This guide is a general introduction, not legal advice, and the law is being phased in. Always check the latest official guidance (gov.uk / ProtectUK) for the requirements that apply to your specific premises.