This article applies to England, Wales and Scotland.
Important: This guide provides information about UK employment law. It is not legal advice. Every situation is different. If you are dealing with a workplace dispute, consider speaking to a solicitor for advice specific to your circumstances.
In brief: Whistleblowing claims (public interest disclosure) have more than doubled in twelve months, reaching 1,796 complaints in Q3 2025/26 (October to December 2025, provisional), a 102% increase year-on-year. Of disposed claims, 30% settled through ACAS conciliation, and 84% were resolved without ever reaching a hearing. The backlog continues to grow at the fastest rate of any major claim type.
Last updated: March 2026
If you reported wrongdoing at work and faced retaliation, you are part of a rapidly growing group. Whistleblowing claims have more than doubled in the past year — growing faster than any other type of tribunal complaint. The data from those cases can help you understand what to expect from the process.
The figures in this article come from the Ministry of Justice's Employment Tribunal Statistics (Reform system data), covering Q2 2024/25 through Q3 2025/26. Whistleblowing claims are formally known as "public interest disclosure" claims under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (Part IVA), as amended.
How many people are in your position?
Whistleblowing is the fastest-growing claim type in the tribunal system. In Q3 2025/26 (October to December 2025, provisional), 1,796 whistleblowing complaints were filed.
| Quarter | Whistleblowing complaints | Share of all claims |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2024/25 (Jul–Sep 2024) | 758 | 13% |
| Q3 2024/25 (Oct–Dec 2024) | 888 | 14% |
| Q4 2024/25 (Jan–Mar 2025) | 1,036 | 14% |
| Q1 2025/26 (Apr–Jun 2025) | 1,332 | 15% |
| Q2 2025/26 (Jul–Sep 2025) | 1,546 | 17% |
| Q3 2025/26 (Oct–Dec 2025, p) | 1,796 | 17% |
That is a 102% increase compared to Q3 2024/25, when 888 complaints were filed. Growth has been unbroken across all six quarters. No other major claim type has come close to this growth rate over the same period.
Whistleblowing protection applies when you make a "qualifying disclosure" about wrongdoing that you reasonably believe is in the public interest. This can include reporting criminal offences, breaches of a legal obligation, dangers to health and safety, damage to the environment, or a deliberate attempt to cover up any of these.
Whistleblowing claims are almost always filed alongside other complaints — most commonly unfair dismissal and discrimination. There is no qualifying service period for whistleblowing protection, which means employees from day one can bring a claim.
How will your case most likely end?
Q3 2025/26 disposal breakdowns are not yet published for whistleblowing specifically. The most recent complete quarterly data is Q2 2025/26, when the tribunal disposed of 519 whistleblowing complaints:
| Outcome | Percentage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| ACAS conciliated settlement | 30% | Settled through ACAS before hearing |
| Withdrawn or dismissed | 54% | Claim withdrawn or dismissed by tribunal |
| Struck out | 5% | Tribunal removed the claim |
| Unsuccessful at hearing | 4% | Full hearing, employer won |
| Successful at hearing | 0% | No claims succeeded at hearing in Q2 |
| Default judgment | 2% | Employer failed to respond |
| Other | 5% | Various procedural outcomes |
The correct way to express the hearing success rate is: successful divided by (successful + unsuccessful). In Q2 2025/26, that is 0% ÷ (0% + 4%) = 0% of cases that reached a hearing. The overall Q3 2025/26 aggregate across all claim types shows 44% of hearings were won by the claimant — whistleblowing has historically been significantly harder to win at hearing than most claim types.
Around 84% of whistleblowing claims are resolved without ever reaching a hearing. The 5% struck-out rate is notable — claims are sometimes struck out at a preliminary hearing if the tribunal decides the disclosure does not meet the legal definition.
How long will it take?
