The landscape for whistleblowers in the UK is undergoing a dramatic transformation, according to experts who gathered for a webinar hosted by the National Whistleblower Center on February 9.

The session, titled “Understanding the UK’s Strengthened Whistleblower Reward Program,” revealed what insiders are calling a major breakthrough in establishing workable and effective award programs.

Stephen Kohn, founding partner at KKC, moderated the discussion with Anthony Rodgers, operational lead for the new HMRC program; Eliza Lockhart, research fellow at RUSI; and Dean Zerbe, a prominent tax whistleblower attorney.

The experts examined how the new program works, who qualifies, and how potential whistleblowers can protect themselves while maximizing their chances of an award. They discussed the legal and cultural implications, explored barriers that have limited the effectiveness of reward-based programs, and explained why the UK’s shift signals an important step forward.
Key Takeaways:

• Cultural Stigma: Longstanding resistance to reward-based schemes was based on the belief that reporting wrongdoing was “the right thing to do.” HMRC’s new approach acknowledges that financial incentives are often necessary to uncover high-risk and high-value information.
• Awards Will Be Evidence-Driven: The HMRC states that financial incentives will be tied to the quality of information the informant provides. Factors such as risk, organization, relevance, and credibility will all play a role...

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