Now You Can See the Standard
Martyn's Law: The Statutory Guidance Is Out
The document the Martyn's Law regime was waiting for now exists. On 15 April 2026 the Home Office published its statutory guidance under the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. This is the guidance section 27 obliged the Home Secretary to produce as of 10 April. The document followed within the week.
What the guidance covers
It names who's responsible for a qualifying premises, explains how to judge scope, lists the four procedures a standard-tier site will need once the duties commence (evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, communication), describes the heavier measures an enhanced-tier site will take on, and explains what complying will involve. If you've been guessing what "appropriate" means, you now have a reference. Our 200-person threshold briefing covers which tier, if any, you'd fall into.
Nothing is enforceable yet
Your premises has no Martyn's Law duties today. The procedures aren't legally required, nobody from the SIA will inspect under Martyn's Law, and there are no penalties to face. Operator duties won't commence before Spring 2027.
One clock has just run out, though. The SIA's draft enforcement guidance, proposing how they will use inspections, notices and penalties, was open for comment until 11:59pm on 12 June 2026. The SIA plans to publish the final guidance and consultation report in autumn 2026. Our SIA inspection briefing tracks what the draft says and the questions that need checking against the final version.
Where to start
Read the scope chapters, establish your tier, and sketch out your four procedures before any compliance deadline exists. Keep a dated note of the assumptions behind your headcount, especially if your calculations come out near the 200 or 800 thresholds. And ignore anyone selling a "Martyn's Law certified" package: the SIA, Home Office and ProtectUK endorse no third-party product that claims to make you compliant, and the standard tier is built to be met without one.
Our Martyn's Law overview has the duties, tiers, and timeline in detail.
This alert is based on sources available at publication and is for general information only. It doesn't constitute legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, consult a qualified professional.
Martyn's Law is coming. Have your records ready.
Martyn's Law for UK premises: find your tier, set up evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication procedures, train staff, and keep the evidence.