Martyn's Law committee pack
Facts checked 2 November 2026
What the law asks
Martyn's Law asks venues where 200 or more people can gather to have four simple plans, called procedures, and for the people with a part to play to know them: get everyone out (evacuation), bring everyone in (invacuation), lock down (lockdown) and keep people informed (communication). The standard tier doesn't ask for security staff, bag searches, CCTV or new equipment, building work or a training course.
Time to get ready. Nothing is required by law yet. The Home Office encourages venues to start thinking about what the law asks. The duties are expected to start in spring 2027.
Our scope result
Our busiest occasion
People there at once, staff and volunteers included
- Fewer than 200: not in scope.
- 200 to 799: the standard tier.
- 800 or more: the enhanced tier, with extra duties. Get specialist advice.
A place of worship, school or childcare setting stays in the standard tier however many come, when that's the building's main use. Check yours free at gethailo.co.uk/check.
Six decisions to make
1. Are we in scope, and which tier?
Count your busiest occasion, staff and volunteers included. The free scope check takes about 2 minutes.
2. Who is the responsible person?
Whoever has control of the building: usually the committee, trust, club, council or company that runs it. The law decides who it is, so it can't be handed on, but tasks can.
3. Who will draft the four plans, and by when?
About 9 hours of managers' time in the Home Office's estimate, or about 30 minutes with hailo. The committee approves them.
4. Who will tell the SIA?
The regulator needs to know about the venue and the responsible person, once its service opens.
5. How will we brief volunteers, staff and hirers, and keep a record?
About 15 minutes for each person in the Home Office's estimate. For hirers, your terms of hire are a good place to set out what you expect.
6. When will we review the plans?
Once a year, and whenever the building, your people or the way you use it changes. About 4.5 hours a year in the Home Office's estimate.
Draft wording for the minutes
Fill in the blanks and delete what doesn't apply. Change "the committee" to "the trustees", "the council" or "the board" if that's who you are.
Martyn's Law (Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025)
- The committee noted that the busiest occasion at the premises, blank, is expected to bring about blank people at once, counting staff and volunteers. The premises are therefore expected to be: not in scope / in the standard tier / in the enhanced tier (delete as needed).
- The committee agreed that blank is the responsible person for the premises, and that blank will lead the work on its behalf.
- The committee agreed that blank will draft the four procedures for the building by blank, for the committee to approve.
- The committee agreed that blank will notify the SIA once its service opens.
- The committee agreed that blank will brief volunteers, staff and hirers on their part, set out what is expected of hirers in the terms of hire, and keep a record of who has been briefed.
- The committee agreed to review the procedures by blank, and whenever the building, the people or the way it is used changes.
What to do next
- Put "Martyn's Law" on the agenda, with this pack and your scope result.
- Agree the six decisions, and write them into the minutes.
- Ask whoever is drafting the plans to bring them back for the committee to approve.
- Add the yearly review to your calendar, next to your other annual checks.
Check your venue free
Scan the code or go to gethailo.co.uk/check. hailo writes your four plans for your building, briefs your volunteers, staff and hirers by link, and keeps the record for your next meeting.
Check your venue now