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Employment

Employment Law

Updated 2026-05-16

Protected Disclosure (Whistleblowing) Letter

Formal protected disclosure to an employer's prescribed person or the appropriate regulatory authority under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

When to use this template

Use this letter to make a formal protected disclosure (whistleblowing) about wrongdoing at your workplace. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) protects workers who disclose information in the reasonable belief that it tends to show a relevant failure (e.g. criminal offence, health and safety breach, miscarriage of justice, environmental damage, or deliberate concealment of any of these). This letter creates a written record establishing the protected status of your disclosure.

When NOT to use this template

PIDA does not protect disclosures made solely for personal gain (e.g. to gain a negotiating advantage in an employment dispute). It does not apply to genuinely confidential commercial information. If the disclosure relates to a personal grievance only (e.g. your own terms and conditions), PIDA protection is unlikely to apply. Take specialist advice before making an external disclosure to a regulator or the press — the legal requirements are stricter.

Legal Basis

Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (inserting ss.43A–43L and 47B into the Employment Rights Act 1996). A qualifying disclosure must be made in the reasonable belief that it tends to show a relevant failure and that the disclosure is in the public interest. Detriment following a protected disclosure gives rise to a standalone claim under s.47B ERA 1996; dismissal is automatically unfair under s.103A ERA 1996.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

✗Not keeping a copy of the disclosure and proof of delivery — the date and content of the disclosure are critical if you later face detriment
✗Disclosing more widely than necessary — start internally unless there is a good reason to go to a prescribed person or regulator
✗Failing to use the language 'public interest' — this was a requirement added by the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013
✗Assuming PIDA protects disclosures of purely personal grievances — it does not; the disclosure must relate to a wider public interest failure

Build Your Letter

Fill in your details

Complete the fields below. Required fields are marked with *.

Your full name*

Your job title*

Date of letter*

Recipient's name*

Recipient's title / role*

Employer / organisation name*

Employer / organisation address*

Type of relevant failure (e.g. criminal offence, health & safety breach)*

Full details of the disclosure*

Evidence you are aware of or hold*

Optional fields

Your department

Letter preview

[YOUR FULL NAME]
[YOUR JOB TITLE]
[YOUR DEPARTMENT]

[DATE OF LETTER]

[RECIPIENT'S NAME]
[RECIPIENT'S TITLE / ROLE]
[EMPLOYER / ORGANISATION NAME]
[EMPLOYER / ORGANISATION ADDRESS]

CONFIDENTIAL — PROTECTED DISCLOSURE

---

Dear [RECIPIENT'S NAME],

**FORMAL PROTECTED DISCLOSURE — PUBLIC INTEREST DISCLOSURE ACT 1998**

I am writing to make a formal protected disclosure pursuant to sections 43A–43C of the Employment Rights Act 1996 as amended by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

I make this disclosure in the reasonable belief that the information it contains tends to show one or more relevant failures as defined by section 43B of the Employment Rights Act 1996, and that the disclosure is in the public interest.

**The Relevant Failure(s)**

The information I am disclosing relates to the following matter(s), which I believe tend to show:

[TYPE OF RELEVANT FAILURE (E.G. CRIMINAL OFFENCE, HEALTH & SAFETY BREACH)]

**The Disclosure**

[FULL DETAILS OF THE DISCLOSURE]

**Evidence**

I am aware of / hold the following evidence relating to this matter:

[EVIDENCE YOU ARE AWARE OF OR HOLD]

**Confidentiality**

I request that my identity as the source of this disclosure be kept confidential to the fullest extent possible given the nature of any investigation that follows.

**My Belief**

I make this disclosure in the genuine and reasonable belief that the information is substantially true. I am not making this disclosure for personal gain. I believe the matters disclosed are of public interest and go beyond a personal grievance.

**Expected Response**

I request that you acknowledge receipt of this disclosure within 14 days and confirm that an investigation will be conducted. Please advise me of the outcome in due course and of any actions taken.

Yours faithfully,

[YOUR FULL NAME]

Unfilled fields appear as [FIELD NAME]. Review the letter carefully before sending. This template is a starting point — adapt it to your specific circumstances.