City Centre Emergency Planning
Martyn's Law:
What you need to know
17 June 2025: The Home Office has released a short video designed to educate viewers on the scope and requirements of
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, also known as Martyn’s Law, was introduced to Parliament in September 2024 with the aim of improving the UK’s preparedness for terrorist attacks. The bill required certain venues and events to take steps to reduce the risk of harm from terrorism.
The purpose of the bill was:
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To improve public safety by reducing the risk of harm from terrorism
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To ensure that premises and events are better prepared to respond to a terrorist attack
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To require larger venues and events to take steps to reduce their vulnerability to terrorist attacks
The bill imposed a legal obligation on certain premises and events to take steps to reduce the likelihood of physical harm.
On 3 April 2025 the bill received royal assent and became the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025.
Here is our general overview of the new legislation to support our businesses with both information and advice leading up to the end of a proposed 24-month implementation period. For more detailed information including full legal definitions, exclusions and footnotes, please refer to the Act of Parliament.
What is Martyn’s Law and why was it created?
The origins for this legislation followed the series of terrorist attacks that took place in 2017, and the subsequent recommendations from the Manchester Arena Inquiry in 2021 that referenced a need for such legalisation. There is an acknowledgement from the UK Security Services that the changing methodologies of terrorists (no notice, spontaneous and simultaneous attacks intent on causing maximum harm) requires a more robust approach to preparing and protecting the UK from terrorism.
What does the legislation require?
The legislation places a duty on those responsible for certain premises or events to consider the risk of terrorism at their venue or event and how they would respond to an attack. There will be a requirement to implement reasonably practicable security and public protection procedures and/or measures, depending on the capacity of the premises or event.
What size venues qualify?
Small premises with a capacity of 200 – 799 will be classed as Standard Tier and will be required to put in place easy-to-follow procedures that reduce the risks of physical harm to any individuals exposed to a terrorist attack. Larger premises and events with a capacity of 800+ will be classed as Enhanced Tier and will be required to do more to protect their users by taking further measures to stop those attacks from taking place.
What does the Standard Tier Duty look like?
As a minimum, Standard Tier premises should create a simple plan that includes: •Evacuation – the process of getting people safely out of the premises •Invacuation – the process of gathering people safely into or within safe parts of the premises •Lockdown – the process of securing the premises quickly and effectively to restrict or prevent attackers gaining entry (for example, locking doors, pulling down shutters, using barriers). •Communication – the process of alerting people on the premises to move away from danger. Most Standard Tier measures can be implemented with little or no cost to the business. Standard Tier venues should review their legal requirements as outlined on the Protect UK website and the Home Office ‘Standard Duty requirements factsheet’.
What does the Enhanced Tier Duty look like?
As a minimum, venues that fall within the Enhanced Tier are also required to implement the following measures: •Procedures to monitor – the premises or event, and their immediate vicinity, focussing on identifying and reporting suspicious activities, behaviours, items or other possible indicators of a potential or actual terrorist attack. •Procedures to control movement – of individuals into, out of and within the premises or event, focussing on using appropriate deterrents and mitigations to reduce vulnerabilities to attacks and to protect members of the public entering, within and exiting the premises or event. •Procedures for the physical safety & security methods – of the premises or event, focussing on strengthening of premises and events structures to prevent certain attack methodologies from occurring and/or to mitigate their impact. •Procedures for the security of information – which could aid the planning, preparation or execution of acts of terrorism, focussing on understanding the sensitivities of such information, how it is shared, why and with whom. Examples of such information could include venue and event details; general venue use and operational procedures – any of which could unwittingly disclose vulnerabilities to terrorists. Premises and events that fall within Enhanced Tier requirements should review their legal obligations as outlined in the Enhanced Duty requirements factsheet. The cost of implementing Enhanced Duty measures will be dependent on the needs of each premises or venue. The legislation requires reasonably practicable security and public protection measures. A recent Home Office Impact Assessment for Martyn’s Law suggests the estimated annual costs to Enhanced Tier venues (time & money) is approximately £5,200.
Will this new legislation be subject of regulation?
In short, yes. The government has said there will be a minimum of a two-year ‘lead in’ timeframe to allow businesses to become fully conversant and compliant with legislative requirements. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the relevant regulatory body, with an emphasis of education, before considering enforcement. The regulator will be responsible for providing supportive, high-quality advice and guidance aimed at raising knowledge and standards of protective security. The SIA sanctions will predominantly be civil action to address any non-compliance, escalating to criminal prosecution for the most serious cases. The first step is identifying a ‘responsible person’ (a corporate organisation or person who has control of the premises and/or event) in both Standard and Enhanced Tier premises. The ‘responsible person’ is required to register with the regulatory body (the SIA) and notify them if there are any changes to the registered details. Furthermore, the legislation aims to improve protective security and preparedness by launching a ‘Competent Person in the Workplace’ (CPIW) scheme to upskill people with responsibilities for identifying & assessing security risks, developing & implementing security plans and procedures, training staff on security protocols, coordinating with relevant authorities in the event of an incident, and ensuring that premises and events are compliant with the legislation.
