What Counts as Civil Service Whistleblowing?

A personal dispute with a manager is not automatically whistleblowing. A concern can still include both personal treatment and wider wrongdoing. Separate the parts so the department can identify the right process and preserve the public-interest issue.

The core whistleblowing test

Start with three questions. What information are you disclosing? What suspected wrongdoing could that information indicate? Who else may be affected? A clear answer should identify facts or observations, a recognised type of wrongdoing and a wider impact beyond a private disagreement.

You do not need to conduct your own investigation or prove the final case. You should have a reasonable basis for the belief and present the information honestly. Distinguish what you know from what you suspect.

Concerns that can point towards whistleblowing

• Suspected criminal activity, fraud, corruption or misuse of public resources.
• A suspected breach of a legal obligation or serious failure to follow a required safeguard.
• A danger to health and safety affecting workers, service users or the public.
• Environmental damage or a serious risk of environmental harm.
• A miscarriage of justice.
• An attempt to conceal information about relevant wrongdoing.
• Conduct that may conflict with the Civil Service Code or undermine the integrity of public administration.

Concerns that may need another route

Unfair feedback, workload disputes, a denied flexible working request, bullying, discrimination, performance action or a disagreement about your own employment position may need a grievance, appeal, reasonable adjustment request or another workplace policy. These issues can be serious without meeting the whistleblowing test.

Look again if the same facts reveal a wider risk. A personal workload dispute may also show that unsafe staffing levels are putting service users at risk. A complaint about your manager may also contain evidence of public funds being misused. Write the wider concern separately.