WhistleblowersUK - 2024 Survey

Welcome to our 2024 Whistleblowing Survey

This short survey aims to understand your experience and perceptions of whistleblowing. The survey is part of our ongoing call for evidence. The results will be analysed and compared with existing proposals. The findings will be formed into a detailed report prepared to assist ongoing development of proposed improvements to the UK Whistleblowing Framework.

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* 1. Please describe “Whistleblowing” in your own words.

FOR THE REST OF THIS SURVEY PLEASE CONSIDER THE DEFINITION OF WHISTLEBLOWING AS “RAISING CONCERNS THAT YOUR/AN ORGANISATION, IS BREACHING PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, NEGLIGENCE, BRIBERY, FRAUD, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, MISCARRIAGES OF JUSTICE, HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS, DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT OR BREACHING LEGAL OBLIGATIONS, INCLUDING DISCRIMINATION – OR DELIBERATELY CONCEALING SUCH MATTERS.”

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* 2. How confident would you feel in dealing with someone who came to you raising concerns / whistleblowing?

Very confident – would be able to advise them myself

Fairly confident – might need to discuss with a colleague

A little confident but would need to get significant help from someone else

Not at all confident and would immediately refer them to someone else

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* 3. If YOU wanted to raise concerns/whistle blow, where would you go FIRST with these concerns?

Internal – my line manager

Internal – a colleague

Internal – another manager

Internal – other dept (e.g. HR, compliance)

External -Trade union

External – Journalist/media outlets/social media

External – regulator

External other external body

Other (please specify)

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* 4. Please tell us how much you agree with the following statements using a scale from Totally Disagree to Totally Agree

	Totally disagree	Slightly disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Slightly agree	Totally agree	N/A
I support a compensation or rewards scheme for whistleblowers	I support a compensation or rewards scheme for whistleblowers Totally disagree	I support a compensation or rewards scheme for whistleblowers Slightly disagree	I support a compensation or rewards scheme for whistleblowers Neither agree nor disagree	I support a compensation or rewards scheme for whistleblowers Slightly agree	I support a compensation or rewards scheme for whistleblowers Totally agree	I support a compensation or rewards scheme for whistleblowers N/A
Whistleblowing should be compulsory for people with concerns in any workplace	Whistleblowing should be compulsory for people with concerns in any workplace Totally disagree	Whistleblowing should be compulsory for people with concerns in any workplace Slightly disagree	Whistleblowing should be compulsory for people with concerns in any workplace Neither agree nor disagree	Whistleblowing should be compulsory for people with concerns in any workplace Slightly agree	Whistleblowing should be compulsory for people with concerns in any workplace Totally agree	Whistleblowing should be compulsory for people with concerns in any workplace N/A
I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower that focuses on the development, enforcement and evaluation of legislation	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower that focuses on the development, enforcement and evaluation of legislation Totally disagree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower that focuses on the development, enforcement and evaluation of legislation Slightly disagree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower that focuses on the development, enforcement and evaluation of legislation Neither agree nor disagree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower that focuses on the development, enforcement and evaluation of legislation Slightly agree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower that focuses on the development, enforcement and evaluation of legislation Totally agree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower that focuses on the development, enforcement and evaluation of legislation N/A
If I raised concerns my employer would support me	If I raised concerns my employer would support me Totally disagree	If I raised concerns my employer would support me Slightly disagree	If I raised concerns my employer would support me Neither agree nor disagree	If I raised concerns my employer would support me Slightly agree	If I raised concerns my employer would support me Totally agree	If I raised concerns my employer would support me N/A
Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on the NHS	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on the NHS Totally disagree	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on the NHS Slightly disagree	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on the NHS Neither agree nor disagree	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on the NHS Slightly agree	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on the NHS Totally agree	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on the NHS N/A
The process for raising concerns is clear in my workplace and I would know where to go	The process for raising concerns is clear in my workplace and I would know where to go Totally disagree	The process for raising concerns is clear in my workplace and I would know where to go Slightly disagree	The process for raising concerns is clear in my workplace and I would know where to go Neither agree nor disagree	The process for raising concerns is clear in my workplace and I would know where to go Slightly agree	The process for raising concerns is clear in my workplace and I would know where to go Totally agree	The process for raising concerns is clear in my workplace and I would know where to go N/A
Leaking is protected under UK law	Leaking is protected under UK law Totally disagree	Leaking is protected under UK law Slightly disagree	Leaking is protected under UK law Neither agree nor disagree	Leaking is protected under UK law Slightly agree	Leaking is protected under UK law Totally agree	Leaking is protected under UK law N/A
I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower to receive and act on whistleblowing reports	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower to receive and act on whistleblowing reports Totally disagree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower to receive and act on whistleblowing reports Slightly disagree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower to receive and act on whistleblowing reports Neither agree nor disagree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower to receive and act on whistleblowing reports Slightly agree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower to receive and act on whistleblowing reports Totally agree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower to receive and act on whistleblowing reports N/A
I would feel safe raising concerns in my workplace	I would feel safe raising concerns in my workplace Totally disagree	I would feel safe raising concerns in my workplace Slightly disagree	I would feel safe raising concerns in my workplace Neither agree nor disagree	I would feel safe raising concerns in my workplace Slightly agree	I would feel safe raising concerns in my workplace Totally agree	I would feel safe raising concerns in my workplace N/A
Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on business in the UK	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on business in the UK Totally disagree	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on business in the UK Slightly disagree	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on business in the UK Neither agree nor disagree	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on business in the UK Slightly agree	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on business in the UK Totally agree	Whistleblowing can have serious knock-on effects on business in the UK N/A
I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower as an organisation to provide support and oversight to whistleblowers and firms	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower as an organisation to provide support and oversight to whistleblowers and firms Totally disagree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower as an organisation to provide support and oversight to whistleblowers and firms Slightly disagree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower as an organisation to provide support and oversight to whistleblowers and firms Neither agree nor disagree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower as an organisation to provide support and oversight to whistleblowers and firms Slightly agree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower as an organisation to provide support and oversight to whistleblowers and firms Totally agree	I support the concept of an independent Office of the Whistleblower as an organisation to provide support and oversight to whistleblowers and firms N/A
Whistleblowing is protected under UK law	Whistleblowing is protected under UK law Totally disagree	Whistleblowing is protected under UK law Slightly disagree	Whistleblowing is protected under UK law Neither agree nor disagree	Whistleblowing is protected under UK law Slightly agree	Whistleblowing is protected under UK law Totally agree	Whistleblowing is protected under UK law N/A
Whistleblowing can have serious effects on the individual who raises concerns, including on their health	Whistleblowing can have serious effects on the individual who raises concerns, including on their health Totally disagree	Whistleblowing can have serious effects on the individual who raises concerns, including on their health Slightly disagree	Whistleblowing can have serious effects on the individual who raises concerns, including on their health Neither agree nor disagree	Whistleblowing can have serious effects on the individual who raises concerns, including on their health Slightly agree	Whistleblowing can have serious effects on the individual who raises concerns, including on their health Totally agree	Whistleblowing can have serious effects on the individual who raises concerns, including on their health N/A
I feel if I raised concerns there would be a negative effect on my career prospects or reputation	I feel if I raised concerns there would be a negative effect on my career prospects or reputation Totally disagree	I feel if I raised concerns there would be a negative effect on my career prospects or reputation Slightly disagree	I feel if I raised concerns there would be a negative effect on my career prospects or reputation Neither agree nor disagree	I feel if I raised concerns there would be a negative effect on my career prospects or reputation Slightly agree	I feel if I raised concerns there would be a negative effect on my career prospects or reputation Totally agree	I feel if I raised concerns there would be a negative effect on my career prospects or reputation N/A

