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Employment Law — Whistleblowing Letter Support
You know something
is wrong. Saying it
has to be done correctly.
You have a legitimate complaint about how you have been treated at work. The way you put it in writing including the structure, the tone, and the evidence, will determine how seriously it is received. We help you get that right.
IF YOU ARE ALREADY EXPERIENCING DETRIMENT FOLLOWING A DISCLOSURE
Every day that passes without documentation makes the detriment harder to evidence. If you have already made a disclosure, formally or informally, and you have since been treated differently, whether through performance management, exclusion, discipline, or dismissal, the connection between the disclosure and the treatment needs to be documented now. The consultation will help you assess exactly where you stand.
Deciding to speak up about wrongdoing at work is not a small thing. Neither is getting the words right.
Most people who reach this point have been carrying what they know for some time. The knowledge that something is wrong, that money is being misused, that safety is being compromised, that someone is being harmed, that a regulation is being breached, sits heavily. Deciding what to do with it is one of the most difficult professional decisions anyone can face.
The fear is rational. Whistleblowers can face retaliation. They can be sidelined, disciplined, managed out, or dismissed. Colleagues can distance themselves. Careers can be damaged. The decision to make a protected disclosure is made in full knowledge of those risks, and it is usually made because the alternative of staying silent feels worse.
What many people do not know is that the protection the law provides is not automatic. It depends entirely on whether the disclosure was made correctly: whether it identifies a qualifying concern, whether it is framed in a way that brings it within the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, and whether it is made to the right person in the right way. A disclosure that does not meet those requirements is not a protected disclosure. The person who made it is not protected.
We help you make the disclosure correctly. That means assessing whether what you know constitutes a qualifying disclosure under PIDA, identifying every element of the concern that needs to be documented, choosing the right disclosure route, whether to your employer, to a prescribed person, or to a relevant regulator, and drafting a letter that unambiguously establishes the protected status of the disclosure from the moment it is received.
For those who have already made a disclosure and are now experiencing detriment, the work is different but equally important. Detriment following a protected disclosure, including being overlooked for promotion, subjected to disciplinary action, excluded from meetings, given an impossible workload, or dismissed, is actionable. The connection between the disclosure and the treatment must be documented clearly and contemporaneously. A well-constructed detriment letter establishes that connection in writing, on record, and at the moment it can still be properly evidenced.
We have direct experience of this from inside regulated law firms, including a six-figure settlement secured for a whistleblowing client through strategic use of a subject access request. This is not theoretical knowledge. It is built into everything we do.
A distinction that matters more than most people realise
A grievance and a protected disclosure are not the same thing. Treating them as though they are is one of the most common and most consequential mistakes in this area.
When something goes wrong at work, the grievance procedure is the first thing most people reach for. It is familiar, accessible, and feels like the right formal channel for raising a serious concern. Organisations process large volumes of grievances. HR teams understand them well. They have established frameworks, standard response pathways, and considerable institutional experience in managing grievances to conclusions that serve the organisation's interests. That experience is not incidental. It is structural.
A protected disclosure under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 is a fundamentally different legal instrument. It is not a complaint about how you have been personally treated. It is a formal notification that a qualifying concern about wrongdoing exists. The moment a qualifying protected disclosure is correctly made, it creates obligations the organisation cannot discharge through its own internal processes and triggers protections that cannot be removed by contract. It changes the dynamic of everything that follows in ways that a grievance simply cannot.
The most consequential mistake in this area is framing a qualifying protected disclosure as a grievance. The two documents feel similar to write. They raise workplace concerns. They are addressed to the same people. But one operates within the organisation's process and the other operates above it. Once a letter has been sent and received as a grievance, the PIDA protection does not automatically attach to it. The framing at the outset determines which legal framework governs what happens next. That decision cannot easily be undone after the fact.
"A grievance gives your employer a process. A protected disclosure gives you a protection. They are not the same document, and they should never be drafted as though they are."
"The courage it takes to speak up about wrongdoing at work should not be undermined by a letter that was drafted without understanding what the law requires. The protection exists. Reaching it depends on how the disclosure is made."
WE CAN HELP WITH
Whistleblowing situations we work with regularly.
