Martyn's Law

Martyn’s Law (The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025)

What the publication of Section 27 Guidance means for your organisation

In April 2026, the Home Office published the Section 27 Statutory Guidance for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, commonly known as Martyn’s Law. This marks a significant step forward in helping organisations understand what the legislation will require in practice and how to prepare in a proportionate and practical way.

Although the Act itself is not yet enforcable, this guidance provides the clearest picture to date of:

  • Who is in scope
  • What responsibilities sit with the “responsible person”
  • What “reasonably practicable” protective security looks like
  • How organisations should begin preparing during the implementation period

At Murfin Consulting, we help organisations move from uncertainty to clarity—without unnecessary cost, complexity, or alarmism.

A brief overview of Martyn’s Law

Martyn’s Law was introduced following the Manchester Arena terrorist attack in 2017 and aims to improve protective security and preparedness across publicly accessible premises and events in the UK

The Act applies across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and introduces a tiered approach based largely on capacity:

Standard Tier

  • Premises and events reasonably expected to host 200–799 people
  • Focus on procedures and preparedness, rather than physical security spend

Enhanced Tier

  • Premises and events with 800+ people
  • Additional requirements to assess vulnerability and take reasonable steps to reduce risk

The guidance makes clear that this is not about turning venues into fortresses—it is about being ready to respond if the worst happens

The four core public protection procedures

The Section 27 guidance places strong emphasis on Public Protection Procedures. All premises and events in scope must be able to plan for and implement:

  • Evacuation – moving people away from danger
  • Invacuation – bringing people into safer internal areas
  • Lockdown – restricting movement to limit harm
  • Communication – providing clear, timely instructions

These procedures are interdependent. The guidance is clear that well‑understood, well‑rehearsed procedures save lives—and they must be realistic for your premises and staff to deliver under pressure

What the guidance makes clear – and what it doesn’t

The Home Office has been explicit that:

  • There is no requirement to comply yet while the Act remains in its implementation period
  • Organisations do not need to purchase products or consultants to be compliant
  • No third‑party providers are endorsed by the Home Office or the SIA

However, the guidance also makes clear that organisations should now be familiarising themselves with the requirements and considering what preparation looks like for them.

This is where measured, competent advice becomes valuable.

How Murfin Consulting supports Martyn’s Law readiness

We don’t sell fear—and we don’t sell off‑the‑shelf solutions.

Murfin Consulting provides practical, proportionate support aligned with the Home Office guidance, designed to fit naturally alongside your existing safety and operational arrangements.

Our Martyn’s Law services include:

Martyn’s Law readiness reviews

  • Clear assessment of whether you are likely to be in scope
  • Identification of standard or enhanced tier expectations
  • Gap analysis against Section 27 guidance

Protective security & preparedness audits

  • Review of current evacuation, lockdown and communication procedures
  • Integration with fire safety, health & safety and business continuity plans
  • Focus on what is reasonably practicable, not theoretical best practice

Staff awareness & tabletop exercises

  • Plain‑English training for managers and front‑line staff
  • Scenario‑based discussions to test procedures
  • Building confidence, not anxiety

Implementation roadmaps

  • Sensible, phased preparation plans
  • No unnecessary spend
  • Documentation that is practical and defensible
Why organisations are acting now

While enforcement is still some time away, the release of the Section 27 guidance removes much of the uncertainty that previously caused organisations to “wait and see”.

Those acting now benefit from:

  • Time to embed procedures properly
  • Avoiding rushed decisions closer to commencement
  • Demonstrating good governance and duty of care

Martyn’s Law is ultimately about people, not paperwork—and preparation is far more effective when done early and calmly.

Martyn’s Law Support for Hospitality & Leisure

Clear, proportionate guidance for venues focused on guest experience

Pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels and leisure venues are commonly within the Standard Tier of Martyn’s Law, meaning the emphasis is firmly on preparedness rather than expensive security measures 3.

The Section 27 guidance recognises that hospitality venues are often:

  • Busy and crowded at peak times
  • Staffed by young or transient workforces
  • Designed for ease of access, not restriction

Key considerations for hospitality venues

  • Staff confidence in responding to incidents
  • Simple, deliverable lockdown and evacuation actions
  • Clear internal communication under pressure
  • Aligning Martyn’s Law with licensing and H&S obligations

How Murfin Consulting helps hospitality businesses

  • Plain‑English protective security audits
  • Review of evacuation, invacuation and lockdown procedures
  • Staff awareness sessions tailored to frontline teams
  • Practical documentation that operators can actually use
  • Avoiding unnecessary spend or disruption to trading

Our approach supports guest safety without damaging atmosphere or revenue.

Martyn’s Law Support for Schools & Education Settings

Practical protective security for schools, trusts and colleges

Schools and education settings are explicitly within the scope of Martyn’s Law, with the Section 27 statutory guidance recognising theunique challenges faced by environments designed to be open, welcoming and child‑centred 1.

For most schools, the focus is not on physical security hardware, but on clear procedures, staff understanding, and calm decision‑making should a serious incident occur.

Key considerations for schools

  • Managing open grounds and multiple access points
  • Balancing safeguarding, fire safety and protective security
  • Ensuring staff understand lockdown, invacuation and communication procedures
  • Avoiding unnecessary anxiety for pupils, staff and parents

How Murfin Consulting helps schools

  • Martyn’s Law readiness reviews aligned to Section 27 guidance
  • Practical review of lockdown and emergency procedures
  • Integration with existing safeguarding and fire plans
  • Staff briefings that build confidence without causing alarm
  • Advice suitable for Ofsted and governors‑level scrutiny

We ensure your arrangements are defensible, proportionate and realistic—without turning schools into high‑security environments.

Martyn’s Law Support for Retail Environments

Supporting shopping centres, high streets and standalone stores

Retail environments—from shopping centres to large standalone stores—are a major focus of Martyn’s Law due to high footfall and open public access 1.

The Section 27 guidance emphasises:

  • Staff preparedness
  • Clear response procedures
  • Proportionate, risk‑based decision‑making

Key considerations for retail settings

  • Managing large numbers of unplanned visitors
  • Multiple entrances and exits
  • Staff turnover and training consistency
  • Realistic lockdown options in open retail spaces

How Murfin Consulting helps retail organisations

  • Martyn’s Law gap analysis for single or multiple sites
  • Advice tailored to retail‑specific layouts and flows
  • Staff guidance that complements existing loss‑prevention practices
  • Sensible planning without disrupting customer experience
  • Clear, auditable documentation for corporate governance

We help retailers demonstrate strong public‑protection arrangements without operational overreach.

Martyn’s Law Support for Local Authorities & Public Sector Bodies

Strategic, defensible preparation across estates and events

Local authorities often sit on both sides of Martyn’s Law:

  • As operators of qualifying premises (libraries, leisure centres, civic buildings)
  • As organisers or permit‑holders for events
  • As strategic leaders responsible for public reassurance

The Section 27 guidance recognises the need for consistency, proportionality and public confidence across public‑sector estates 1.

Key considerations for local authorities

  • Multiple premises with varying risk profiles
  • Public accountability and scrutiny
  • Integration with emergency planning and resilience functions
  • Consistency across departments and contractors

How Murfin Consulting supports local authorities

  • Estate‑wide Martyn’s Law readiness assessments
  • Support for policies, frameworks and implementation plans
  • Alignment with resilience, CONTEST and civil contingencies duties
  • Advice suitable for cabinet reports and audit committees
  • Calm, evidence‑based guidance — not compliance theatre

We support authorities in demonstrating sound governance, public duty and proportional preparedness.

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