Are your premises ready for Martyn’s Law?
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (the “Act”) – also known as Martyn’s Law, received Royal Assent on 3 April. The aim of the Act is to ensure that certain premises and events are better prepared to respond to terrorist attacks.
Although the law will not come into force for another two years, it has been introduced now to give property owners time to plan ahead and prepare for the new requirements.
The Act will affect a wide range of properties. To help you understand what it means for you, we’ve outlined the key points below.
Preparing for Martyn’s Law
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, also known as Martyn’s Law, aims to ensure certain premises and events are better prepared to respond to terrorist attacks. Are your premises ready?
Download our PDF factsheetWhich properties will be affected?
The Act applies to a variety of premises where a large number of people could be expected. This includes shopping centres, large retail units, restaurants, entertainment and leisure venues including theatres, cinemas and live music venues, hotels, health care settings and schools.
What are the requirements?
The Act sets out a tiered system based on how many people are reasonably expected to be at a property or event at the same time. What’s required depends on whether the property is classed as a standard duty premises or an enhanced duty premises.
Standard Duty Premises
These are premises where it’s reasonable to expect that between 200 and 799 people (including staff) might be present at the same time, at least occasionally.
Standard duty premises must have appropriate and reasonably practical procedures in place designed to reduce the risk of physical harm to those in the premises in the event of a terrorist attack. Examples include evacuation strategies, locking down premises and methods for communicating with those on the premises.
The procedures are expected to be simple, low-cost activities that staff are aware of and able to enact and there is no requirement to physically alter the premises.
Enhanced Duty Premises
These are premises, or ticketed events, where it’s reasonable to expect that 800 or more people (including staff) might be present at the same time, at least occasionally.
Enhanced duty premises are subject to additional requirements and must also have in place measures to reduce their vulnerability to a terrorist attack and to prevent harm in the event of a terrorist attack. Examples include monitoring of the premises and its immediate vicinity which could include CCTV and security controls, measures controlling those entering or leaving such as security scanners and bag searches and installing bollards to stop hostile vehicles.
The person responsible for enhanced duty premises must document these measures and assess how they are expected to reduce risk.
Who is responsible?
The person or organisation in control of the premises is responsible for ensuring compliance. If the premises are controlled by an organisation, a senior individual must be appointed to ensure the relevant requirements are met.
What do I need to do?
Although the law won’t take effect until at least April 2027, now is the time to start preparing. The government has expressly said that the Act has been introduced now to give property owners time to plan.
If you own a property which may fall within the scope of the Act, you should start considering what steps may be needed to prepare. The government will be issuing further guidance to help property owners understand the requirements.
If you’re in the process of acquiring a property that could be affected, you should also consider the costs and steps that may be needed to prepare the property for the Act, and you should ask the seller what preparations they’ve made.
If you would like more information about the Act or its possible implications for your property, we’d be happy to help – please do get in touch with us.
This note reflects the law as at 11 June 2025.