If you’re thinking about blowing the whistle, learn more about the legal protection available for whistleblowers and find out where to get advice.
If you're considering blowing the whistle, you may have lots of questions about the legal protection available and how the law applies to the wrongdoing you are seeing.
While our Whistleblowing team is not able to give you legal advice, organisations who can help and may be able to support you include:
- Protect
- trade bodies and unions
- ACAS
- Citizens Advice
You may also be able to get the help of a legal adviser, such as a solicitor.
How the law applies to whistleblowers
Whistleblowers are protected by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA), which means that you may obtain a remedy if you are hurt, suffer detriment or are dismissed because you have blown the whistle in the public interest. This is enforceable through an Employment Tribunal.
PIDA was introduced to encourage and give workers the legal support to speak up if they have concerns about wrongdoing in their workplace.
It makes provision about the subject matter of the disclosure, the motivation and beliefs of the worker, and the person(s) to whom the disclosure is made.
How the FCA helps whistleblowers
Whistleblowers can directly report wrongdoing to the FCA.
The FCA has a special ('prescribed') role under PIDA. Under PIDA, if a whistleblower makes a report to a prescribed person, such as the FCA, they will potentially qualify for the same employment rights as if they had made a report to their employer. If they do qualify, reporting to the employer directly is not required.
To qualify for these rights, as well as meeting the criteria found on GOV.UK, the worker must have a reasonable belief that:
- the matter being reported falls within the remit of the prescribed person, as described in the second column of the Schedule to the Prescribed Persons Order headed 'Description of matters'. Find out more
- the information reported is substantially true
Read more about the role of 'prescribed persons'.
FCA participation in Tribunals
We don't usually comment or participate in Tribunal proceedings brought under PIDA.
Contact the FCA Whistleblowing team
- call: +44 (0)20 7066 9200 between 10am to 3pm, or leave a message
- email: [email protected]
- write to: Intelligence Department (Ref PIDA), Financial Conduct Authority, 12 Endeavour Square, London, E20 1JN
- use our online form to make a report
We record all calls to make sure we capture your information correctly.
Please note, the 'submit feedback' option below should not be used to contact the team or make a report.