The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 became law on 3 April 2025, and requires every qualifying retail premises to have public protection procedures in place so far as is reasonably practicable. Enforcement begins in April 2027, but the preparation window is shorter than it looks.

As statutory guidance develops, the criteria for who is in scope may also change. Even if you don’t think your store qualifies right now, 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.

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 store, that process can take months. For a retail chain or shopping centre portfolio, 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 store 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.

Retail premises where 200 or more people are reasonably expected to be present from time to time are in scope of the Act’s Standard Tier, and required to have four public protection procedures in place:

• Evacuation – safely moving customers and staff 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 store, its size, layout, and use. They must be communicated to relevant staff, and you must keep evidence that this has been done. 

Department stores, supermarkets, large-format retailers, and shopping centres will likely qualify for the Enhanced Tier. Retail chains 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: assessing what’s reasonably practicable, building procedures tailored to your premises, training your staff with automated guides, and keeping the evidence you will need for inspection.

For each store, the platform can be set up and your procedures built within an hour. For retail chains and multi-site operators, 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 retail premises.
• Answers to the questions that managers are asking.

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

• For the Retail Sector
• 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