Martyn's Law Standard Tier and Enhanced Tier duties explained for UK venues
Which tier applies to your premises, what each one requires and how to show the Security Industry Authority that your people can carry out your procedures.
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, known as Martyn's Law, received Royal Assent in April 2025. It is named after Martyn Hett, who was killed in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017, and it places new legal duties on many publicly accessible premises and events. The Security Industry Authority will regulate it, and an implementation period of at least 24 months applies before the duties take effect. That window is the time to prepare properly rather than rush at the end.
Which tier applies to you
The Act sorts premises by the number of people who may reasonably be expected to be present at the same time. The Standard Tier covers premises and events where 200 to 799 people may be present. The Enhanced Tier covers premises and events where 800 or more people may be present. Some premises, such as places of worship and certain education settings, are treated differently, so check the guidance for your type of site.
What the Standard Tier requires
Standard Tier premises must notify the Security Industry Authority and have appropriate public protection procedures in place. These are the practical steps staff would take if an attack occurred or was suspected, such as evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communicating with the public. The duty focuses on procedures rather than physical measures, which keeps the cost proportionate for smaller venues.
What the Enhanced Tier requires
Enhanced Tier premises and qualifying events carry the Standard Tier duties and more. They must put in place appropriate public protection measures intended to reduce vulnerability to an attack and the risk of harm, document their approach and provide it to the regulator, and designate a senior individual responsible for compliance where the operator is an organisation.
Why staff capability is the real test
In both tiers, procedures only count if staff know them and can carry them out under pressure. A written plan nobody has practised will not protect the public, and it will be difficult to defend to an inspector. Training is the most reliable way to show that your people understand the threat, recognise suspicious behaviour and know what to do.
Matching training to roles
Front-line and customer-facing staff need awareness of attack methods, hostile reconnaissance, reporting and response. The one-day Level 2 Counter Terrorism Awareness course is designed for exactly that group, and in-house delivery for groups of five to sixteen starts from £1,995 including VAT. Supervisors and security leads who design and own procedures benefit from deeper study such as Level 4 Protective Security or the Level 4 CTRM.
Getting started
Begin by confirming your capacity figures and tier, then review whether your procedures are realistic for your site and staffing. Our counter terrorism and Martyn's Law training hub sets out every course by level, and our security and counter terrorism consultancy provides terrorism risk assessments and readiness reviews. For a wider overview of the Act, read what Martyn's Law actually asks of you.
More insights
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