Counter-terrorism awareness for venue teams
ACT Awareness, Guide, Shelter, Report and Martyn’s Law
A practical guide to the current official resources, the future duties under Martyn’s Law and the limits of training, records and operational support.
What venue teams should know now
ACT Awareness and Guide, Shelter, Report are free official resources that can support counter-terrorism awareness, incident-response planning and site-specific instruction. They are not legal-compliance certificates. A security provider, training record or software platform cannot determine whether a premises or event is in scope of Martyn’s Law or replace the statutory responsibility held by the Responsible Person.
For a venue or event that may fall within the Act, the starting point is the current statutory guidance: identify the actual premises or event arrangement, assess the full scope tests, agree site-specific procedures and keep those arrangements under review. The Responsible Person may seek suitable advice and operational support, but remains responsible for the legal duty.
ACT Awareness: what the course is for
ProtectUK and the National Counter Terrorism Security Office refreshed the ACT Awareness e-Learning course in June 2026. It is free and primarily aimed at people working in venues and public spaces. The course covers subjects including suspicious activity and items, marauding terrorist attacks and security vulnerabilities.
For relevant SIA licence renewals, the current rule is not simply “complete ACT Awareness.” Door supervisors, security guards and close-protection operatives need the relevant refresher qualification. Before refresher training, learners must show ACT Awareness and ACT Security certificates completed within the preceding year to the training provider. Requirements can change, so learners and employers should check current SIA guidance before booking.
Guide, Shelter, Report
Guide, Shelter, Report is business-focused NaCTSO guidance for businesses, site owners and staff responding to a terrorist attack. It complements public-facing Run Hide Tell advice. Its principles are designed to support site-specific response planning and high-stakes decisions; they are not a substitute for local instructions, staff safety or emergency-service direction.
Guide
Guide people away from danger where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Shelter
Shelter people to keep them safe when that is the appropriate response.
Report
Report to police by calling 999 in an emergency, giving clear information when it is safe to do so.
Venue teams should build these principles into their own arrangements only after considering the site layout, local procedures, staff roles, communications and safety. They should not be presented as an automatic or universal tactical script.
Martyn’s Law: the current legal position
When the Act comes into force, qualifying premises will usually be standard tier where 200–799 individuals, including staff, may be present at the same time, and enhanced tier where 800 or more individuals, including staff, may be present. Capacity is not a complete legal test. Premises must also meet the relevant building, use and exclusion tests. Qualifying events have separate public-access, entry-check, location and exclusion conditions.
Some in-scope places of worship and childcare, primary, secondary and further-education premises remain standard tier even at 800 or more. The Responsible Person must assess the complete statutory tests against current official guidance before deciding which arrangements are relevant.
| When the Act comes into force | What the Responsible Person must consider |
|---|---|
| Standard tier | Notify the SIA as prescribed and, so far as reasonably practicable, ensure appropriate procedures for evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication are in place. |
| Enhanced tier and qualifying events | Meet the standard-tier requirements, consider and keep under review appropriate protective measures, maintain the statutory document and provide it to the SIA. If the Responsible Person is a company or organisation, it must designate a senior individual involved in its management or control. |
The Act does not require a named generic training course, a security provider, a particular software platform or a provider’s training certificate. Training and instruction should be appropriate to the site and its procedures.
How SSS can support operational readiness
Where agreed with a client, SSS can support planning, staffing, agreed procedures and operational record keeping. The SSS Application can hold client-defined working assessments, site and assignment instructions, attendance and patrol records, training records, licence-status records, incident reports and client-access information. These tools support operational oversight. They do not make a legal determination, replace the Responsible Person’s assessment or certify compliance.
Where SSS records training or deployment information, the relevant client and operational team should ensure the record identifies the applicable course or instruction, completion date and deployment context. A record is useful only when the underlying information remains current and relevant to the site.
Frequently asked questions
Is Martyn’s Law already in force?
No. Its substantive duties had not commenced on 23 September 2026. The SIA currently expects commencement in spring 2027 but has not confirmed the exact date.
Does ACT Awareness completion prove that a venue is compliant?
No. ACT Awareness can support general counter-terrorism awareness. A course record does not determine scope, decide what is reasonably practicable or establish legal compliance.
Does a venue have to hire security guards under Martyn’s Law?
No. The Act does not impose a universal requirement to employ security personnel. Procedures and measures must be appropriate and reasonably practicable for the individual site or event.
Can an SSS Application record classify a site or prove compliance?
No. The Application can record a client’s working assessment and agreed actions. The Responsible Person must verify the full statutory tests and current guidance, and remains responsible for legal duties.
Official sources and review
Sources checked 23 September 2026. Check the current official material before making a premises- or event-specific decision.
- Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, legislation.gov.uk.
- Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025: statutory guidance, Home Office.
- Understanding Martyn’s Law and the SIA’s role as regulator, SIA.
- ACT Awareness e-Learning and the refreshed-course announcement, ProtectUK.
- Changes to SIA licence-linked training, SIA.
- Guide, Shelter, Report, ProtectUK, and Run Hide Tell, Counter Terrorism Policing.
