How much will Martyn's Law cost my premises?

The Home Office estimates that Martyn's Law will cost a standard tier premises £3,313 over 10 years and an enhanced tier premises £52,093. Both are central estimates in present value terms, from the impact assessment dated 16 July 2024.

Those figures are averages across all premises in each tier. Your cost depends on your staff numbers, the procedures you already have and whether you pay for help.

How many premises does the cost apply to?

The impact assessment counts more than 928,000 publicly accessible locations in the UK, with 178,900 in scope of the law. Its central estimates split them as follows.

Source: Home Office impact assessment, 16 July 2024. Places of worship, schools, further education and childcare premises stay in the standard tier at any size, under Schedule 1 of the Act.

What makes up the standard tier cost?

Most of it is the value of time. The Home Office measures what it costs your organisation when staff stop other work to read the guidance, plan and train.

• Reading the guidance: about 28 minutes for one senior manager per site, valued at £13.79 per premises in the central estimate.
• Training in year one: £444 per premises for standard tier sites other than places of worship, and £126 for places of worship. The lower figure reflects the higher share of volunteers.

The training estimate assumes that 10% of staff take one hour of counter terrorism training a year and that the other 90% receive the key points by email, posters or briefings. The impact assessment notes that the law does not explicitly prescribe staff training.

What makes up the enhanced tier cost?

Enhanced tier premises must put public protection measures in place, such as monitoring, controlling how people move in and out, physical security and keeping operational information secure. They also write a document about their procedures and measures and send it to the SIA.

Measures drive the higher figure. The impact assessment gives examples at both ends: hostile vehicle mitigation barriers at about £20,000 per premises, and trauma first aid kits at about £60. The duty is to do what is reasonably practicable for your site.

Can I comply for free?

Many standard tier premises can. ProtectUK says premises "do not need to spend money on consultants to be compliant", and that those in scope can comply without buying specialist services. The SIA guidance and ProtectUK's material cost nothing.

The free route for a standard tier site looks like this:

1. Read the SIA guidance and the ProtectUK pages.
2. Name your responsible person.
3. Write the four procedures: evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication.
4. Brief staff and rehearse once.
5. Notify the SIA when its portal opens.

When is paid help worth it?

Paid help saves time in some cases: an estate of several sites that needs one consistent set of procedures, high staff turnover that needs training records, or an enhanced tier document and a plan for measures. Ask any adviser for a fixed price in writing before work starts.

No adviser can certify that you comply. The SIA regulates the duty, and the SIA says neither it nor the Home Office can endorse or recommend specific companies.

Why are venues worried about cost?

In the Home Office's 2024 standard tier consultation, which had 1,981 responses, 54% of standard tier operators were at least somewhat concerned about the cost. Concern about financial ability to operate was highest among places of worship (64%) and village halls and community centres (62%). The free guidance exists partly for those groups.

Next step

Answer six questions in the tier check to see your likely tier, the Home Office cost figure for it and the free guidance that covers your duties.