# Who is the responsible person under Martyn’s Law? > Responsibility follows legal control of the premises or event. Check the rules for organisations, schools, hirers and shared venues. The responsible person is whoever controls the premises in connection with its qualifying use, or controls the premises for a qualifying event. It is usually an organisation rather than an individual manager or volunteer. Responsibility is defined by law, cannot be delegated and may be shared between more than one responsible person. ## At a glance - **Main rule**: Control connected with the qualifying use - **Usually**: An organisation, rather than one named worker - **Ordinary hiring**: Does not transfer the operator’s responsibility - **Enhanced organisations**: Also designate a senior individual ## Start with control, rather than a job title The legal test concerns control of the premises in connection with its listed use. Where there are several listed uses, the person controlling the premises for the principal use is relevant. Consider the main use over time, rather than only what is happening on one afternoon. Ownership, management titles and volunteer rotas are useful context, but do not replace that test. A company can be the responsible person for many premises. The employee gathering information or leading a briefing does not automatically become the responsible person. Start by identifying the organisation operating the venue and how control is arranged. For a pub, hall or visitor attraction, discuss this with the people who understand the operational arrangements before deciding whose details belong in the notification. [Martyn’s Law overview](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law) ## Check rules for schools and other settings The Act identifies the responsible person directly for some uses. For schools, it is the governing body, or the proprietor if there is no governing body. For pupil referral units, it is the maintaining local authority. For NHS hospitals, it is the operating trust or board. For higher education premises, it is the governing body. These rules matter when a head teacher, administrator or site manager is organising preparation on the organisation’s behalf. Do not confuse responsibility with tier. Qualifying schools, childcare settings, further education premises and places of worship remain standard tier even above 800. Higher education can be enhanced. Count relevant staff and volunteers alongside other people when establishing attendance. [Martyn’s Law for schools](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/schools) · [Martyn’s Law for healthcare](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/healthcare) ## Keep ordinary hire and qualifying events distinct For ordinary village hall, church hall or venue hire, responsibility stays with the premises operator rather than the hirer. Hire contracts can specify duties for hirers, but do not transfer the operator’s legal responsibility. The responsible person must be able to show the SIA that requirements were specified. Communicate relevant procedures to hirers and explain how their activities fit the venue’s arrangements. A visiting organiser may help deliver instructions without taking over the operator’s duties. A qualifying event is different. At standard-tier or out-of-scope premises, the person controlling the premises for that event can become its responsible person, often the organiser or hirer. All event criteria and exclusions must be checked. Events at worship, childcare, school and further education premises are excluded from qualifying events. Schools hiring out their facilities remain standard tier. [Martyn’s Law for village halls](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/village-halls) · [Martyn’s Law for events](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/events) ## Co-ordinate where responsibility or control is shared There can be more than one responsible person, and they must co-ordinate. Separate qualifying premises within a larger site can also have co-ordination duties. If the same responsible person controls nested qualifying premises, they are treated as one. For a hall or shop inside a larger site, check its own qualifying numbers and responsibility rather than assuming the whole site’s answer applies. Discuss how procedures work across boundaries, shared entrances and communication arrangements. People with some control who are not themselves the responsible person must co-operate with the responsible person. Useful preparation includes identifying who manages shared spaces and who can carry out arrangements involving them. ## Understand the enhanced-tier senior role An enhanced-tier responsible organisation must designate a senior individual involved in management or control. This is an additional role; it does not replace the organisation as responsible person. The senior individual can delegate tasks but retains responsibility for the role. Personal liability is not automatic simply because someone is designated: the relevant basis is consent, connivance or neglect. Notification includes the individual’s details, position and designation date. Enhanced preparation should therefore involve someone senior enough to oversee the work, rather than assigning the designation to junior staff. [Enhanced-tier requirements](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/enhanced-tier) ## Agree who leads the preparation work Once responsibility is established, agree who gathers attendance evidence, arranges procedure briefings and prepares notification. An authorised person can submit on your behalf, but responsibility cannot be delegated. The duties are not yet enforceable, with commencement expected in spring 2027. Software and specialist services are optional. Wardcote’s free tier tool can help establish your next preparation step. [SIA notification guide](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/sia-notification) · [Check your tier](https://wardcote.co.uk/check-your-tier) ## Questions ### Is the responsible person always an individual? No. It is usually a company or organisation, rather than an individual employee or volunteer. ### Is the head teacher the responsible person for a school? The Act identifies the governing body, or the proprietor where there is no governing body. A head teacher may organise work on its behalf without replacing that legal responsibility. ### Can trustees pass responsibility to a hall hirer? Ordinary hiring does not transfer the operator’s legal responsibility. Contracts can specify duties for hirers, and qualifying events have a separate responsibility rule. ### Can more than one person be responsible? Yes. Where there is more than one responsible person, they must co-ordinate. ### Does appointing a consultant transfer responsibility? No. A consultant can support preparation or submit an authorised notification, but legal responsibility cannot be delegated. ### Does standard tier need a designated senior individual? No. That designation requirement applies where the responsible person for enhanced premises or a qualifying event is an organisation. ## Sources - [The Act as enacted](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/10/enacted) - [Home Office statutory guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance) - [Home Office notification guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-notification-requirement/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-notification-requirement-accessible) - [Home Office myth buster](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69281f35b3b9afff34e960f0/martyns-law-mythbuster.pdf) ## Related - [Martyn’s Law SIA notification: what to submit and when](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/sia-notification) - [Martyn’s Law for schools](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/schools) - [Martyn’s Law for village halls](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/village-halls) - [Martyn’s Law enhanced tier: requirements](https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/enhanced-tier) --- Source: https://wardcote.co.uk/martyns-law/responsible-person · Last reviewed 2026-10-16 · Wardcote, venue and event security. General guidance, not legal advice.