Martyn’s Law Protection Plan Template

A practical planning worksheet for public protection procedures and preparedness

A Martyn’s Law protection plan should help the responsible person understand the premises, record appropriate public protection procedures and make sure the people expected to carry them out know what to do. This Camelott® worksheet is a planning aid based on current statutory guidance; it is not an official government or SIA compliance template.

Current position — 23 September 2026: the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 is law, but its substantive duties are not yet in force. The SIA is preparing for commencement in spring 2027; the exact date has not yet been confirmed. The Home Office statutory guidance remains the starting point, with additional principal-use guidance published on 10 September 2026.

Use the Planning Template

Martyn’s Law Protection Plan: Six Planning Sections

The statutory duties vary by tier. Use these sections to organise the information needed to understand your site and build procedures that can actually be implemented.

1

Confirm Scope and Responsibility

Record the premises or event, its Schedule 1 use and, where relevant, its principal use, the number of people reasonably expected to be present, who is the responsible person and whether another responsible person needs to co-ordinate with you. Where premises have two or more Schedule 1 uses, use the Home Office principal-use guidance.

2

Map the Premises and Immediate Vicinity

Note entrances, exits, internal zones, safer areas, public-facing spaces, external areas and the immediate vicinity where events outside your control could affect the procedures you need inside the premises.

3

Write the Four Public Protection Procedures

Consider evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication. The procedures should be appropriate to the site and capable of being implemented rapidly and effectively if an attack is suspected or occurring.

4

Define Communication, Decisions and Roles

Record how people will be warned, what instructions may be given, who can initiate procedures, who contacts the emergency services and how different procedures may need to work together as the situation changes.

5

Make Sure Staff Can Carry Out the Procedures

Staff with responsibilities need to understand the procedures and their role. Decide what briefing, instruction, practice or training is appropriate and how procedures will be tested and reviewed.

6

Add Enhanced Tier Requirements Where Applicable

Enhanced Tier premises and qualifying events have additional duties relating to public protection measures, documentation and review. Keep these separate from the requirements that apply to Standard Tier premises.

The Four Public Protection Procedures

These procedures are relevant to Standard Tier premises, Enhanced Tier premises and qualifying events once the duties commence.

Public Protection: Evacuation

Moving people away from danger by moving them out of all or part of the premises or event.

Public Protection: Invacuation

Moving people to a place within the premises or event where there is less risk of physical harm, including bringing people inside where it is safe to do so.

Public Protection: Lockdown

Securing all or part of the premises to control entry, exit or movement where that reduces the risk of people moving towards danger.

Public Protection: Communication

Providing information quickly so people know there is danger and receive appropriate instructions where it is safe to provide them.

Standard Tier and Enhanced Tier: Keep the Duties Separate

A useful plan separates duties that apply across the Act from the additional Enhanced Tier requirements. That avoids making smaller premises think they must produce documentation or measures that apply only to the Enhanced Tier.

Standard Tier Appropriate public protection procedures must be in place, so far as is reasonably practicable. Staff who have a role in those procedures need enough awareness, understanding and instruction to carry them out effectively.
Enhanced Tier In addition to public protection procedures, the responsible person must consider appropriate public protection measures, keep those measures under review and meet the Act's additional documentation and governance requirements.
Documentation The Home Office guidance says documenting even simple procedures is good practice. Enhanced Tier premises and qualifying events have specific statutory documentation requirements.
Training The Act does not prescribe a specific paid training course. People responsible for implementing procedures or measures still need sufficient awareness, instruction, learning or training to perform their role effectively.
Templates The SIA confirmed on 11 September 2026 that it is developing separate Standard Tier and Enhanced Tier templates. Use of those templates will not be mandatory. There is likewise no requirement to use this Camelott® worksheet or any commercial template.

What Should You Record in the Plan?

The detail should match the scale and complexity of the site. A useful working document is specific enough that staff can understand what happens in a real incident.

Site Information

Responsible person, premises use, expected numbers, building layout, access points, immediate vicinity, shared areas and any other responsible persons you need to co-ordinate with.

Procedure Decisions

What triggers evacuation, invacuation or lockdown; who can make that decision; how instructions are communicated; and how procedures change as more information becomes available.

Communication Methods

PA, radios, staff messaging, alarms, visual alerts or other suitable methods may support communication. Record who needs the information, how they will receive it and whether the method is likely to work in the circumstances. A particular alarm product is not itself a Martyn’s Law compliance requirement.

Staff Readiness and Review

Who needs instruction, what will be tested or practised, lessons identified after tests or incidents, and when the procedures will next be reviewed.

Official Martyn’s Law Guidance

Use current government guidance as the source of truth. Commercial templates should only help organise your work around those requirements.

Home Office statutory guidance Current section 27 guidance on scope, duties, public protection procedures and Enhanced Tier measures. Read GOV.UK guidance ↗
SIA regulator guidance Current explanation of the SIA's role, scope and preparations for commencement. Read SIA guidance ↗
Home Office principal-use guidance Guidance for premises used for two or more Schedule 1 uses when determining the principal use and responsible person. Read principal-use guidance ↗
SIA tools and templates update September 2026 update on the developing scope tool and optional Standard / Enhanced templates. Read SIA update ↗
ProtectUK: evacuation, invacuation and lockdown Practical protective-security guidance for emergency procedures. Open ProtectUK ↗
RUN HIDE TELL Public counter-terrorism response guidance from ProtectUK. Open ProtectUK ↗

Need Help Reviewing the Communication Part of Your Plan?

Camelott® can help assess how a lockdown or emergency warning could be raised and communicated across your buildings. An alarm system can support a procedure, but it does not replace the responsible person's legal duties, risk assessment or wider security planning.

Discuss Your Site School Lockdown Alarms

Information checked against Home Office statutory guidance and SIA material available on 23 September 2026. This page provides general planning information and is not legal advice.