Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Whistleblowing definition

What does Whistleblowing mean? In practice, whistleblowing describes a worker raising concerns about suspected workplace wrongdoing by disclosing information in the public interest, usually to their employer, a prescribed regulator or (in limited circumstances) more widely. Across England & Wales and Scotland, “whistleblowing” commonly refers to making a “protected disclosure” under the Employment Rights Act 1996, ss.43A–43L (inserted by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998). Northern Ireland has near‑equivalent provisions. A qualifying disclosure must be a disclosure of information (not mere allegation) which the worker reasonably believes tends to show specified wrongdoing (such as a criminal offence, breach of legal obligation, miscarriage of...

Whistleblowing under ERA 1996: qualifying and protected disclosures, detriment and dismissal protections, prescribed persons, and best-practice policies (including 2025–2026 updates: sanctions prescribed persons and sexual harassment)

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Practice notes

This Practice Note provides an overview of the legal framework and practical context for whistleblowing under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996). It offers high-level guidance for organisations and supports the drafting of your whistleblowing policy and procedures. It is not a handbook for managing whistleblowing claims, which is an employment law issue.

What is whistleblowing?

Whistleblowing refers to a worker disclosing information about wrongdoing (ie making a disclosure), usually—though not always—arising in the workplace. For whistleblowing protections to apply, the worker must reasonably believe they are acting in the public interest and that the disclosure points to past, current, or likely future wrongdoing within one or more of these categories:

criminal offences (eg fraud)
failure to meet a legal obligation
miscarriages of justice
risks to someone’s health and safety
damage to the environment
from 6 April 2026, sexual harassment
concealment of wrongdoing in these categories

Whistleblowing legislation is contained in the ERA 1996, as amended by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. It sets out a framework within which a...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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