Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 – Statutory Guidance published. April 2026

The Government has issued statutory guidance on Martyn’s Law (the Protect Duty), setting out how the regime will operate in practice, including capacity thresholds, co-operation duties, and how premises should assess occupancy. 

The law is designed to improve preparedness at publicly accessible locations through proportionate, risk-based security measures.

For the Scottish convenience sector, most stores are expected to fall below the 200-person threshold and therefore be out of scope. Where stores are included, they will typically fall within the standard tier.

Standard tier premises will be expected to have simple, practical procedures in place for responding to potential incidents, including evacuation, lockdown, and communication plans, with staff made aware of these arrangements. Formal documentation is not required, though it is recommended.

Capacity should be assessed on a reasonable, evidence-based basis, taking into account staff and customers, peak trading times, and existing fire risk or occupancy data where available.

Where premises are shared or responsibilities overlap, the guidance also highlights a duty to co-ordinate and co-operate where reasonably practicable.

Further details on implementation timelines will follow as Martyn’s Law comes into force.