The changing legislative landscape in the UK means internal channels to report wrongdoing could increasingly be bypassed. Rachel Cook and Isabella Bradstock from the law firm Peters & Peters examine numerous reforms around whistleblowing and how HR teams can prepare.

The UK is undergoing one of the most significant shifts in whistleblowing and corporate accountability in over two decades. Regulators are preparing to introduce financial reward schemes for whistleblowers, “failure to prevent” offences are expanding, and legislative reforms are poised to broaden both who is protected and what counts as a protected disclosure. For HR leaders, these developments are not simply legal updates; they reshape how organisations must listen to workers, manage risk and demonstrate cultural maturity.

The strategic reality is clear: if employees do not feel safe to raise concerns internally, they will increasingly go elsewhere – to regulators, MPs, trade unions, journalists, or the media. With agencies openly acknowledging their reliance on whistleblowers to meet ambitious prosecution targets, the risks of failing to create an effective internal speak-up culture have never been higher.

Why whistleblowing matters now

Whistleblower evidence is already central to UK enforcement. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) reported that 10% of its 1,450 referrals in 2024 came from whistleblowing disclosures, while HMRC received over 164,000 tip-offs last year.

Enforcement bodies are leaning heavily...

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