Employment Rights Act 1996, section 43H

Disclosure of exceptionally serious failure

Part IVA Protected disclosures

(1)A qualifying disclosure is made in accordance with this section if—

F184 ( a ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b)[F185 the workerF185] reasonably believes that the information disclosed, and any allegation contained in it, are substantially true,

(c)he does not make the disclosure for purposes of personal gain,

(d)the relevant failure is of an exceptionally serious nature, and

(e)in all the circumstances of the case, it is reasonable for him to make the disclosure.

(2)In determining for the purposes of subsection (1)(e) whether it is reasonable for the worker to make the disclosure, regard shall be had, in particular, to the identity of the person to whom the disclosure is made.

Definitions used in section 43H 4

qualifying disclosure

(1) In this Part a “qualifying disclosure” means any disclosure of information which, in the reasonable belief of the worker making the disclosure, is made in the public interest and tends to show one or more of the following—

(a)that a criminal offence has been committed, is being committed or is likely to be committed,

(b)that a person has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to comply with any legal obligation to which he is subject,

(c)that a miscarriage of justice has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur,

(d)that the health or safety of any individual has been, is being or is likely to be endangered,

(da)that sexual harassment has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur,

(e)that the environment has been, is being or is likely to be damaged, or

(f)that information tending to show any matter falling within any one of the preceding paragraphs has been, is being or is likely to be deliberately concealed.

Defined in s.43B(1) · see it in the full Act

“qualifying disclosure” has the meaning given by section 43B;

Defined in s.43L(1) · see it in the full Act
workers

(4) The Secretary of State may by order make amendments to this section as to what individuals count as “workers” for the purposes of this Part (despite not being within the definition in section 230(3)).

Defined in s.43K(4) · see it in the full Act
worker

(1) For the purposes of this Part “worker” includes an individual who is not a worker as defined by section 230(3) but who—

(a)works or worked for a person in circumstances in which—

(i)he is or was introduced or supplied to do that work by a third person, and

(ii)the terms on which he is or was engaged to do the work are or were in practice substantially determined not by him but by the person for whom he works or worked, by the third person or by both of them,

(b) contracts or contracted with a person, for the purposes of that person’s business, for the execution of work to be done in a place not under the control or management of that person and would fall within section 230(3)(b) if for “personally” in that provision there were substituted “(whether personally or otherwise)”,

( ba )works or worked as a person performing services under a contract entered into by him with NHS England under section 83(2), 84, 92, 100, 107, 115(4), 117 or 134 of, or Schedule 12 to, the National Health Service Act 2006 or with a Local Health Board under section 41(2)(b), 42, 50, 57, 64 or 92 of, or Schedule 7 to, the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 ,

( bb )works or worked as a person performing services under a contract entered into by him with a Health Board under section 17J or 17Q of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978,

(c) works or worked as a person providing services in accordance with arrangements made—

(i)by NHS England under section 126 of the National Health Service Act 2006, or Local Health Board under section 71 or 80 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 , or

( ii ) by a Health Board under section 2C, 17AA, 17C, . . . 25, 26 or 27 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978, or

(cb) is or was provided with work experience provided pursuant to a course of education or training approved by, or under arrangements with, the Nursing and Midwifery Council in accordance with article 15(6)(a) of the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 (S.I. 2002/253), or

(d)is or was provided with work experience provided pursuant to a training course or programme or with training for employment (or with both) otherwise than—

(i)under a contract of employment, or

(ii)by an educational establishment on a course run by that establishment;

and any reference to a worker’s contract, to employment or to a worker being “employed” shall be construed accordingly.

Defined in s.43K(1) · see it in the full Act

(3) In this Act “worker” (except in the phrases “shop worker” and “betting worker”) means an individual who has entered into or works under (or, where the employment has ceased, worked under)—

(a)a contract of employment, or

(b)any other contract, whether express or implied and (if it is express) whether oral or in writing, whereby the individual undertakes to do or perform personally any work or services for another party to the contract whose status is not by virtue of the contract that of a client or customer of any profession or business undertaking carried on by the individual;

Defined in s.230(3) · see it in the full Act

(6) This section has effect subject to sections 43K , 47B(3) and 49B(10) ; and for the purposes of Part XIII so far as relating to Part IVA or section 47B, “worker”, “worker’s contract” and, in relation to a worker, “employer”, “employment” and “employed” have the extended meaning given by section 43K.

Defined in s.230(6) · see it in the full Act
the relevant failure

(5) In this Part “the relevant failure”, in relation to a qualifying disclosure, means the matter falling within paragraphs (a) to (f) of subsection (1).

Defined in s.43B(5) · see it in the full Act

“the relevant failure”, in relation to a qualifying disclosure, has the meaning given by section 43B(5);

Defined in s.43L(1) · see it in the full Act

Cases considering section 43H 9

Chanel Limited v Charlotte Skeens

[2025] EWHC 619 (KB) · 14 March 2025

The court was not persuaded that the allegations met the requirement of an exceptionally serious failure justifying immediate public disclosure, particularly because other avenues for raising concerns existed. (see para [26])

Langley v GMB & Ors

[2020] EWHC 3619 (QB) · 23 November 2020

The court considered the alternative route for disclosure of exceptionally serious failure and concluded that the proposed whistleblowing claim remained fraught with difficulty and unlikely to succeed. (see paras [76]-[77])

Pertemps Medical Group Ltd v Ladak

[2020] EWHC 163 (QB) · 6 February 2020Limits

The court treated section 43H as a possible route for disclosures concerning failures of an exceptionally serious nature, but did not decide whether that threshold was met at the interim stage. (see paras [31.2], [49.4], [51]) The court noted that, in assessing reasonableness under section 43H, particular regard must be had to the identity of the person receiving the disclosure. (see para [49.4])

What each judgment says about section 43H is in the case-law panel in the full Act.

Amendments and notes

2 notes from legislation.gov.uk

Amendments

  1. F184S. 43H(1)(a) omitted (25.6.2013) by virtue of Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), ss. 18(3)(a), 103(2) (with s. 24(6))
  2. F185Words in s. 43H(1)(b) substituted (25.6.2013) by Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), ss. 18(3)(b), 103(2) (with s. 24(6))