Whistleblower stories
Stories from our advice line
We speak to whistleblowers every day, around 3,000 a year, and these are their stories. These stories span a wide range of concerns – from safety risks and financial misconduct to abuse, discrimination, and threats to vulnerable people – and they remind us why confidential, expert support matters. Each case shows not only the effort it takes to raise genuine concerns, but how with the right guidance, individuals can challenge wrongdoing and help hold organisations to account. We publish these accounts to shine a light on the everyday realities of whistleblowing, and to show anyone considering speaking up that you are not alone – and there is help available.
Legal Precedents
Whistleblowing law can feel complicated, and it’s not always easy to know how it applies to your own situation. One thing that can really help is looking at legal precedents – these are decisions from past cases that set out principles judges use when deciding new cases with similar issues. Understanding them can give you a better sense of how the law works in practice and how certain arguments might be viewed.
It’s also worth knowing that not every court creates precedents that Employment Tribunals must follow, and the rules differ slightly across the UK. For example, decisions from the Supreme Court apply everywhere. In England and Wales, Employment Tribunals must follow decisions from the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. In Scotland, they follow the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Court of Session. And in Northern Ireland, Industrial Tribunals follow decisions from the Court of Appeal.
Legal cases
Protect has supported and intervened where necessary a number of landmark cases – from a student paramedic fighting for recognition of “injury to feelings” in a detriment claim, to a ruling that could extend protection to charity trustees previously excluded under whistleblowing law. Whether the outcomes confirmed important protections, exposed gaps in the law, or shaped how future whistleblowing claims may be treated – each case tells part of the story of why our work remains vital. If you want to understand the real-world impact of whistleblowing, this page is a powerful record of how individual courage, legal challenge and sustained advocacy combine to drive change.