What Is Martyn’s Law? A Simple Guide For UK Businesses, Venues And Events

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, more commonly known as Martyn’s Law, is one of the most significant changes to public protection and venue safety legislation in recent years.

The legislation has been introduced to improve preparedness against terrorist attacks across publicly accessible premises and qualifying events throughout the UK. It places legal responsibilities on organisations to consider the threat of terrorism, reduce vulnerabilities where reasonably practicable, and improve readiness should an incident occur.

As awareness of the legislation grows, many organisations are now searching for answers to questions such as:

• What is Martyn’s Law?
• Does Martyn’s Law apply to my business?
• What are the requirements under Martyn’s Law?
• What training is available for Martyn’s Law compliance?
• What is the difference between standard duty and enhanced duty premises?

For many employers, venue operators and event organisers, the challenge is not simply understanding the law itself, but understanding what practical action needs to be taken.

This is where structured terrorism awareness and preparedness training is becoming increasingly important.

Why Is It Called Martyn’s Law?

Martyn’s Law is named in memory of Martyn Hett, who was killed alongside 21 others during the Manchester Arena attack in 2017.

The legislation was developed following years of campaigning focused on improving security preparedness and public protection measures at publicly accessible venues and events.

The overall aim is to ensure organisations are better prepared for potential terrorist incidents through proportionate and practical protective measures.

What Is The Purpose Of Martyn’s Law?

The purpose of Martyn’s Law is to improve public safety by ensuring organisations:

• understand terrorism-related risks
• consider vulnerabilities within their premises or events
• implement proportionate protective measures
• improve emergency preparedness
• strengthen communication and response planning
• develop a stronger security culture

Importantly, the legislation is designed around proportionality. The requirements placed on organisations differ depending on the size and nature of the premises or event involved.

This is why the legislation separates premises into different tiers.

What Are Standard Duty And Enhanced Duty Premises?

One of the most important aspects of Martyn’s Law is understanding whether your organisation falls into the standard duty or enhanced duty category.

Standard Duty Premises

Standard duty premises are publicly accessible locations where it is reasonable to expect between 200 and 799 individuals may be present at the same time.

Examples may include:

• hospitality venues
• visitor attractions
• leisure facilities
• public-facing workplaces
• community venues
• entertainment venues
• smaller event spaces

Organisations in this category are expected to take practical and proportionate steps to improve preparedness and public protection.

Enhanced Duty Premises And Events

Enhanced duty premises and qualifying events are locations or events where it is reasonable to expect 800 or more individuals at the same time.

This category is more likely to include:

• large venues
• arenas and stadiums
• major events
• exhibitions
• festivals
• large visitor attractions
• conference venues

Because of the potentially greater consequences of an incident, enhanced duty organisations are expected to implement broader and more detailed preparedness measures.

Does Martyn’s Law Apply To Your Organisation?

Many organisations are currently unsure whether the legislation applies to them.

In practice, the starting point is usually to consider:

• whether the premises is publicly accessible
• expected occupancy levels
• whether qualifying events are hosted
• the nature of public interaction
• how people access and move through the premises

This uncertainty is one reason why searches for terms such as:

• Martyn’s Law training
• counter terrorism training
• terrorism awareness courses
• terrorism preparedness training
• protective security qualifications

have increased significantly.

Many organisations are now looking for practical guidance rather than purely legal interpretation.

What Training Is Available For Martyn’s Law?

To support organisations and professionals, NEBOSH has introduced two specialist qualifications focused on terrorism preparedness and compliance responsibilities under Martyn’s Law.

These qualifications are designed for people responsible for managing publicly accessible premises and events, including:

• health and safety professionals
• facilities managers
• operations managers
• venue managers
• event organisers
• compliance teams
• security leads

NEBOSH National Certificate In Protecting Standard Duty Premises From Terrorism

• understanding terrorism threats
• recognising vulnerabilities
• public protection procedures
• emergency preparedness
• developing a positive security culture
• understanding Martyn’s Law duties

It is intended to provide a practical and proportionate understanding of terrorism preparedness for publicly accessible premises falling within the standard duty threshold.

This qualification is particularly relevant for organisations searching for:

• Martyn’s Law standard duty training
• terrorism awareness qualification
• counter terrorism training for venues
• premises security training
• terrorism preparedness courses

NEBOSH National Certificate In Protecting Enhanced Duty Premises And Events From Terrorism

In addition to the shared core content, it also covers:

• layered protective security measures
• documenting compliance
• business continuity and recovery
• enhanced preparedness planning
• public protection measures for larger venues and events

This qualification is more suitable for organisations dealing with larger-scale public protection responsibilities and more complex operational environments.

It is highly relevant for searches such as:

• Martyn’s Law enhanced duty training
• terrorism compliance training
• event security qualification
• protective security training
• counter terrorism awareness training for events

Why Martyn’s Law Matters For Health And Safety Professionals

One of the most significant developments surrounding Martyn’s Law is the increasing involvement of health and safety professionals in terrorism preparedness planning.

Many of the principles within the legislation align closely with existing health and safety management approaches, including:

• risk assessment
• reasonable practicability
• emergency planning
• communication
• competence
• organisational culture
• continuous improvement

As a result, terrorism preparedness is no longer viewed purely as a specialist security function. It is becoming part of wider organisational resilience and operational risk management.

This is why many health and safety professionals are now exploring counter terrorism awareness training and NEBOSH terrorism qualifications as part of broader competence development.

Preparing For Martyn’s Law Compliance

For organisations beginning to prepare for Martyn’s Law, early action is important.

This may include:

• reviewing occupancy thresholds
• understanding legal responsibilities
• assessing vulnerabilities
• reviewing emergency procedures
• improving staff awareness
• developing protective security arrangements
• considering formal training

While the exact measures required will depend on the nature of the premises or event, preparedness and proportionate planning are central themes throughout the legislation.

Final Thoughts

Martyn’s Law represents a significant shift in how publicly accessible premises and events approach terrorism preparedness and public protection.

For many organisations, the focus is not on becoming security specialists. It is about understanding responsibilities, recognising vulnerabilities, improving preparedness, and taking proportionate steps to help protect people.

As awareness of the legislation continues to grow, qualifications such as the:

• NEBOSH National Certificate in Protecting Standard Duty Premises from Terrorism
• NEBOSH National Certificate in Protecting Enhanced Duty Premises and Events from Terrorism

are likely to become increasingly important for organisations seeking practical understanding and structured approaches to compliance and preparedness.