SIA boss promises a 'proportionate approach' to Martyn's Law regulation
Published: 05/04/2026
Laura Gibb (pictured), the Security Industry Authority (SIA) Executive Director for Martyn's Law, says that it "will take a proportionate, supportive approach as the regulator."
The new regulatory regime must be ready to launch in April 2027. Martyn’s Law has not yet come into force.
The Home Office says there will be a minimum 2-year implementation period from Royal Assent, which was granted in April 2025. This means:
- venues, premises, and events are not yet required by law to comply
- the SIA does not yet have its new powers
- the Home Office statutory guidance explaining how the Act will work in practice is still being finalised
Alongside the Home Office guidance, the SIA is preparing our own statutory guidance (known as Section 12 guidance) which will explain how it will carry out its new regulatory functions.
"We are now in the final stages of preparing the SIA’s draft section 12 statutory guidance for public consultation. This guidance will explain our new statutory powers of enforcement and investigation and set out how we intend to use them" says Laura Gibb.
"The SIA section 12 guidance is about how we will operate as the regulator. It explains that we will take a targeted and risk-based approach to the use of our powers. It sets out how we will use guidance to help people engage with us and to comply with the law, and when we may provide advice in response to specific compliance concerns" she continues.
"The guidance describes how our powers to obtain information and carry out inspections will work, and how we will use the information that we hold. It also explains how we will address non-compliance—including the circumstances in which we may decide it is necessary and proportionate to use our statutory powers—how we will set the value of financial penalties, and what information we may publish about our compliance work."
The SIA’s draft guidance will be published alongside the Home Office’s section 27 statutory guidance on what premises and events will be required to do, which the Home Office "intends to release this spring."
Once the Home Office guidance is published, the SIA will share its own guidance for consultation. "When we do, we want to hear from you so we can make it as useful and informative as possible" says Laura Gibb.
Why this matters now
"We know many organisations already have good protective security measures in place. Some will be wondering whether they need to change or upgrade those measures, while others, particularly smaller venues, may be thinking about the steps that Martyn’s Law will require them to take for the first time" says Laura Gibb.
"That thinking and commitment to public safety is welcome. But we are increasingly hearing that people are being encouraged to buy specific products, consultancy advice or services now, claiming to ensure or guarantee future Martyn’s Law compliance.
"At this stage, that is very unlikely to be a wise investment.
"Until the Home Office statutory guidance is finalised, no one can offer a fully informed or accurate compliance solution. You will need to consider the Home Office guidance against the specific circumstances of your venue, premises or event.
"Products, advice or services that aren’t informed by either the guidance or your circumstances may not help you to prepare to comply.
"We do not want responsible organisations spending money unnecessarily or being misled about what will be required. There is a wealth of technical information available on Protect.UK about protective security and a really useful Home Office myth buster specifically about Martyn’s Law and a guide to whether you are in scope or not.
"I can assure you that we will take a proportionate, supportive approach as the regulator. We understand that not every venue or premises will be fully compliant on day one."
Cost of compliance
During the Act’s passage through Parliament, there was significant debate about ensuring the lowest possible burden on those responsible for venues, premises and events.
This is reflected in the Act, says Laura Gibb, in the requirement for appropriate public protection procedures and measures to be in place only as far as is ‘reasonably practicable’. "The procedures and measures put in place at one location may not be appropriate and reasonably practicable at another" she says.
"The principle of minimising administrative burdens, and our obligation to consider the impact of regulation on economic growth, remains central to how we are designing the regulatory regime" says Laura Gibb.
What you can expect from the SIA
Explains Laura Gibb: "Our approach, consistent with the Regulators’ Code, includes the following commitments:
We will explain what we’re doing and how we’re doing it
The SIA’s section 12 guidance will set out how we will operate as a regulator in more detail, including our approach to investigations and use of powers. We need your input to make it genuinely useful. Please take part in the consultation when it goes live and tell us if it’s not clear and what else would be helpful to know.
We will do more to help you comply
The Home Office statutory guidance on the requirements of the Act will necessarily be long and technical in places, because it must cover all the key requirements of the Act.
We want to understand what other information you need about how to comply, and how we can present it in ways that work for you and your premises. We will also ensure learning and themes from early casework informs further guidance. We know that clear, actionable information will be essential.
We will be proportionate
This means being fair and realistic in our inspection approach. It will be designed to improve public safety. That means directing our resources where they can have the greatest impact. Our regulatory decisions will be guided by risk, and we will be transparent about the principles behind our regulatory approach.
We will hold ourselves to high standards
We are bound by the Regulators’ Code, including the principles of proportionality, consistency and accountability. Our inspectors will be well trained and appropriately vetted. We will moderate and quality assure our regulatory outcomes to ensure a consistent approach. The information you provide will be held securely and accessed only when necessary."
What’s happening behind the scenes
A significant amount of work is underway to build the new regulatory regime — much of it not yet visible to those who will be in scope of Martyn’s Law, says Laura Gibb. "Our work includes:
- engaging a digital delivery partner to design a secure and easy to use portal for premises and events to send us notifications and compliance documents
- drafting guidance to support the regulated community
- recruiting new colleagues to help carry out our regulatory functions"
