Threat & preparedness hub
A practical, plain-English guide to the current UK threat picture, what Martyn's Law means for your premises, and the steps that keep staff and visitors safe. Built for UK businesses by a security team that does this every day.
Current UK threat level: SEVERE · Martyn's Law expected in force 2027 · Reviewed regularly against official sources
A terrorist attack is highly likely.
Raised to Severe on 30 April 2026 by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre. The level can change at any time — always confirm the live level at mi5.gov.uk.
Understanding the scale
Martyn's Law
Martyn's Law places a legal duty on those responsible for many public premises and events to be better prepared for a terrorist attack. It received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025, with an implementation period of at least 24 months — so the requirements are expected to be enforced from around spring 2027, and the Security Industry Authority will be the regulator.
Which tier applies depends mainly on the expected capacity of your premises or event.
Capacity 200–799
Capacity 800+
There's time to prepare — but the direction of travel is clear.
Royal Assent — the Act becomes law.
Home Office statutory guidance published to help those in scope prepare.
Requirements expected to come into force, with the SIA as regulator.
A 30-second indicative check. Not legal advice — but a sensible place to start.
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This checker is an indicative guide only and is not legal advice or a definitive assessment. Scope, tiers and exemptions are defined in the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 and the Home Office statutory guidance. Confirm your obligations against that guidance and the Security Industry Authority as regulator.
Counter-terrorism awareness
Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) is the national programme that helps people recognise and respond to a threat. Much of it is free, quick and directly relevant to the staff-awareness expectations under Martyn's Law — and our own officers are ACT-aware as standard.
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong — an unattended bag, unusual questions, someone testing security — report it. Better to be safe than sorry.
The national guidance for a weapons or firearms attack: escape if you can, hide if you can't, and tell the police by calling 999 when it's safe to do so.
ProtectUK hosts free Action Counters Terrorism awareness training. It's a straightforward way to lift your whole team's readiness — and evidence it.
Crime in your area
Local crime data is a useful input to any security decision — from where to site a mobile patrol to how you brief a night shift. The official, most reliable source is Police.uk, which maps street-level crime and outcomes for any postcode in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Look up your area
Opens Police.uk in a new tab — the official UK street-level crime service. We don't collect or store what you enter here.
By sector
The threat picture and the right response vary by how your space is used. A few starting pointers for the sectors we work across.
High footfall and open access raise the priority on staff awareness, crowded-places planning and visible deterrence.
Events and late-night operation put the focus on capacity planning, access control and clear evacuation procedures.
Duty of care to students drives lockdown planning, visitor management and ACT-aware staff across multiple sites.
Perimeter integrity, hostile-reconnaissance awareness and out-of-hours patrols protect high-value, low-occupancy sites.
Concierge and access control balance a welcoming front of house with resident safety and controlled entry.
Reception-security integration, mail handling and coordinated escalation keep complex buildings running safely.
Trusted sources
We keep this hub aligned with the official guidance. When you need the authoritative detail, these are the places to go.
The current national threat level and what each level means.
Official overview, FAQs and preparation materials.
The legislation and Home Office guidance in full.
Free Action Counters Terrorism awareness e-learning.
Street-level crime and your neighbourhood policing team.
Report fraud and cybercrime affecting your business.
Common questions
The UK national threat level is set independently by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and MI5. It was raised to Severe on 30 April 2026, meaning an attack is highly likely. The level is kept under review and can change at any time, so always confirm the live position on the MI5 website.
Broadly, it applies to qualifying public premises and events with an expected capacity of 200 or more, with enhanced duties above 800. There are specific definitions and exemptions in the legislation, so use our checker as a starting point and confirm your position against the Home Office statutory guidance and the SIA.
Martyn's Law received Royal Assent in April 2025 with an implementation period of at least 24 months, so enforcement is expected from around spring 2027. There's no legal requirement to comply until it comes into force, but preparing early is strongly encouraged — and far less stressful than a last-minute scramble.
No — and we're careful to be clear about that. We're an SIA Approved Contractor providing security services that support your preparedness and legal duties. We don't replace the police, the National Protective Security Authority or official guidance. Where specialist counter-terrorism advice is needed, we'll point you to the right source.
We can review your site risk, help shape and rehearse your procedures, provide ACT-aware officers, and deliver the guarding, mobile and concierge cover that underpins a credible plan. It starts with a straightforward security review — no obligation.
