MARTYN’S LAW: WHAT IT MEANS FOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT LEADERS
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Martyn’s Law, officially the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, will change how UK organisations prepare for and respond to potential terrorist threats. It’s not just a facilities or security issue. For Learning and Development leaders, it’s a call to action.
The law makes staff training and preparedness a legal requirement in certain venues and organisations. That means L&D teams will play a crucial role in ensuring employees understand, practise, and comply with new safety duties.
What Is Martyn’s Law?
Martyn’s Law (named after Martyn Hett, who was killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack) is designed to improve public safety in venues and events by ensuring that organisations are better prepared for the unlikely, but devastating, risk of a terrorist incident.
The law applies to publicly accessible premises and events across the UK and introduces two levels of duty:
Standard Tier: For premises or events where 200–799 people could be present at one time.
Enhanced Tier: For those with 800 or more people present.
In both cases, affected organisations must:
Conduct a terrorism risk assessment
Develop and document a protective security plan
Ensure staff are trained to follow safety and emergency procedures
Notify and cooperate with the new regulator, the Security Industry Authority (SIA)
While the legislation allows up to 24 months for implementation, L&D leaders should start preparing now.
Why It Matters for L&D
At its core, Martyn’s Law recognises something L&D professionals already understand that in a crisis, knowledge and confidence save lives.
Compliance will depend not just on policies but on whether people know what to do. That makes training a central pillar of readiness.
L&D teams will need to:
Design or source training that helps staff recognise threats, understand procedures, and respond appropriately.
Deliver training at scale, ensuring both full-time and temporary staff understand their roles in emergency situations.
Document participation and assessment as proof of compliance.
Refresh knowledge regularly as annual updates may become a legal or audit expectation.
Integrate security awareness into existing learning journeys (for example, onboarding, health and safety, or compliance pathways).
What Learning and Development Leaders Should Do Now
Here’s a simple framework for getting ahead of Martyn’s Law:
1. Identify Who’s in Scope
Work with facilities, events, or security teams to identify any premises or events that meet the 200+ or 800+ capacity threshold. Remember, this may include corporate campuses, training centres, or public-facing offices.
2. Audit Current Training
Review existing health, safety, and emergency training. Does it include threat awareness, evacuation procedures, or communication protocols? If not, these areas will need to be strengthened.
3. Create or Update Learning Content
Use instructional design services to build concise, scenario-based modules that help staff respond under pressure. For example:
Recognising suspicious behaviour
Knowing evacuation and lockdown steps
Communicating clearly in emergencies
Supporting vulnerable people during incidents
Short, interactive digital learning solutions work best as they allow staff to learn flexibly, while still practising real-world decision-making.
4. Embed Learning Into Everyday Operations
Don’t treat security as a one-off course. Incorporate protective security messages into regular refreshers, team meetings, and onboarding.
5. Track and Evidence Completion
Ensure your LMS or LXP can record who has completed training, when, and how frequently. These records may become essential for audits or inspections by the regulator.
6. Collaborate Across Departments
Partner with your organisation’s security, facilities, and compliance teams. L&D’s role is to translate complex procedures into understandable, actionable training that every employee can follow.
The Role of Learning in Public Safety
The most effective response to Martyn’s Law just as much about culture as it is compliance. When people understand why security measures exist, they take them seriously.
Training helps to normalise protective behaviours without creating fear.
By designing engaging, accessible, and inclusive learning, L&D leaders can ensure every employee knows how to act calmly and responsibly in a crisis.
FAQs
Q: Does Martyn’s Law only apply to event venues?
No. It applies to any publicly accessible premises with capacities of 200+ (Standard Tier) or 800+ (Enhanced Tier). This can include campuses, training centres, retail spaces, and large offices.
Q: What will staff training need to cover?
Training must raise awareness of terrorism risks, emergency response plans, communication procedures, and the responsibilities of staff during incidents.
Q: When will the law take effect?
The Act received Royal Assent in April 2025. Organisations have up to 24 months to prepare before full enforcement.
Q: How can L&D demonstrate compliance?
By maintaining clear training records, refreshing learning content regularly, and aligning modules with the organisation’s security plan.
Final Thought
Martyn’s Law is about protecting people.For L&D leaders, it’s a reminder that learning saves lives.
Your role is to make sure every employee has the confidence, clarity, and competence to act when it matters most.
If your organisation needs help designing digital learning solutions or custom eLearning content to meet the training requirements of Martyn’s Law, Popcorn can help.
