A tip about suspected financial crime can be a protected disclosure. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 inserted Part IVA into the Employment Rights Act 1996 to do that work. ERA 1996 s.43B sets the categories that qualify, including a criminal offence and a breach of a legal obligation. anonym.plus removes the reporter's name, contacts, and naming clues on your device.
When this applies
ERA 1996 s.47B bars subjecting a worker to detriment, and s.103A makes a dismissal for whistleblowing automatically unfair. S.43J voids any contract term that tries to gag the disclosure. Investigators need the allegation, not the person who filed it.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open it in anonym.plus on your device.
- The tool flags the reporter's name and contacts.
- Local OCR reads a scanned letter.
- Keep the allegation and any account details.
- Swap each identifier for a label.
- Save the clean copy locally.
What you need to provide
- The disclosure (PDF, DOCX, or scan).
- An operator (Replace keeps the allegation readable).
- Optional allow-list for the case reference.
PII & financial identifiers detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | reporter L. Kerr → [REPORTER] |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | l.kerr@example.co.uk → [EMAIL] |
| Contact | PHONE_NUMBER | +44 20 7555 0011 → [PHONE] |
| Names | PERSON | accused noted → [SUBJECT] |
| Financial | IBAN_CODE | GB21 LOYD 3092 → [IBAN] |
| Location | LOCATION | London, UK → [LOCATION] |
Compliance achieved
- A disclosure qualifies under ERA 1996 s.43B, the Part IVA test the PIDA 1998 inserted.
- ERA 1996 s.47B bars detriment, and s.103A makes such a dismissal automatically unfair.
- ERA 1996 s.43J voids any contract term that gags a protected disclosure.
- The FCA and the NCA are prescribed bodies under the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 2014.
- FCA SYSC 18 requires a firm's own arrangements, with a whistleblowers' champion at board level.
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Limitations & cautions
The law protects the worker, not the file. Even after a name is removed, a small team or a unique fact can betray the source. Review free-text clues and limit who sees the cleaned report.
Frequently asked questions
Why protect the reporter?
ERA 1996 s.47B bars detriment and s.103A makes a related dismissal automatically unfair. Redaction helps you forward the allegation while shielding the source.
Can a clean report still expose the reporter?
Yes, through a unique fact or a small team. Review the narrative and limit distribution to protect the source.
Can the worker go outside the firm?
Yes. The Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 2014 lists bodies a worker may go to, including the FCA and the NCA. FCA SYSC 18 requires internal channels as well.