Martyn's Law, officially known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, is designed to strengthen the security of publicly accessible premises and events. The Act was passed in April 2025 and it has a two-year implementation period, with the government's statutory guidance published in April 2026.
Terrorism in the UK has changed significantly over recent decades, and places of worship have not been immune from attacks. Understanding this legislation gives churches the opportunity to consider sensible and proportionate measures that help protect our church families and those who use our buildings.
For many smaller churches, this legislation may not apply directly. However, thinking through how your church would respond in the event of an emergency is still important. While the chances of an attack may be low, being proactive and preparing for unexpected situations is part of good stewardship and caring for those entrusted to us in our church family.
Does Martyn's Law apply to your church?
The Act introduces different tiers of requirements depending on the expected number of people present.
All churches that fall within the scope of the Act will be in the standard tier, which applies where it is reasonable to expect 200 to 799 people to be present at the premises or event. Churches that have church services where it is reasonable to expect 800+ people in attendance are still required to follow the standard tier expectations for standard church services and activities, but where events (e.g. a large-scale festival) with 800+ people are run by a church, they may fall into the scope of the enhanced tier – it is important that you read the statutory guidance carefully if this may apply to your context. Organisations in the standard tier are expected to have appropriate public protection procedures in place and to consider the risks to their premises.
When reviewing your plans, there are four key areas to consider:
- Evacuation- How would people leave the building safely?
- Invacuation- If the threat is outside, how would people be brought safely into the building?
- Lockdown- What procedures would you follow if people needed to remain inside?
- Communication- How would you communicate with those in the building and with the emergency services during an incident?
Who is responsible?
A responsible person must be identified to engage with the Security Industry Authority (SIA) where required and oversee compliance with the Act.
In a charity context, trustees retain ultimate responsibility for ensuring the church meets its legal obligations. However, it is often helpful to appoint a member of staff or volunteer to oversee the day-to-day implementation of policies, training, and procedures on behalf of the trustees, including the implementation of plans to address our required duties relations to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025.
Aside from our Sunday services, as churches, we often host a wide variety of different events throughout the week with different people using our buildings. This means it is important that those leading different ministries and events understand the relevant procedures, and that the procedures planned for by churches includes consideration for how those in the building should respond in the event of a terror attack during different types of activities and events in the church, beyond Sunday services. Providing appropriate guidance and training for all staff and key volunteers (much like the writing and dissemination of a fire risk assessment and emergency response/evacuation plan) can help ensure everyone knows how to respond, should an incident occur.
To help you navigate your responsibilities in this area, we have compiled a range of resources below to help you understand Martyn's Law and consider what it means for your own church. We hope you find them helpful.
Documents:
Martyn’s Law Risk Assessment and Response Plan : Here is an editable document which we hope is a good starting point for your church as you look into this new legislation.
Podcasts:
Is Your Church Ready for Martyn’s Law? :In this podcast episode, Anna Wood, one of The Church Office Trustees, and Becky Thomas, Director of Governance at the FIEC, join us to unpack what the legislation means, who it applies to, and the practical steps churches can take now to improve safety, prepare their teams, and respond well in an emergency.
Martyn’s Law- What does our church need to do next?: In this podcast episode, Gavin sat down with Evangelical Alliance’s Director of Advocacy Danny Webster to talk about one thing- Martyn’s Law. Listen in as Gavin and Danny discuss some of the changes this new law could bring for our churches.
Other Resources:
Home Office Fact Sheet on Martyn's Law: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2025/04/03/martyns-law-factsheet/
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Rachel Stacey
Rachel works for the Church Office, helping with the social media and research for documents and resources. She is passionate about helping with the behind-the-scenes work of church life and all that entails.
