More than 1,500 cases brought over past year but a third remain unsuccessful at hearing
19 March 2026
The number of whistleblowing claims in employment tribunal hearings more than doubled in the past year.
Employees bringing whistleblowing detriment claims rose by 104 per cent to 1,546 complaints between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026, data from the Ministry of Justice revealed.
However, 519 cases were unsuccessful at hearing.
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Whistleblowing: can employees bring detriment claims for dismissal?
The latest figures highlight the gap between the rising number of workers bringing whistleblowing claims and the small proportion that meet the legal threshold required to win, according to Roy Magara, founder of employment law advisory service Magara Law.
“A claimant must prove they made a qualifying disclosure and that it materially influenced the employer’s treatment. That is a demanding burden of proof,” he said.
Whistleblowing claims are usually made in response to a dismissal. However, disputes are now being made in relation to a widening number of workplace issues.
“We are seeing a growing number of claims involving references, reputational damage and decisions taken after employment has ended,” added Magara.
One such case involved Mark Steward, a former primary school caretaker who raised concerns about fire safety,...
Grace Kang has worked as an attorney specializing in intellectual property and business law for 20 years, the last 16 in the greater Los Angeles area. A graduate of Stanford Law School, she said h...