What is Martyn's Law?
Martyn's Law is the popular name for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. It is named after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena bombing in May 2017.
The Act creates a new legal duty for venues and premises to take steps to protect the public from terrorist attacks. It applies to any premises that are open to the public and have a capacity of 200 or more people.
For village halls and community centres, this means that if your venue can hold 200 or more people at any one time, you will need to have documented public protection procedures in place.
When does it come into force?
The Act received Royal Assent in 2025. The government has confirmed that enforcement will begin approximately 24 months after Royal Assent, which means venues must be compliant by approximately April 2027.
This is approximately when the Security Industry Authority (SIA) will begin enforcing compliance. Venues that have not met their obligations by this date could face penalties.
We recommend starting your preparations now. The sooner you understand your obligations, the more time you have to put the right procedures in place without rushing.
Does it affect my village hall?
The Act applies to premises that are open to the public and have a qualifying capacity of 200 or more people. Here's how to work out if your hall is in scope:
Your hall is not currently in scope for Martyn's Law. However, it is still good practice to have basic public protection procedures in place.
Your hall is in scope. You will need to meet the requirements of the Standard Tier (or Enhanced Tier if capacity is 800+).
The capacity figure refers to the maximum number of people who can be present at the premises at any one time (not just seated capacity). This includes:
- The total capacity across all rooms and areas open to the public
- Standing and seated capacity combined
- Staff, volunteers and hirers are included in the count
- Outdoor areas accessible to the public may also count
The two tiers
The Act creates two tiers of requirements based on the capacity of your venue:
200 – 799 people
Most village halls and community centres will fall into this tier.
- Documented public protection procedures
- Evacuation and lockdown plans
- Basic counter-terrorism awareness for staff/volunteers
- Notify the SIA that you are in scope
800+ people
Larger venues such as concert halls, major sports pavilions, or large conference centres.
- All Standard Tier requirements, plus:
- Formal terrorism risk assessment
- A designated senior responsible person
- Physical security measures
- Annual review and update cycle
What do I need to do?
If your village hall has a capacity of 200 or more, here are the key steps you should take:
Determine your capacity
Work out the maximum number of people who can be in your venue at any one time, across all rooms and areas accessible to the public. Check your fire risk assessment — it may already contain this figure.
Document your procedures
Write down your public protection procedures. This should include evacuation plans, lockdown procedures, and how you'd communicate with the public during an incident. You don't need to be a security expert — common-sense measures are what's required.
Train your volunteers
All regular volunteers and staff should have a basic understanding of counter-terrorism awareness. The government provides free e-learning through ACT Awareness that takes about 45 minutes to complete.
Notify the SIA
You will need to notify the Security Industry Authority (SIA) that your premises falls within scope of the Act. The SIA will provide an online notification process closer to the enforcement date.
Set a review date
Your procedures should be reviewed regularly — at least annually, or after any significant changes to your venue or how it operates.
Free resources
The government and security agencies provide free resources to help you prepare:
ACT Awareness e-Learning
Free online counter-terrorism awareness training. Takes about 45 minutes and is designed for anyone working or volunteering at a public venue.
ProtectUK
The official government platform for counter-terrorism protective security guidance, including specific advice for community venues.
Security Industry Authority (SIA)
The government body responsible for regulating the private security industry and enforcing Martyn's Law.
Home Office Guidance
Official guidance documents from the Home Office on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025.
How Village Hall Hub helps
Our Martyn's Law wizard is built into Village Hall Hub's Standard and Professional plans. It walks you through every step in plain English — no jargon, no legal fees.
We help you work out your venue's qualifying capacity with a simple guided questionnaire.
Five clear steps from capacity check to SIA notification. Complete them at your own pace.
Pre-written procedure templates for evacuation, lockdown, and communication plans that you can adapt to your hall.
Track which volunteers have completed ACT Awareness training and send reminders to those who haven't.
Clear guidance on how and when to notify the SIA, with tracking to confirm it's been done.
Automatic reminders to review your procedures annually or when changes occur.
See your Martyn's Law compliance status at a glance alongside all your other compliance requirements.