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What is Martyn’s Law?

On 3rd April 2025, the UK Government confirmed a major step forward in safeguarding the public: Martyn’s Law – officially the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 – received Royal Assent.

Named in memory of Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people who tragically lost their lives in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack at the Ariana Grande concert. This legislation is the result of tireless campaigning by his mother, Figen Murray. Following the loss of her son, she has worked relentlessly to drive meaningful change – supported by a personal commitment from the Prime Minister to ensure this legislation was passed swiftly. Martyn’s Law represents a national commitment to enhancing public safety and helping to prevent such tragedies from occurring again.

Martyn’s Law introduces a new legal duty for organisations to assess terrorism risks, strengthen preparedness and implement effective measures to protect people during terror attacks. It responds directly to the findings of the Government inquiry into the Manchester Arena attack and raises the legal bar for public-safety negligence.

Whether your premises welcome hundreds or thousands of people, Martyn’s Law makes it clear: preparation saves lives.

The law provides a 24-month implementation period, giving venues and event organisers time to assess their premises, develop procedures and achieve full compliance by 3rd April 2027.

Who Must Comply?

Martyn’s Law applies to publicly accessible premises and events where people gather, including but not limited to:

  • Entertainment
  • Hospitality
  • Retail
  • Arenas
  • Stadia
  • Sports
  • Arenas
  • Theme parks
  • Attractions
  • Conference centres
  • Hotels
  • Places of worship
  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Gyms
  • Cinemas
  • Bars and restaurants
  • Theatres
  • Nightclubs

Tiered approach based on attendance:

  • Standard Tier: 200–799 people (or reasonably expected)
  • Enhanced Tier: 800+ people (or reasonably expected)

All organisations must ensure the safety of everyone on their premises, with the level of duty determined by the applicable tier.

Roles and Responsibilities

Who is accountable?

  • Responsible Person: Controls the premises/event and ensures compliance (required for Standard Tier)
  • Designated Senior Officer (DSO): Oversees risk assessments, security plans and communications with the regulator (required for Enhanced Tier)
  • Relevant Workers: Staff with responsibilities requiring terrorism-protection training; training is provided on induction and must be renewed every 12 months
  • Collaboration: Where multiple parties control a premises (e.g., owner vs operator), all must cooperate to meet obligations.

What the Law Requires

Standard Tier Duties (200–799 people)

The Responsible Person must, as far as reasonably practicable:

  • Notify the Security Industry Authority (SIA) that they are responsible for the premises.
  • Implement public-protection procedures, including:
    • Evacuation
    • Invacuation (moving people to safer internal spaces)
    • Lockdown procedures
    • Communication/alert protocols
  • Ensure staff are trained and aware of their roles during an incident.

Enhanced Tier Duties (800+ people)

Enhanced Tier premises/events must comply with all Standard Tier duties and appoint a Designated Senior Officer (DSO) to coordinate compliance:

  • Conduct a terrorism risk assessment, identifying threats and mitigation measures
  • Produce, maintain, rehearse and review a security plan to reduce risks and minimise harm
  • Provide terrorism-protection training for relevant workers

These measures reflect the higher risk associated with larger, high-footfall environments.

Regulator & Enforcement

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the regulator responsible for ensuring compliance with Martyn’s Law. Their role is to monitor, support, and, where necessary, enforce the legislation at qualifying public premises and events.

Investigatory Powers

The SIA has a range of powers to check compliance:

  • Information gathering: They can issue a notice requiring persons responsible to provide specified information demonstrating compliance.
  • Entry without a warrant: Inspect premises, observe activity, request documentation, take copies, records or photographs (72 hours’ written notice is required).
  • Entry by warrant: Powers include entry by force (if necessary) and seizure of documents, equipment or other items that may provide evidence of an offence or prevent evidence being concealed or destroyed.
  • Evidence retention: The regulator may retain evidence for as long as necessary to complete the investigation.

It is a criminal offence to:

  • Intentionally obstruct an authorised inspector.
  • Falsely pretend to be an authorised inspector with intent to deceive.
  • Fail to comply with a notice to provide information.

Sanctions for Non-Compliance

Martyn’s Law provides a range of civil and criminal sanctions for organisations that fail to comply:

  • Contravention Notice: Requires the Responsible Person to remedy non-compliance. Failing to comply is a criminal offence.
  • Restriction Notice: Applied to Enhanced Duty premises or public events, restricting use of the premises to protect the public. Non-compliance is a criminal offence.
  • Civil Monetary Penalties:
  • Standard premises: fixed penalty up to £10,000.
  • Enhanced premises or public events: fixed penalty up to £18 million or 5% of worldwide revenue.
  • If payment is not made within 28 days, daily penalties may be applied until compliance is achieved:
    • Up to £500/day for standard premises.
    • Up to 1% of worldwide revenue/day for enhanced premises.

Criminal Offences

Failure to comply with a notice or obstructing an inspector can also result in imprisonment:

  • England & Wales: Term not exceeding the general limit in magistrates’ court.
  • Scotland: Up to 12 months.
  • Northern Ireland: Up to 6 months.

The Government emphasises that enforcement is focused on supporting organisations to comply, but serious breaches that put public safety at risk will trigger these sanctions.

The Critical Role of an Evac+Chair in Martyn’s Law

Emergency preparedness is only effective if everyone can move to safety, including those with reduced mobility or other vulnerabilities.

Martyn’s Law requires organisations to demonstrate that their emergency plans are practical, inclusive and usable in real conditions. This includes people who:

  • Cannot use stairs or have limited mobility for example a wheelchair user.
  • Have temporary impairment for example, illness or late-stage pregnancy.
  • Have an invisible impairment such as sensory, cognitive or medical needs.

Evac+Chair provides the solution:

  • Comprehensive range of evacuation chairs and solutions designed for both ascent and descent.
  • Training courses to equip staff with the skills and confidence to operate equipment safely.
  • Maintenance packages that guarantee ongoing compliance and readiness according to PUWER regulations.
  • Supporting accessories to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

About Evac+Chair

Evac+Chair is the original and world-leading manufacturer of emergency evacuation chairs. With over 40 years of experience, we are the trusted name across education, healthcare, hospitality, stadiums, transport, retail and public services – both in the UK and internationally.

Independently tested and proven to be the safest and fastest method of evacuation, we are committed to ensuring that every person, regardless of mobility, can evacuate safely during an emergency. Made in Britain and built to the highest quality standards, Evac+Chairs are strong yet lightweight, easy to operate and designed to deliver safe, dignified and efficient evacuations.

We support organisations in meeting legislative requirements, including Martyn’s Law, through:

  • Evacuation solutions
  • Training courses
  • Maintenance plans

Trusted across the globe, Evac+Chair provides versatile solutions to suit a variety of staircases, building layouts and personnel needs. Our solutions deliver the performance, confidence and reliability you can count on when every second matters.

Prepare. Protect. Evacuate.

Martyn’s Law marks the biggest shift in public-safety responsibilities in a generation. Evac+Chair ensures your organisation has the equipment, training and support needed to keep people safe and your premises compliant.

Book a complimentary Evacuation Assessment Today!

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