35 minutes · free · certificate valid 1 year

Whistleblowing Awareness

Understand what whistleblowing is and how it differs from a personal grievance, the legal protections in the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, how to raise a concern properly, and how to handle a concern someone raises with you. Finish the final assessment with a score of 75% or higher to earn a certificate, valid for one year.

Done this course before, or already know the material? You can go straight to the final assessment and renew your certificate without re-reading the lessons.

Who it's for: This course is for all UK workers and managers, including agency staff and contractors, who may need to raise a concern about wrongdoing at work or handle a concern that someone raises with them.

What you'll learn

• Explain what whistleblowing is and how it differs from a personal grievance.
• Describe the protections the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 gives workers who speak up.
• Raise a concern effectively, choosing the right internal or external route and including the facts that matter.
• Recognise retaliation and detriment, and avoid them when managing someone who has spoken up.
• Handle a concern raised with you by listening, recording, escalating promptly, and protecting confidentiality.

What you'll cover

1. 1

   What whistleblowing is

   What counts as whistleblowing, how it differs from a personal grievance, and why speaking up matters.

2. 2

   The law

   The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, qualifying disclosures, the public interest test, and who is protected.

3. 3

   How to raise a concern

   Internal routes, what to include, anonymous versus confidential reporting, and when to go outside the organisation.

4. 4

   Culture and handling concerns

   How to respond when a concern is raised with you, what retaliation looks like, and why a speak up culture makes organisations stronger.

5. 5

   Putting it into practice

   Short workplace scenarios that test how you would apply this course in real situations.

6. 6

   Final assessment

   20 questions drawn at random from the full question bank. Score 75% or higher to earn your certificate.