Martyn’s Law is the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. It is part of the UK government’s strategy to strengthen the security of public venues and events, aiming to ensure that such premises are better prepared for, and able to respond to, terrorist threats.
The Act is named in honour of Martyn Hett, who tragically lost his life in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017. It has been driven by the tireless campaigning of his mother, Figen Murray, who has worked to ensure that lessons are learned and lasting protections are put in place.
The government intends an implementation period of at least 24 months before the Act comes into force, so it is essential that school leaders understand its implications—both in terms of legal duties and the wider responsibility to safeguard pupils, staff, and visitors.
Update, October 2026: where things stand
Added 13 October 2026 from the Home Office's statutory guidance (first published 15 April 2026; corrected version August 2026).
- Not yet in force. The duties on premises have not been commenced. Only section 27 (the power to issue the guidance, from 10 April 2026) and parts of sections 12 and 18 (Security Industry Authority guidance and advice, and a revenue statement, from 15 June 2026, SI 2026/622) are in force. The Home Office says "Further details will be provided on when the substantive requirements of the Act itself will be commenced" (para 1.1). There is no legal requirement to comply until then, but those in scope are expected to prepare (para 2.10).
- Schools are standard tier. Premises used for childcare or primary, secondary or further education that can reasonably expect 200 or more people at the same time are in the standard tier, even at 800 or more (para 4.38); events at a school cannot be qualifying events (para 5.31).
- Responsible person. In the guidance's secondary school example, the responsible person is the governing body, and responsibility cannot be passed to an outside organisation that hires the site (example after para 5.31).
- What the standard tier requires. Notify the Security Industry Authority when you become (or stop being) responsible; timescales and details will be set by regulations (para 7.64). Have public protection procedures for evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication (paras 7.4 to 7.62).
- Penalties. The maximum non-compliance penalty for standard tier premises is £10,000 (£5,000 for failing to attend an interview) (para 9.14).
What Does Martyn’s Law Mean for Schools?
Martyn’s Law introduces a tiered approach based on the nature of the activity and the number of people reasonably expected to be present at any one time.
The law identifies two key tiers of duty:
Standard Duty
Applies to premises where 200 to 799 individuals are reasonably expected to be present. Key requirements include:
- Notifying the regulator that the premises fall within the scope of the legislation.
- Implementing appropriate and reasonably practicable public protection procedures, such as:
- Evacuation, invacuation, and lockdown plans.
- Clear communication strategies for those on site during an incident.
There is no requirement under standard duty to implement physical security infrastructure.
Enhanced Duty
Applies where 800 or more individuals are expected. Early years, primary, secondary and further education premises have a special consideration: they stay in the standard tier even if they expect 800 or more people, so enhanced duty requirements do not apply to schools.
Key Implications for School Leadership
For many schools—especially larger ones—these new duties will have operational, procedural, and strategic implications.
Risk Assessment and Emergency Planning
School leaders will need to review and, where necessary, revise emergency procedures to include specific threats such as terrorist attacks. Plans should incorporate controlled evacuation, invacuation, and lockdown protocols.
Staff Training and Awareness
All staff should be trained in the new procedures. Ongoing professional development should include terrorism response awareness and role-specific guidance.
Communication and Information Sharing
Schools will need clear and efficient systems to share information during an incident, including with students, staff, and parents. Provisions for pupils with SEND or other communication needs should be embedded.
Regulatory Engagement
The Security Industry Authority will act as the regulator and oversee compliance. Schools will be required to notify the regulator if they meet the relevant criteria.
Planning for lockdown: advice from Lisa Broad
Lisa Broad led the first Counter-Terrorism Protect, Prepare and Security Team at the Department for Education and now works independently with schools (lisabroadconsulting.co.uk). She wrote this advice for HeadteacherChat in April 2025; it was first published as a separate guest post, now merged into this page.
Why it matters beyond terrorism. "There is no known threat to the UK education sector, however, putting in place effective measures from a counter-terrorism perspective means that schools will be better protected from a range of threats: protection from terrorism is also protection against an intruder with a knife, an aggrieved parent lashing out or a bullied child in crisis."
Review your plans. Review existing emergency response plans through the lens of terrorism and serious violence, and ask whether they would work. Lisa warns that off-the-shelf plans, topped and tailed to fit the school, often rely on hierarchical emergency management structures "which would likely fly out the window in the event of an armed intruder or student with a knife". Every member of staff must know what to do and be empowered to act.
Simplify lockdown into three levels. No two schools are the same, so start from the principles and adapt them to your site. Lisa breaks lockdown into three levels, each needing a different response:
- Level 1: a threat beyond the perimeter of the site. Focus on securing the perimeter, if your infrastructure allows.
- Level 2: a threat on school grounds, where securing the perimeter no longer works. Focus on securing the school buildings.
- Level 3: a threat inside a school building. Focus on securing individual rooms away from the threat.
For each level, decide how you would communicate the threat across the school, and how the perimeter, buildings and rooms would be secured.
Test and refine. Check whether plans would work at different times of day (playtime, lunchtime, pick-up). Involve colleagues for different perspectives, and test plans with staff first before involving pupils where appropriate.
Proportionality and Support
The government has confirmed that the law will be implemented with proportionality in mind. For smaller schools, the emphasis will be on procedural preparedness rather than physical infrastructure.
Practical, accessible guidance will be published for duty holders, and there will be no requirement for schools to employ specialist expertise in order to comply. (The statutory guidance was published on 15 April 2026; see the update above.)
Preparing for Implementation
Martyn’s Law became law on 3 April 2025. The government intends an implementation period of at least 24 months before it comes into force to allow schools and other duty holders to prepare.
During this time, school leaders should:
- Assess whether their premises expect 200 or more people at the same time (standard duty).
- Begin reviewing and updating emergency plans.
- Access and act on the published statutory guidance.
- Train key staff and develop internal expertise.
Final Thoughts
Martyn’s Law represents a proactive step in improving public safety and resilience. For schools, it formalises expectations that many already fulfil under safeguarding and health and safety regulations.
However, the law introduces new levels of responsibility and accountability. Leadership teams should begin preparing now—integrating new requirements into existing systems, prioritising staff training, and engaging with regulatory developments.
By doing so, school leaders will not only ensure compliance but strengthen their school’s ability to protect its community in the event of a serious incident.
