Martyn’s Law: Getting Your Church Ready for April 2027
New counter-terrorism duties come into force in April 2027 for premises hosting events of more than 200 people. The URC has published guidance to help churches prepare.
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Martyn’s Law received Royal Assent in April 2025 and comes into force in April 2027. From then, premises hosting events of more than 200 people will need to consider how they would respond to a terrorist incident. This could include church buildings used for larger services, concerts or community events.
To give every local URC the chance to prepare, the URC Resources Hub now has guidance notes explaining what the law involves and how to begin thinking about practical next steps.
Things to consider now
- Fire evacuation plans
- Emergency contacts
- Stewarding arrangements
- First aid provision
- How you would communicate during an incident
- Basic terrorism awareness
- Reporting suspicious behaviour
- Emergency response procedures
Guidance and resources
- Martyn’s Law guidance notes (URC Resources Hub)
- Risk assessment pro forma for church buildings
- Activity risk assessment form (PDF)
Protect UK also has further guidance on Martyn’s Law and eLearning on counter-terrorism and security.
For more health and safety guidance, see our Health & Safety pages.