The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 became law on 3 April 2025, and requires every qualifying place of worship to have public protection procedures in place so far as is reasonably practicable. The government gave a minimum 24 month grace period before enforcement which means enforcement begins in April 2027. This timeline may change, the PROVA newsletter will keep you informed of any regulation updates that may affect your obligations.

Three dates matter:

• April 2025 – The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 is granted Royal Assent and passed into law. 
• April 2026 – Statutory guidance is published giving practical details of what compliance looks like, the procedures required, and how the regulator will conduct inspections, as well as what “reasonably practicable” means in an education setting.
• April 2027 – Enforcement begins. This is the date that the Security Industry Authority starts inspections, with the power to issue penalty notices, compliance notices, and assign criminal liability for serious or persistent non-compliance.

The government committed to a minimum 24-month window between Royal Assent and enforcement, which may sound generous. But in practice, meeting the requirements takes time, effort, and careful planning.

When it comes to preparation for Martyn’s Law, there are two key reasons not to wait:

1. Preparation takes longer than you think

Compliance requires purpose-built public protection procedures, training for every relevant member of staff, testing your procedures to ensure they work, and maintaining evidence to show an inspector. 

For a single site, that process can take months. For a diocese or multi-faith organisation, it is a coordinated programme of work. Now is the time to undertake preparations carefully and correctly, rather than in a rush as April 2027 approaches.

2. The legislation is already live, and so is the liability

Martyn’s Law was officially enacted in April 2025, and although enforcement doesn’t begin until April 2027, premises are already liable under the terms of the Act.

If an incident were to occur at your place of worship before April 2027, the absence of enforcement would not mean the absence of consequences. The Act applies now, and an organisation that had not put the required procedures in place could face civil liability and reputational exposure.

Martyn’s Law requires qualifying premises to have four public protection procedures in place so far as is reasonably practicable:

• Evacuation – safely moving congregations, staff and visitors out of the premises.
• Invacuation – moving people into safer areas within the building.
• Lockdown – securing the premises to restrict entry or movement.
• Communication – alerting people and giving clear safety instructions in an incident.

These procedures must be tailored to your building, its size, layout, and use. They must be communicated to relevant staff and volunteers, and you must keep evidence that this has been done.

Places of worship where 200 or more people are reasonably expected to be present from time to time all fall within the Standard Tier. This includes churches, mosques, temples, gurdwaras, synagogues, and other faith buildings. Multi-site faith organisations, including dioceses and multi-faith trusts, must treat each site separately.

Not sure if you’re in scope? Use the free Am I in scope? tool on the PROVA Risk website.

PROVA Risk is a purpose-built platform for Martyn’s Law compliance. It guides you through each step: scoping, building procedures tailored to your premises, training your staff with automated guides, and keeping the evidence you will need for inspection.

For each site, the platform can be set up and your procedures built within an hour. For multi-site faith organisations, it gives you a single dashboard across all sites, consistency, oversight, and a clear evidence trail.

Stay Ahead of Martyn’s Law by Signing Up to the PROVA Newsletter

Martyn’s Law is not static. Statutory guidance has been published and enforcement is approaching, but regulation continues to evolve. The PROVA newsletter covers:

• Regulation and guidance updates as they happen.
• Practical preparation steps for places of worship.
• Answers to the questions that faith leaders are asking.

No noise. No sales pitches. Just the information you need to keep your building on the right side of the law.

• For Place of Worship
• What Are Public Protection Procedures?
• How to Measure the 200-Person Threshold
• Multi-Site Martyn’s Law Management
• Why Health and Safety and Fire Legislation Don’t Cover Martyn’s Law