01
Drafting the initial protected disclosure letter
Where you are ready to make a formal disclosure and want it drafted correctly from the outset. We identify every qualifying element, frame the concern clearly within the statutory categories, articulate the public interest dimension, and address it to the appropriate recipient so that the protection attaches from the moment the letter is received.
04
Disclosures involving financial wrongdoing or fraud
Where the concern involves financial misconduct, fraudulent reporting, misuse of funds, or accounting irregularities. These matters often involve multiple qualifying categories simultaneously and may warrant a disclosure to a prescribed person such as HMRC or the FCA in addition to or instead of an internal disclosure.
02
Assessing whether your disclosure qualifies before you act
Where you are not yet certain whether what you know constitutes a qualifying disclosure under PIDA. The consultation assesses your concern against the statutory categories, considers whether the public interest element is present, and gives you a clear assessment of your position before you decide how to proceed.
05
Disclosures involving health and safety failures
Where the concern involves a risk to health and safety of employees, the public, or any other person. Health and safety disclosures can be made internally or to the Health and Safety Executive as a prescribed person. Where the risk is serious and ongoing, the route and timing of the disclosure are particularly important.
03
Documenting detriment following a protected disclosure
Where you have already made a disclosure and are now being treated differently. A formal detriment letter documents the specific treatment you have experienced, connects it clearly and chronologically to the disclosure, and places that connection on record in writing at the moment it can still be properly evidenced. Delay weakens detriment cases significantly.
06
Concerns that were raised as grievances but should have been protected disclosures
Where you have already submitted a grievance that contains what should have been a qualifying protected disclosure, the position is recoverable in most cases, but it requires careful assessment and a properly framed follow-up letter. We help you identify what was raised, whether it qualifies under PIDA, and how to ensure the protected disclosure is formally on record before any further steps are taken.
This service is right for some people and not for others. Here is how to tell.
THIS IS RIGHT FOR YOU IF
You are aware of wrongdoing at work and want to make a formal protected disclosure
You want to understand whether what you know qualifies for PIDA protection before you act
You have raised a concern informally or as a grievance and want to understand whether it should have been framed as a protected disclosure
You have already made a disclosure and are now experiencing detriment you want to document formally
You want a fixed fee with no surprises
You need guidance on whether to disclose internally, to a regulator, or to a prescribed person
THIS IS NOT RIGHT FOR YOU IF
Your concern is a personal grievance about your own treatment rather than a qualifying category of wrongdoing
You need regulated legal advice on whether to bring an Employment Tribunal claim
You need representation at a tribunal hearing or in formal legal proceedings
Your matter involves a parallel criminal investigation where the disclosure may have evidential implications
Your supporting documentation exceeds 50 pages in total
HOW IT WORKS
Four steps. No uncertainty.
01
GET YOUR FIXED PRICE.
Answer a few short questions about your situation. The calculator gives you an exact fee, there are no hidden extras, no "call us for a quote."
02
PAY & BOOK
Pay securely online. Once payment is confirmed, you receive a link to book your 50-minute consultation at a time that suits you.
03
Consultation and drafting
We assess your concern against the PIDA framework, identify qualifying categories, discuss the disclosure route, and draft the letter. It is precise, unambiguous, and structured to ensure the protection attaches from the moment it is received.
04
Review and submit
Read the draft carefully. One full revision is included. Once finalised, the letter is ready to submit. We provide guidance on delivery, proof of receipt, and what to do if your treatment changes after the disclosure is made.
The protection is only as strong as the disclosure that triggers it.
Demonstrated outcomes
We secured a six-figure settlement for a whistleblowing client through strategic use of a subject access request against one of the UK's leading law firms. The disclosure was made correctly. The detriment was documented. The evidence was gathered systematically. That sequence is what we build for every client.
Law Society accredited
Our principal holds Law Society accreditation in Employment Law, an independently verified credential that reflects the standard against which every piece of work is calibrated. Whistleblowing matters are among the most technically complex in employment law. The standard of analysis must reflect that.
Fixed fee, not hourly
You know the cost before you commit. There are no hourly billing surprises, no revision fees, and no ambiguity. The fee is calculated on the specifics of your case and agreed upfront.
"The people who reach this page have usually already decided to act. What they need is someone who understands what the law requires, knows how these letters land, and will make sure the protection is real from the moment the disclosure is made."