Will any training be provided to help businesses comply with the Act?
The UK National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) and the Home Office have designed a two-tier pathway of training and specialist support: 1.An Ofqual-Certified, Level 3 Qualification: Accessible to anyone, with the working title of Competent Person in the Workplace (CPIW). This will be based on authoritative threat and mitigation guidance from official sources at NaCTSO and other partner organisations. 2.The Counter Terrorism Security Specialists Register (CTSSR): A register of verified counter terrorism protective security specialists. This will provide businesses and consumers with a verified list of CT protective security and preparedness specialist advisors. It is anticipated that further information about the CPIW training will be publicised from Spring 2025, and we will be publishing further details as soon as these are available.
Which premises are in scope?
The legislation is aimed towards premises that the public and visitors have access to, by payment or otherwise. 1.Generally, the term ‘premises’ relates to buildings, part of a building or a group of buildings. It also relates to a building with other land, such as a pub with a beer garden or a hotel with grounds used for events. 2.The premises must be used wholly or partly for one or more ‘qualifying activities’ which include but not confined to bars & restaurants, entertainment venues such as cinemas- theatres -music halls, sports grounds and stadia, libraries, museums and galleries, exhibition halls and conference centres, hospitals & health centres, schools, colleges, universities and places of worship. See Schedule 1 for a full list. 3.Finally, the premises must also meet a threshold of reasonably expecting to host a capacity of over 200 individuals at any one time. All three elements must be present for the premises to be in scope of the legislation.
Which events are in scope?
For an event to be in scope, it must take place on open land (such as a field, park, or farmland), on land occupied with a building (unless that building already falls within the Enhanced Tier) or within a building that is not already captured by the legislation. Or a building not already captured may host occasional events where large numbers of the public gather. Under the legislation, the term ‘building’ includes part of a building or a group of buildings. It must host at least 800 people at the same time It must meet the ‘express permission’ criteria of having employees, or other individuals involved in the event (for example, volunteers), checking that members of the public wishing to attend satisfy a condition of entry. Specifically, this condition of entry is to check that members of the public have paid to attend the event, have an invitation granting access, or have a pass that grants access (which might include a free ticket). It must be accessible to members of the public, for all or part of the event. Therefore, events with no boundary, checks or conditions of entry will be outside the scope of this legislation.
How can My-MK help?
My-MK's City Centre Safety & Operations Lead, Sam Bradley, has been appointed to assist businesses in sourcing the right information and working through the requirements.
From the outset, this legislation was never designed to be costly, bureaucratic or restrictive to businesses. Standard Tier compliance should be achieved with little to no costs, as all the required minimum resources and advice are freely available on the Protect UK website.
The costs associated with achieving Enhanced Tier compliance will be dependent on any requirements to enhance the existing security & public protection measures with additional reasonably practicable recommendations.
We have observed the emergence of companies offering services to assist with the anticipated additional workload that this forthcoming legislation may impose on your business. We strongly advise against engaging these services at this time.
Download our Martyn's Law Business Factsheet
Sam Bradley, My-MK
Empowering the public:
The CitizenAid app
In an emergency, knowing what to do in the crucial first moments can make all the difference. The citizenAID app is a free, life-saving tool designed to guide individuals through immediate actions in the event of a terrorist attack, serious injury, or mass casualty incident.
Why Download the citizenAID App?
✅ Simple, Clear Instructions – Step-by-step guidance for responding to life-threatening situations.
✅ No Internet Required – Works offline, ensuring access anytime, anywhere.
✅ Bleed Control Advice – Essential knowledge on using first aid and bleed kits before emergency services arrive.
✅ Developed by Experts – Created by medical and trauma specialists to improve public resilience. Businesses are encouraged to promote the app among staff and customers, ensuring more people are equipped to act fast and save lives.
📲 Download the citizenAID app today:🔗 Google Play Store | Apple App Store | citizenAID website
Ready to Respond Bleed kit
Having a bleed control kit in your workplace could help save lives. CitizenAID is advocating for a shift in official guidance from Run, Hide, Tell to Run, Hide, Tell – and When It’s Safe, Treat. This approach emphasises the need for the public to be prepared to provide lifesaving treatment once it is safe to do so, rather than waiting for emergency services to arrive. The MK Ready to Respond Stop the Bleed Kits have been designed to save lives, containing military-grade wound dressings, both tourni-key and a commercial tourniquet and other vital components.
