Explainer
Martyn's Law, explained
A plain-English guide to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. This is general information, not legal advice — see the disclaimer at the bottom.
What is Martyn's Law? +−
Martyn's Law is the common name for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. It's
named after Martyn Hett, who was killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack. The Act
requires certain premises — including bars, nightclubs, restaurants and event
spaces — to put in place measures to reduce the risk to the public from a terrorist
attack, and to improve preparedness if one happens.
Who does it apply to, and what are the tiers? +−
It applies based on the maximum number of individuals reasonably expected to be present at the premises at once:
- Below 200 — out of scope, no duties under the Act.
- 200–799 (Standard tier) — basic, low-cost procedures: staff training on recognising suspicious behaviour, and a plan for evacuation, invacuation and lockdown.
- 800+ (Enhanced tier) — more robust measures, including a documented security plan and a named senior responsible individual.
Use our free tier checker to get an indication for your venue.
When does it come into force? +−
The Act received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. The Government committed to an
implementation period of at least 24 months before duties come into force, with
enforcement expected from spring 2027. There's no legal requirement to comply until then,
but venues are encouraged to start preparing during the implementation period.
What do I need to do now? +−
Nothing is legally required yet, but getting ahead of the implementation date makes
the transition easier: work out which tier your venue is likely to fall into, write or
gather your procedures (evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, communication), and get staff
trained and briefed. Safegrd is built to track exactly that.
Does using Safegrd make my venue legally compliant? +−
No. Safegrd is a record-keeping and workflow tool that helps you track staff training,
procedures, and readiness — it doesn't provide legal advice and using it doesn't by
itself guarantee compliance. Duty holders are responsible for their own legal obligations
and should refer to official Home Office / SIA guidance, and seek independent legal advice
where needed.
What is ACT Awareness e-Learning? +−
ACT (Action Counters Terrorism) Awareness e-Learning is a free national counter-terrorism
training course produced by Counter Terrorism Policing, covering how to recognise and
respond to suspicious behaviour. It's hosted on
ProtectUK
and is a natural fit alongside venue-specific procedure training — every Safegrd
checklist includes it as a standard item.
Where can I find official guidance? +−
The definitive source is the Home Office's published guidance on
gov.uk,
alongside ProtectUK's Martyn's Law hub.
Always treat those as authoritative over anything on this site.
This page is general information for UK hospitality venues, not legal advice, and may not
reflect the latest guidance. Safegrd is not affiliated with the Home Office, ProtectUK, or
Counter Terrorism Policing.