As the number of whistleblowing claims skyrockets, Chloe Page, a solicitor from Birketts law firm, examines the reasons behind the rise and how employers should react.
Recent employment tribunal statistics show a marked increase in the number of claims containing a whistleblowing element, rising from 547 in 2023-24 to 6,842 in 2025-26. Together, a combination of legal, cultural and practical factors is contributing to this upward trend.
High-profile cases such as the Post Office Horizon scandal and recent allegations concerning Harrods have led to a greater awareness among employees of their rights and the protection available to them if they speak up about wrongdoing in their workplaces.
At the same time, there has also been a shift towards workplace accountability and transparency, which has led to employees feeling more comfortable about raising their concerns about perceived wrongdoing where they believe legal, regulatory or ethical standards have been breached.
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In highly regulated sectors, employees may now feel a greater responsibility to report concerns than they would have done previously, particularly where issues relate to compliance, health and safety, financial misconduct or matters of wider public interest.
Furthermore, people can now access information...
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