SIA provides update on Martyn's Law

Michelle Russell, chief executive of the SIA has published an updated on the SIA's work on Martyn's Law.

Once Martyn’s Law received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025, and the Security Industry Authority (SIA) was confirmed as the new regulator, work began immediately to prepare for go-live.

Go-live will occur when Parliament, through statutory instruments, commences Martyn’s Law and the SIA’s role as regulator. While the timing of commencement is a decision for Parliament, preparations are being made for Spring 2027.

Russell explained the SIA's role as regulator, which she said is to regulate against Martyn’s Law, and the legal requirements and framework Parliament has set out in the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. These requirements are set to be clarified by the Home Office’s statutory section 27 guidance about the requirements.

The SIA has the responsibility of determining whether a premises or event is in compliance with those requirements as well as the responsibility to provide advice and guidance to them.

Since April 2025, the SIA has been attending events and conferences across the UK. Once the guidance is published by the Home Office, the SIA will say more.

Meanwhile, though, the Agency has been working at pace, building capability and capacity and exploring and testing with depth the things that need to be done in advance of go-live.

The SIA has been agreeing new, separate grant funding to be provided direct by the Home Office to the SIA to fund the SIA’s new Martyn’s Law work. This means the work will not be funded by SIA licence holders’ fees.

A new director will start in January and a blueprint design has been created for new functions and teams.

There will be over 100 new operational posts created in the SIA’s Martyn’s Law team, working on guidance and other educational and outreach work; the formal notifications that premises and events in scope of Martyn’s Law will make; desk-based casework on compliance issues, as well as scrutiny and assessment of compliance documents and plans submitted by enhanced tier premises; and inspections and formal investigations into concerns about non-compliance and follow up enforcement work.

Inspectors and inspection teams will be based regionally and locally across the UK. Other office-based roles will be mostly in a new SIA location in Manchester. 

The SIA is currently working on draft section 12 guidance about how the Agency proposes to exercise its functions particularly the investigatory powers. A consultation will be launched on this, once Home Office guidance is published in 2026.

Joint engagements and events are being held with the Home Office to raise awareness of the new law and the SIA's role.

A new risk framework is being developed to ensure the SIA has clear priorities and to apply a consistent approach to decisions.

The SIA teams are actively progressing work on a new regulatory model, business plan, and internal processes and procedures. A critical focus is the development, implementation, and testing of the digital and caseworking systems required to support future casework. This programme involves extensive planning and design, alongside a robust procurement exercise that will take time to complete.

Russell said that the SIA's role as regulator will be primarily advisory from the start to give venues and events in scope the opportunity to get compliance right first. The SIA expects to find and highlight positive good practice and identify and advise those who are not doing enough.

When it comes to non-compliance, the regulator is expected to be robust, but fair and proportionate.

Russell concluded: "I, and my team, very much have the aim of Martyn’s Law at the centre of our thinking as we prepare for the Martyn’s Law responsibility we have been trusted with. We hold the memory of the 22 people who died, and all those who were injured and affected by the horrendous events on 22 May 2017 in the Manchester Arena inquiry, clearly in the forefront of our minds as we do. 

"There are quite rightly high expectations for both the positive impact and success of Martyn’s Law and of the SIA as regulator; we absolutely want and expect to be held to account for effectively delivering on our role, not just by Parliament and ministers, but by those premises and events in scope, the public and of course Figen Murray, whose son, Martyn Hett, the new law is named after, and the campaign team, who fought so hard to make Martyn’s Law a reality – we know and expect you to keep scrutinising our progress and timely delivery."