Martyn’s Law crowd management and event security.

An event is not qualifying simply because it is large or ticketed. Unlike qualifying premises, an event can take place on land without a building. Check all the statutory criteria together.

• The event takes place at a building, other land, or both.
• The event premises are not enhanced-tier premises and do not form part of enhanced-tier premises.
• Members of the public have access to attend.
• At least 800 people are reasonably expected together at some point in connection with the event.
• Measures secure or check payment, tickets or passes, or membership or guest status of a club, association or similar body.
• No exclusion in Schedule 2 Part 2 applies.

What Martyn’s Law coversEnhanced-tier and qualifying-event duties

Events at qualifying worship, childcare, primary, secondary and further education premises are excluded from the qualifying-event rules. Specified parliamentary and devolved government premises and certain transport premises also have exclusions.

An open-access park or recreation ground can be excluded as qualifying premises while a ticketed event there still qualifies. Schedule 2 expressly preserves that possibility. Event-only controls are disregarded when assessing the open-access premises exclusion, rather than making every event there exempt.

A suggested donation, dress code or security search alone does not meet the specified admission test. If admission controls cover only particular parts of a site, assess each controlled part as a separate event under the Act.

Count expected simultaneous attendance, including staff, contractors and volunteers. Weekend ticket totals are not the same as people present together. Consider session overlaps and keep the counting method. Recurring occasions expecting 800 or more can make the premises enhanced tier; a genuine one-off may instead be a qualifying event.

How to count people at an eventSchool event exclusionsSports-ground and outdoor exclusions

HSE identifies arrival and entry, movement around the site, and departure and dispersal as the main crowd-management phases. Apply those principles even where an event is outside Martyn’s Law.

Crowd security and crowd safety need to work together. Entry checks must not create unsafe congestion, obstruct escape routes or push queues into moving traffic. Plan for the crowd you expect and the space actually available.

• Arrival: consider queues, transport, pedestrian access and a safe way to leave a queue.
• Entry: agree admission checks, counting arrangements and who can pause entry.
• Circulation: keep routes usable around stages, toilets, bars and other busy facilities.
• Stewarding: brief people on their area, reporting route and how to receive instructions.
• Emergencies: agree who can stop activity, direct movement and contact emergency services.
• Departure: plan exits, dispersal and any liaison needed with highways or transport providers.

An event safety plan templateEvent security support

A festival plan should connect crowd arrangements with medical provision, welfare, weather, temporary structures, fire safety, traffic and emergency access. Share relevant information with the venue, contractors and emergency services in proportion to the event’s risks.

Ask the council whether a safety advisory group, or SAG, should consider the event. HSE explains that a SAG advises and encourages co-ordination; it does not approve an event or take over the organiser’s duties.

Licensing is a separate check. In England and Wales, a temporary event notice is for relevant licensable activities at an event with fewer than 500 people, including staff. It cannot authorise an 800-person gathering, and it does not replace any SIA notification.

What a safety advisory group doesWhen a temporary event notice is needed

For a qualifying event, the responsible person is whoever controls the premises in connection with their use for that event. This may be the organiser or hirer. Agree control with the venue operator and co-ordinate where the Act requires it; appointing a consultant or security contractor does not transfer statutory responsibility.

Qualifying events need appropriate procedures for evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication, so far as reasonably practicable. They also need appropriate measures covering monitoring, movement, physical security and information security.

Prepare the required document describing procedures and measures and assessing how they are expected to reduce harm and vulnerability. Provide it to the SIA as soon as reasonably practicable after first preparation, and revised versions within 30 days of revision. An organisational responsible person must designate a senior individual.

Match arrangements to the event’s layout and people. Brief staff and volunteers before opening, and review the plan when attendance, layout or other important circumstances change.

Who is responsible for a qualifying event?Assessing procedures and protection measuresFree training for event teams

After commencement, notify the SIA within 14 days of first publicising the qualifying event’s date. If that date was publicised on or before commencement and the event takes place afterwards, the deadline is 14 days from commencement.

Record the publicity date and gather the responsible person’s details, location, expected numbers, counting method and other required information. Event information becoming inaccurate, and ceasing to be responsible after notification, have 14-day notification periods. Events at enhanced-tier premises do not need individual qualifying-event notifications.

Wardcote arranges event security and enhanced-tier help through external partners (anyone carrying out licensable security work must hold an SIA licence). Security companies contract with the client directly. This page is general guidance, not legal advice.

Qualifying-event SIA notification deadlinesDiscuss event security requirementsCheck your venue and event