The UK's Martyn's Law timetable is now clear enough to plan against. The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 received Royal Assent in April 2025. Under the 2026 commencement regulations, core provisions began switching on from mid-June 2026, and the Security Industry Authority is standing up the new regulatory function that will support, advise and inspect responsible persons.
The detail sits in the SIA's section 12 guidance. That consultation has closed, with final guidance expected in the autumn. Full force — the point at which the duties actually bite — is expected in spring 2027. The SIA's compliance portal is not yet live, and the regulator is recruiting sector volunteers to test the system before wider rollout.
Recent sector briefings have stressed the shape of the duty rather than a checklist. The test is 'reasonable' and 'practicable' steps on a risk-based footing, sized to the premises or event; there is no mandated qualification for the responsible person, though counter-terrorism protective-security training is available and sensible. Safety Advisory Groups can observe how organisations engage with the law but cannot demand more than the Act requires.
For operators, the window is the point. Venue and event clients will look to their security providers for the risk assessments, protective-security measures and staff preparedness the standard will expect. Build that capability and the client relationships now, while the guidance is still forming, rather than in a spring-2027 scramble.