YOUR FIXED FEE
PLEASE READ
Safeguard Legal is not a law firm and is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The support we provide is structured legal document drafting and practical guidance for individuals managing matters themselves. We do not provide regulated legal advice, represent clients in tribunal proceedings, or advise on the merits or prospects of a legal claim.
If your matter involves active tribunal litigation, a parallel criminal investigation, or you require regulated legal representation, you should contact a regulated employment law firm.
What we provide is professionally prepared legal support built on 17 years of strong casework experience across regulated legal practice, law firm operations, and legal complaints handling.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions people ask before booking
What is the difference between a grievance and a protected disclosure?
A grievance is a complaint about how you have personally been treated at work. It is processed through your employer's internal complaints procedure and carries no independent statutory protection beyond the right to raise it. A protected disclosure under PIDA is a formal notification that a qualifying concern about wrongdoing exists, one that goes beyond your personal situation and engages the public interest. The moment a qualifying disclosure is properly made, it creates obligations the organisation cannot manage away through its own processes and triggers protections that cannot be removed by contract. The two documents feel similar to write and are often addressed to the same people. The legal frameworks that govern them are fundamentally different. Drafting a qualifying disclosure as a grievance is one of the most common and consequential mistakes in this area, and it is not automatically correctable after the fact.
What qualifies as a protected disclosure under PIDA?
A qualifying disclosure must relate to one of six categories: a criminal offence, a failure to comply with a legal obligation, a miscarriage of justice, a risk to health and safety, damage to the environment, or the deliberate concealment of any of these. Since 2013 the disclosure must also be in the public interest, meaning it cannot be purely about your own personal grievance. You must have a reasonable belief that the wrongdoing has occurred, is occurring, or is likely to occur. You do not need to be certain, and you do not need to prove it in the disclosure itself.
What protection do whistleblowers have?
A worker who makes a qualifying protected disclosure cannot lawfully be dismissed or subjected to detriment as a result of that disclosure. Dismissal following a protected disclosure is automatically unfair regardless of length of service, which means the usual two-year qualifying period does not apply. Detriment short of dismissal, including being passed over for promotion, subjected to disciplinary action, given an unmanageable workload, or excluded from communications, is also actionable. Both claims are brought in the Employment Tribunal. The protection applies from the moment a qualifying protected disclosure is properly made.
I raised my concern as a grievance. Is it too late to make a protected disclosure?
In most cases, no. A concern that was raised as a grievance can in many situations be reframed and submitted as a formal protected disclosure, particularly where the underlying facts identify a qualifying category of wrongdoing and the public interest element is present. The grievance may itself be relevant to the detriment picture if your treatment has changed since you raised it. What matters now is getting the protected disclosure on record clearly, formally, and correctly before any further steps are taken. The consultation will assess your specific position and advise on the most effective approach.
Should I make the disclosure to my employer or to a regulator?
In most cases the internal route, a disclosure made directly to your employer, is the starting point. It is the most straightforward and provides full PIDA protection where the disclosure qualifies. A disclosure to a prescribed person, such as the FCA, HMRC, the HSE, or the CQC depending on the nature of the concern, provides equivalent protection where the concern falls within their remit. In some situations, particularly where the employer is the subject of the concern, a regulatory disclosure is the more appropriate or more protective route. The consultation helps you assess which route is right for your specific situation.
Can I blow the whistle if I signed a confidentiality agreement?
Yes. A confidentiality clause in an employment contract or non-disclosure agreement cannot prevent you from making a protected disclosure. Any contractual provision that purports to prevent or restrict a qualifying protected disclosure under PIDA is void. This includes clauses in settlement agreements, subject to limited exceptions relating to legal professional privilege. If you are in any doubt about the specific terms of an agreement you have signed and how they interact with PIDA, you should seek regulated legal advice on that specific question before acting.
Is this confidential?
Yes. Everything you share with us is held in strict confidence and used only for the purpose of preparing your document. We do not share your information with any third parties. Full details are set out in our Privacy Policy.
What if my situation turns out to be more complex than I thought?
The triage calculator identifies complexity before quoting. If your matter falls outside our standard scope because of volume, complexity, or urgency then you will be told immediately and directed to the appropriate support. If additional complexity emerges during the consultation, we will discuss this with you openly before proceeding.