Martyn’s Law - The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025

What is Martyn’s Law?

Martyn’s Law is also known as The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. It's a new safety law to help protect people from terrorism.

The Act is designed to:

prevent attacks from occurring
ensure that venues have measures in place to reduce harm if an attack does take place.

The legislation is named after Martyn Hett. He was one of the 22 victims who died in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017. Martyn’s mother, Figen Murray, campaigned tirelessly for this legislation in the years following the attack.

Martyn’s Law will make sure places like public buildings and venues take steps to keep people safe. This includes:

having plans in place
training staff
knowing what to do in an emergency.

You can watch Figen Murray talk about the development of Martyn’s Law and its journey to gaining Royal Assent. Be aware that you may find the content of the video upsetting. For that reason, please do not share it on social media platforms.

Who will be impacted by Martyn’s Law?

Martyn’s Law affects a wide range of organisations and venues in the UK. It will apply to two tiers of venues and events:

Standard Tier (200-799 people)

Requires basic security steps like staff training and emergency plans

Enhanced Tier (800+ people)

Requires more robust measures such as CCTV, bag checks, and formal security planning

When does Martyn’s Law come into force?

The legislation gained Royal Assent in April 2025.

Organisations and venues have two years to become compliant. But we encourage you to start planning now, during this implementation period.

Watch the official ProtectUK explainer video.

Useful resources to help you prepare

Statutory guidance has not been released yet. But some official information about Martyn’s Law is available online, including:

Free e-learning

You can access free online teaching which shows you how to identify suspicious behaviour and how to respond.

Act Awareness e-learning

This course shows you how to spot signs of terrorism and respond safety. It covers key security principles and helps you understand how to respond to potential threats in public places. It is suitable for everyone.

SCaN (See Check and Notify) E-Learning

This is a course from ProtectUK and NPSA. It helps you spot suspicious behaviour and know what to do, using everyday awareness to help keep places safe.

What is Wakefield Council doing already?

Wakefield has a ‘Protect and Prepare Group’, committed to keeping our community safe. The group meets every quarter to help its partner organisations work well together. Ensuring that the Wakefield District is well-prepared for a terrorist incident.

Interested in joining this group? Email emergencyplanning@wakefield.gov.uk with details of your organisation and your role within it.

We have Public Access Trauma (PAcT) Kits and emergency grab bags placed at key sites across the district to support quick and safe responses during incidents. View the locations of the kits and bags.

The map shows the location of Public Access Trauma Kits and Emergency grab bags in the District.

Clicking on the markers shows more detailed information about the location.

Legend:

Red - Public Access Trauma Kits
Blue - Emergency grab bags

Public Access Trauma Kits

PAcT Kits contain life-saving equipment which can help treat serious injuries before emergency services arrive.

For example:

tourniquets
dressings
gloves

The kits are located in public areas for use during major incidents.

Emergency grab bags

Emergency grab bags contain essential items to help staff to respond quickly and safely during large-scale emergencies.

For example:

torches
radios
first aid supplies
site plans

What else can I do to prepare?

Join our mailing list and keep up to date with the latest guidance and events from our Emergency Planning team.

Contact the Emergency Planning team

Take a look at our Prevent in Wakefield webpages for further information on preventing terrorism.