What is whistleblowing and how am I protected?

Act fast if you are treated unfairly

If you were sacked for whistleblowing on or after 1 October 2026, you normally have 6 months less 1 day from the date your job ended to make an unfair dismissal claim. If you were sacked before 1 October 2026, the old limit of 3 months applies.

You must tell Acas before you can go to an employment tribunal. So contact Acas early, not near the end of your time limit.

What counts as whistleblowing

You are a whistleblower if you are a worker and you report certain types of wrongdoing. It must be in the public interest, which means it affects other people, not just you.

Wrongdoing that counts includes:

• a criminal offence, such as fraud
• someone's health and safety being in danger
• risk or actual damage to the environment
• a miscarriage of justice
• the company breaking the law, for example not having the right insurance
• sexual harassment
• someone covering up any of the above

It can be something that happened in the past, is happening now, or you think will happen soon.

What does not count

A personal grievance, such as bullying or a complaint about your own contract, is usually not whistleblowing. Use your employer's grievance procedure instead, or get advice from Acas.

Who is protected

You are protected if you are a worker. This includes employees (for example an NHS employee, police officer, office or factory worker), agency workers, trainees, and members of a limited liability partnership.

Steps to blow the whistle

1. Check your employer's whistleblowing policy. It should say who to tell and how.
2. Tell your employer, or a manager you trust.
3. Or tell a prescribed person or body. These are official organisations you can report to instead of your employer, such as HMRC, the Health and Safety Executive or the Care Quality Commission. Find the right one on the GOV.UK list.
4. Or speak to a lawyer for advice.
5. Keep a record of what you reported, who to, and when.

Telling someone in confidence

You can report anonymously, but the person you tell may not be able to take it further without more information. It may also be harder to show later that you were treated badly because you blew the whistle.

You can ask for your name to be kept confidential instead. This is not always guaranteed.

If you go to the media, you will usually lose your legal protection.

Gagging clauses

A confidentiality clause or non-disclosure agreement cannot stop you making a whistleblowing report to your employer, a lawyer or a prescribed body. Get legal advice before signing a settlement agreement.

What to expect

Whoever you tell should listen, decide if action is needed, and keep you updated where they can. You will not have a say in how your concern is dealt with. If you feel it was not taken seriously, you can go to a more senior manager or a prescribed body.

Free help

• Acas (free advice on work problems)
• Citizens Advice, or Citizens Advice Scotland
• Protect, a whistleblowing charity
• your trade union, if you have one

If you live in Northern Ireland

The rules are similar, but you must contact the Labour Relations Agency for early conciliation before making a claim to an industrial tribunal. If you are dismissed for whistleblowing, you do not need the usual one year of service to claim unfair dismissal.

Related guides

• What is Acas early conciliation?
• How do I take my employer to an employment tribunal?
• How does a grievance procedure at work work?
• What can I do if I've been unfairly dismissed?
• What is a notice period?

Where this comes from

• Whistleblowing for employees (GOV.UK)
• Who to tell and what to expect (GOV.UK)
• If you are treated unfairly after whistleblowing (GOV.UK)
• List of prescribed people and bodies (GOV.UK)
• Unfair dismissal rights: employment changes (business.gov.uk)
• Blowing the whistle on workplace wrongdoing (nidirect)