Three sets of legislative changes coming into force over the next six months will have a material affect on how industrial heritage sites and museums are run in England. These are: Martyn’s Law (which has been blogged about on this website earlier the year), the Crime & Policing Act 2026, and the Employment Rights Act 2025.

Martyn’s Law

This new legislation relates to preparedness for public events and public safety. The Association of Independent Museums (AIM) has a useful article on the implications of this legislation for museums, inclduign industrial heritage museusm and sites.

The Employment Rights Act 2025

This is a series of amendments and additions to existing employment legislation which will affect staff at industrial museums and sites. The changes are coming into force at different times between autumn and April 2027.  ACAS has produced a summary of all the changes.

Crime & Policing Act 2026

This legislation changes the rules on DBS checks and affects museums and voluntary organisations involved in ‘regulated activities’ with children. This has a specific legal definition and sites will need to determine whether or not their museum falls into this definition. Sites will need to review their safeguarding policies and processes to consider what may need to change in the light of the new Act. There is Government guidance, with examples, to help with this, and a recent Museums Association article provides a handy explanation.