There is no standalone clearance time published for whistleblowing in Table T_3. Whistleblowing claims are typically complex and filed alongside unfair dismissal or discrimination, so they tend to follow similar timelines. The overall all-claims mean is now 31 weeks (Q3 2025/26, up from 19 weeks a year ago). Complex multi-jurisdiction whistleblowing claims are likely to sit at the upper end, closer to 34–40 weeks.
For a full breakdown of timelines, see our waiting times analysis.
The backlog: what is waiting ahead of you
The open caseload for whistleblowing stood at 4,298 complaints as of Q2 2025/26, up from 1,080 a year earlier — a 298% increase, the fastest of any claim type. Q3 2025/26 individual claim-type caseload data is not yet published, but the total single claims backlog has grown a further 22% in Q3 to 30,784.
Claims are entering the system far faster than they are being cleared. With the total system adding ~5,900 net cases per quarter and whistleblowing receipts growing at 102% year-on-year, the whistleblowing backlog will have grown substantially further.
What this means for you
Settlement is the most common positive outcome. At 30%, whistleblowing's ACAS settlement rate is in line with the overall average. Employers often have strong incentives to settle to avoid the reputational damage of a public hearing about alleged wrongdoing. ACAS early conciliation is a realistic route to resolution.
Winning at a hearing is difficult. No whistleblowing claims succeeded at a hearing in Q2 2025/26. This reflects the high evidential bar: you must prove both that you made a qualifying disclosure and that the employer's detrimental treatment was materially influenced by that disclosure, not for some other reason. Gathering evidence that links the two — timing of events, changes in treatment after the disclosure, any communications referencing it — is critical.
The definition of "qualifying disclosure" matters. Around 5% of whistleblowing claims are struck out, often at the preliminary stage when the tribunal assesses whether the alleged disclosure actually meets the legal test. Not every workplace complaint counts as whistleblowing.
There is no qualifying service period. Unlike unfair dismissal, whistleblowing protection applies from day one of employment.
Compensation is uncapped. Whistleblowing claims have no statutory cap on compensation, unlike standard unfair dismissal. Awards are based on actual losses suffered, which can include loss of earnings and injury to feelings.
Time limits still apply. You need to start ACAS early conciliation within three months minus one day of the detrimental treatment or dismissal. The backlog does not extend your deadline.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many whistleblowing claims are being filed?
In Q3 2025/26, 1,796 whistleblowing complaints were filed (provisional), a 102% increase year-on-year. Whistleblowing is the fastest-growing claim type in the tribunal system.
What percentage of whistleblowing claims succeed?
In Q2 2025/26 (the most recent quarter with full breakdown), 0% succeeded at a full hearing. Around 30% settle through ACAS conciliation, and 84% are resolved without reaching a hearing. The low hearing success rate reflects the high evidential bar for these claims.
What counts as whistleblowing at work?
A qualifying disclosure is when you report information that you reasonably believe shows wrongdoing in the public interest — including criminal offences, breaches of legal obligations, health and safety dangers, environmental damage, or attempts to cover these up. General workplace grievances typically do not qualify.
Do I need two years' service to bring a whistleblowing claim?
No. Whistleblowing protection applies from your first day of employment. There is no minimum qualifying service period.
Is compensation for whistleblowing claims capped?
No. Unlike standard unfair dismissal, whistleblowing compensation is uncapped. Awards are based on actual financial losses and can include injury to feelings.
Sources
- "Employment Tribunal Statistics, Tables ET_1_R, ET_2_R, ET_3_R, ET_4_R", Ministry of Justice / HM Courts & Tribunals Service, Q3 2025/26 — GOV.UK Tribunals Statistics
- Employment Rights Act 1996, Part IVA — Employment Rights Act 1996, Part IVA
- "Whistleblowing at work", ACAS — ACAS: Whistleblowing at Work
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- What Actually Happens to Employment Tribunal Claims? The Real Outcomes
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- Unfair Dismissal: Is It Worth Going to Tribunal?