Sector guide

Martyn’s Law for places of worship: always standard tier

Churches, mosques, temples, gurdwaras and synagogues get a rule of their own: where communal worship is the principal use, the premises are standard tier whatever their size. An 800-seat cathedral and a village chapel carry the same tier of duty. Here is how it works.

Last verified against the Act and official guidance on 2 September 2026 · Reviewed fortnightly

The fixed-tier rule

Schedule 1 of the Act specifies that where the principal use of premises is communal worship or other communal religious practice, the premises are standard duty premises regardless of how they would otherwise be treated. There is no enhanced tier for places of worship, no compliance document to prepare or submit, and no designated senior individual requirement, however large the congregation. The statutory guidance confirms that worship premises expecting 800 or more stay in the standard tier.

The rule turns on principal use. A place of worship that also runs a nursery or hires out halls remains within the rule provided worship is the principal use of the premises, which the guidance assesses by how the premises are used over time. Where a building’s principal use is genuinely something else, the normal rules apply to it.

Are we in scope at all?

The 200 threshold still applies: premises qualify only where it is reasonable to expect 200 or more people at the same time, from time to time, counting volunteers, clergy and staff as well as the congregation, and counting any grounds that form part of the premises. Regular services below 200 with occasional larger festivals is exactly the “from time to time” situation the test contemplates: if major festivals bringing 200 plus are a reasonable expectation, the premises are in scope. Keep the reasoning either way: the guidance expects the attendance assessment to be evidenced and able to satisfy the SIA if asked. The scope checker applies the test, carve-out included.

What the standard tier asks of a congregation

Two things once the Act commences. First, notify the SIA: an administrative submission whose rules and deadlines are already fixed, including charity details where the responsible person is a charity. Second, have appropriate public protection procedures in place so far as reasonably practicable: evacuating the premises, moving people to lower-risk areas inside, preventing entry or exit, and communicating with those present. For a congregation this is about decisions and roles, not equipment: who decides mid-service, who moves people away from entrances, how stewards communicate across a full building, and how visiting groups are looked after. No training course is mandated, and free official resources exist.

Events at places of worship

The qualifying events regime does not reach worship premises. Schedule 2 excludes events at places of worship from the separate large-events rules, so a ticketed concert in the nave does not become a qualifying event with its own compliance document. The premises duties, once in scope, are the frame for everything that happens there.

Who is the responsible person?

Whoever has control of the premises in connection with the worship use: depending on governance that may be a parochial church council, trustees, a management committee or an incorporated charity. Where control is shared with other bodies, the coordination duty applies, and the notification asks for the details of others with control. Charities should note that legal accountability sits with the responsible person and cannot be delegated to a consultant or platform.

The documents worth holding

The Act requires no records to be kept at standard tier; our checklist’s good-practice set is around 19 records, all evidence rather than submissions: the scope assessment with the principal-use reasoning, the attendance calculation including festival peaks, the responsible person record reflecting your governance, the procedures plan, and briefing records for stewards and volunteers. The documents checklist covers each one.