The Security Industry Authority (SIA) published its first tools for Martyn's Law on Monday 9 November: a planning tool for premises in the standard tier and a template for premises and events in the enhanced tier. It is inviting feedback on both until Wednesday 23 December. The SIA says Martyn's Law is expected to come into force in spring 2027, and it is urging everyone in scope to start preparing now. Laura Gibb, the SIA's Executive Director of Martyn's Law, said: "We have talked to many people at events and in premises across the UK and heard their ask for practical tools." She described the materials as a first step. This post is for security, venue and event teams working out what the law will ask of them.
Which tool is for which tier
The standard tier planning tool is for working through what procedures a premises has, or will put in place, to comply. The SIA says it focuses on procedures for evacuation, lockdown, communications and invacuation, which it defines as moving people to safe areas within a premises, in the event of a terrorist attack, and that it looks at whether communication between staff and members of the public suits the premises.
The enhanced tier template is for documenting compliance when the law comes in. The SIA says it covers the procedures a premises or event will put in place and their effect on reducing harm in an attack, how vulnerabilities to attack will be assessed, and how monitoring, movement of people, physical security and information security measures will be used to reduce them. The SIA says both tools are designed to guide thinking and record decisions, and are not meant as a definitive checklist. We have not opened the tool files themselves, so this describes them as the SIA does.
When the law comes into force, premises and events in scope will need to notify the SIA. Standard tier premises will not need to send compliance documents at that point unless asked.
Who is in scope
The SIA gives two main tests for premises: what the premises are wholly or mainly used for, and how many people are expected at the busiest times, including staff. An event is in scope only if all four of these apply: 800 or more people are expected at the busiest times including staff, there are controls on entry such as tickets or wristbands, the event is open to the public, and it is not held at a premises already in the enhanced tier. Flowcharts on ProtectUK help work out scope. The responsible person will usually be an organisation, the one with control of the premises for the use that is in scope. The SIA says the Act sets no specific training requirement, but anyone carrying out public protection procedures must understand them and their own role.
Responding to reports of a council cancelling a fireworks display, the SIA says not every public gathering will be a qualifying event, that some, such as many traditional Christmas markets, may fall outside the definition because they do not control access, and that Martyn's Law does not mean community events need to be cancelled or that organisers must take specific actions such as employing expensive security personnel, buying new technology products or employing specialist consultants. It says the law is based on what is reasonably practicable.
Pilot inspections and testing
The SIA says its early pilot inspections included a nightclub, a university and a heritage site, and that more than 30 further premises and events are lined up to test its inspection processes. It is about to test its new digital service and wants volunteers, particularly from one-off events of all sizes, hospitals and sites with multiple uses.
What the SIA does not say
The two pages give no commencement date beyond spring 2027, and say nothing about penalties or inspection powers.
What it means for security and venue teams
This is The Ops Con's reading, not the SIA's.
Settle which tier applies first, using the published tests and the ProtectUK flowcharts, because the tier decides which tool to use. Standard tier operators can use the planning tool now to test whether evacuation, lockdown, invacuation and public communication actually work on their site. Enhanced tier premises and events can start filling in the template, recording the reasoning behind each decision, since that record is what the template is built around. Brief the staff who will run each procedure on their own role. Anyone who finds a gap in the tools has until 23 December to say so, and operators of one-off events, hospitals or multi-use sites can volunteer to help test the SIA's new digital service.
