Plain-English orientation
How Martyn's Law affects venues
Martyn's Law—the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act—introduces duties for qualifying publicly accessible premises and certain events in the UK. The detail matters, and the official guidance is the authority. This page is a plain-English orientation, not a legal interpretation.
Who it is aimed at
Premises and events that the public can access, where a qualifying number of people may reasonably be expected to be present at the same time. Responsibility usually sits with the person or organisation that controls the premises or event.
The two tiers
A standard tier focused on simple, low-cost procedures—such as evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication—and an enhanced tier for larger premises and events, with additional requirements including documented assessment and measures.
Capacity bands used in this tool
We use indicative bands to route enquiries: below 200, 200 to 799, and 800 or more. Bands are a routing aid only; they are not a legal determination and thresholds must be checked against current official guidance.
Education and places of worship
Schools, colleges, childcare and places of worship are treated differently in guidance. We flag these for specialist review rather than relying on capacity alone.
What good readiness looks like
Clear responsibility, simple written procedures staff actually know, practised evacuation and lockdown, sensible communication routes, and a review rhythm when things materially change.
What this service does not do
We do not confirm compliance, issue certificates, or provide legal advice. We help you understand your likely position and prepare practically.
A proportionate path
- 1
Scope: establish whether the premises or event is likely in scope, and at which tier.
- 2
Prepare: gather what you already have—plans, training records, floor layouts.
- 3
Review: walk through arrangements with a specialist and identify factual gaps.
- 4
Act: fix the simple things first, then plan the larger ones with owners and dates.
- 5
Maintain: review annually and after material changes.
Protect Ready is a readiness and scoping service. Results are indicative, based solely on the answers you provide, and must be verified against current official Martyn's Law (Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act) guidance. We do not issue compliance certificates and we do not provide legal advice.