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* 5. Please say which of the following you feel are risks in your organisation of raising concerns / whistleblowing

Retaliation/being bullied / ostracised / singled out

Backlash to my family and colleagues

Disclosure of my identity

Losing my job – being dismissed

Blacklisting in my sector or industry

Losing my job – feeling I have to leave

Negative impact on my future prospects within the organisation

Other (please specify)

None of the above

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* 6. How clear do feel in your understanding of current UK whistleblowing law?

Very clear

Somewhat clear

A little clear

Not at all clear

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* 7. Thinking of your own direct personal experience select from the dropdown which is most like your experience...

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* 8. Describe your own personal opinion of the current situation around whistleblowing in your workplace in A SINGLE WORD

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* 9. What impact has whistleblowing had on your mental and/or physical health?

No adverse impact (having raised concerns)

Workplace Stress - less than 14 days absence

Workplace stress - more than 14 days absence

Clinically diagnosed psychological injury

I have never raised any concerns

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* 10. Please give any final comments or ideas you feel are relevant to the future of Whistleblowing in the UK, whether in your organisation or more widely.

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* 11. THIS SURVEY IS ANONYMOUS.

TO HELP OUR ANALYSIS PLEASE INDICATE YOUR CURRENT ROLE IN YOUR WORKPLACE. TICK ALL THAT APPLY

Senior manager/exec level

Line manager with direct responsibility managing people

Team member with no direct responsibility for managing people

Directly responsible for compliance in my workplace

Indirectly responsible for compliance in my workplace

Civil servant / parliamentary staff

Researcher

Other (please specify)

WhistleblowersUK - 2024 Survey

Welcome to our 2024 Whistleblowing Survey

Question Title

* 1. Please describe “Whistleblowing” in your own words.

Question Title

* 2. How confident would you feel in dealing with someone who came to you raising concerns / whistleblowing?

Question Title

* 3. If YOU wanted to raise concerns/whistle blow, where would you go FIRST with these concerns?

Question Title

* 4. Please tell us how much you agree with the following statements using a scale from Totally Disagree to Totally Agree

Question Title

* 5. Please say which of the following you feel are risks in your organisation of raising concerns / whistleblowing

Question Title

* 6. How clear do feel in your understanding of current UK whistleblowing law?

Question Title

* 7. Thinking of your own direct personal experience select from the dropdown which is most like your experience...

Question Title

* 8. Describe your own personal opinion of the current situation around whistleblowing in your workplace in A SINGLE WORD

Question Title

* 9. What impact has whistleblowing had on your mental and/or physical health?

Question Title

* 10. Please give any final comments or ideas you feel are relevant to the future of Whistleblowing in the UK, whether in your organisation or more widely.

Question Title

* 11. THIS SURVEY IS ANONYMOUS. TO HELP OUR ANALYSIS PLEASE INDICATE YOUR CURRENT ROLE IN YOUR WORKPLACE. TICK ALL THAT APPLY

* 11. THIS SURVEY IS ANONYMOUS.

TO HELP OUR ANALYSIS PLEASE INDICATE YOUR CURRENT ROLE IN YOUR WORKPLACE. TICK ALL THAT APPLY