Martyn's Law catches premises that can hold 200 or more people at once — and most churches do at festivals, weddings and funerals. For the great majority the duty is simple and free to meet. ChurchGuard gets your PCC ready, and brings the safeguarding documents that sit at the heart of church compliance into the same place.
Named after Martyn Hett, who died in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, it asks those responsible for public premises to be better prepared. Places of worship were the most carefully considered category as the law passed — precisely because they're volunteer-run with no spare resources. It received Royal Assent in April 2025, with the Security Industry Authority as regulator, and an implementation period before enforcement.
"Capacity" means everyone reasonably on site at once — the congregation, volunteers and clergy — not your usual Sunday attendance or seating plan. A church that's quiet most weeks but fills to 300 at Christmas is in scope.
Simple "public protection procedures": evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, communication. No documents legally required, no building works, no consultant.
Cathedrals and the largest venues. If your check shows you're here, we tell you honestly — it needs specialist support, and we won't pretend otherwise.
There's time before enforcement. We help your PCC put the simple things in place calmly, now — not in a rush later.
Written for PCCs, churchwardens and the trustees of every faith — no jargon, no compliance officer, no big invoice.
Answer a few plain-English questions and find out in minutes whether your church is in scope, at which tier, and what your PCC needs to do.
A tailored evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication plan, with your named responsible person — ready to adopt.
The safeguarding policy and records that sit at the heart of church compliance — generated and kept current, not buried in a folder.
The fire risk assessment and health-and-safety basics your building needs, alongside Martyn's Law — no consultant required.
Short modules covering Martyn's Law, safeguarding awareness, fire safety and data protection — so everyone knows their part.
We track your review dates and give you a badge for your church website showing your congregation you take their safety seriously.
There are tens of thousands of churches across the UK, alongside mosques, temples, synagogues and gurdwaras — almost all volunteer-led, all now thinking about the same law. ChurchGuard is multi-faith from day one, and built so a duty meant to protect your congregation never becomes a burden on the people who serve it.
ChurchGuard provides tools and content to help you prepare; it is not a substitute for professional security, safeguarding or legal advice. Martyn's Law is not yet in force — we help you get ready ahead of enforcement. If your premises reach the enhanced tier (800+), we'll tell you and recommend specialist support rather than generate an enhanced-tier assessment.