If you are My-MK member business you can save 20% on the cost of the bleed kit. Contact the office on info@mymiltonkeynes.co.uk to get your discount code.
MK Ready to Respond:
Strengthening Resilience in Our City
On Thursday 27th March 2025, My-MK hosted our first Business Breakfast event at Unity Place, successfully bringing together businesses, emergency services, and key stakeholders to kickstart a city-wide Ready to Respond campaign focused on building resilience and preparedness for major incidents.
The MK Ready to Respond campaign has been developed by Joe McMahon, a trained paramedic and firefighter, whose family own Pink Punters nightclub in Bletchley.
“Throughout my 40 years as a paramedic, I’ve responded to countless incidents — both large and small — where people and organisations were simply unprepared for the unfolding emergency. Having witnessed too many preventable deaths and unnecessary suffering due to a lack of early, simple care such as controlling severe bleeding, I am passionate about ensuring that individuals, families, communities, organisations, and businesses are equipped with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to respond effectively in a crisis.”
To read more about the success of the Ready to Respond Breakfast
please CLICK HERE.
Watch our video!
Watch our video to understand why this event matters and hear the key messages from our CEO Jill Farnsworth, Chief Inspector Matt Sulley of Thames Valley Police, Professor Sir Keith Porter of citizenAID and Midsummer Place's centre manager, Simon Martin.
Presentations
Matthew Sulley
Thames Valley Police
Keith Porter
CitizenAid
Rob Duffy
Thames Valley Police
Joe McMahon
Ready to Respond
Resources
ProtectUK and the NPSA (National Protective Security Authority are both excellent sources of advice, guidance and training and you can find out more about resilience and emergency planning on the other links:
www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/emergency-planning
www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/business/business-continuity-and-resilience
www.gov.uk/guidance/resilience-in-society-infrastructure-communities-and-businesses
Specific training offered include:
ACT (Action Counters Terrorism)
ACT Training is a free counter-terrorism awareness course developed by Counter Terrorism Policing. It is designed to help businesses, employees, and the public identify, prevent, and respond to potential terrorist threats.
What Does ACT Training Cover?
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Understanding the current terrorism threat in the UK.
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Spotting suspicious behavior and activity.
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How to report concerns to authorities effectively.
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Responding to incidents, including attacks and emergencies.
Who Is It For?
ACT training is available for:
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Businesses (retail, hospitality, transport, events, etc.)
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Frontline staff and security teams
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The general public
The training is accessible online and takes around 45 minutes to complete. It is a valuable resource for businesses looking to improve security awareness and preparedness across their workforce.
SCaN (See, Check and Notify) Training
This is a security training program developed by the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI). It is designed to help businesses, security staff, and frontline employees detect and respond to potential threats, particularly related to terrorism and hostile reconnaissance.
What Does SCaN Training Cover?
SCaN focuses on:
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Raising awareness of the threat of terrorism and suspicious activity.
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Improving security culture within businesses and public spaces.
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Helping staff understand their role in identifying and mitigating security risks.
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Building confidence in responding to potential threats or terrorist incidents.
Who Is It For?
SCaN training is tailored for:
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Frontline staff (retail, hospitality, transport, etc.)
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Security teams
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Managers and business leaders
SCR (Security Control Room) Training
For Control Room staff there is a Security control Room Operators course (SCR), that is provided by the NPSA – this is currently a free course consisting of 5 days (held in Bedfordshire), that takes operators through the roles and responsibilities of Control Room staff.
Course Objectives:
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Preparedness: Equip operators with the knowledge to anticipate and plan for potential terrorist threats.
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Attack Detection: Train staff to identify early signs of an attack, enabling swift action.
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Command and Control: Develop effective decision-making skills under pressure to manage incidents efficiently.
Training Features:
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Immersive Exercises: Participants engage in realistic simulations of various terrorist scenarios, practicing real-time decision-making in a controlled environment.
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Expert Instruction: The course is delivered by professionals with extensive experience in counter-terrorism and security operations.
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Comprehensive Curriculum: Topics include understanding attack timelines, improving detection capabilities, and establishing robust command and control protocols.
A separate one-day Managers Course is also available for individuals with overall responsibility for security control rooms and incident management, focusing on strategic oversight and leadership during critical incidents.
For more information or to express interest in attending the SCR Operators Course, please visit the NPSA website.
BID Schemes
For more information about the BID Radio Scheme please visit our dedicated page here.