What this policy is for
Whistleblowing means raising a concern about wrongdoing, danger or illegality connected with our work. We want to hear about it as early as possible so that we can put it right. This policy explains how to raise a concern, what we will do, and the protection you have.
It is not for complaints about your own contract or treatment, unless they involve wrongdoing of the kind listed below; for those, speak to the Director. Customers who are unhappy with our service should use our complaints procedure.
What you can raise
You can raise any concern that something wrong has happened, is happening or is likely to happen. Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, as amended by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, a disclosure qualifies for legal protection if you reasonably believe that it is in the public interest and that it shows one or more of the following:
- a criminal offence, such as fraud, bribery or theft;
- a failure to comply with a legal obligation, such as data protection law;
- a miscarriage of justice;
- a danger to anyone's health or safety;
- damage to the environment;
- sexual harassment, which the Employment Rights Act 2025 added to this list from 6 April 2026;
- the deliberate concealment of any of these.
Who is protected
The law protects workers who make a qualifying disclosure from being dismissed or treated badly because of it. That includes employees and many contractors and agency workers, and the protection continues after you stop working for us. You do not need proof, only a reasonable belief.
We give the same protection, as far as we can, to anyone who raises a genuine concern with us, whatever their status. The law does not protect someone who makes a disclosure they know to be false, or whose disclosure is itself a criminal offence.
How to raise a concern
Follow these steps:
- Raise it with the Director by email to terry@hilliernet.co.uk, by phone on 07789 938284, or by post marked 'Private and confidential' to the Director at Meadway, Mill Road, Writhlington, Radstock, BA3 5TY.
- Say what has happened, when, who was involved and how you know. Include any documents you already have, but do not break the law or go into systems you are not authorised to use in order to get evidence.
- You may raise a concern anonymously, but that makes it harder for us to investigate and to keep you informed. We would rather you tell us who you are and let us keep it confidential.
- You may bring a colleague or a trade union representative to any meeting about your concern.
What we will do, and when
Once we receive your concern, we follow these timescales:
- Within 3 working days: we acknowledge your concern in writing.
- Within 10 working days: we speak to you to understand the concern, agree how you would like to be kept informed, and decide how it will be looked into.
- Within 30 working days: we aim to finish our investigation. If it will take longer, we tell you why and give you a new date.
- At the end: we tell you that the matter has been dealt with and, as far as we can, what we did. We may not be able to share everything, for example where that would breach someone else's confidentiality.
- Throughout: we keep your identity confidential unless you agree otherwise or the law requires us to disclose it.
If the concern is about the Director
Templace is a small company led by its Director. If your concern is about the Director, or you do not feel able to raise it with us, you can go straight to a prescribed person (see below) or take advice first.
If you raise a concern about the Director with us, we will ask an independent person from outside Templace to look into it, and they will follow the timescales above.
Raising a concern outside Templace
We hope you will raise concerns with us first, but you do not have to. You can go directly to a prescribed person: an organisation the law recognises for whistleblowing on particular subjects. The government publishes the full list on gov.uk.
Protect, the whistleblowing charity, gives free and confidential advice to anyone unsure whether or how to raise a concern, at protect-advice.org.uk. Acas also gives free advice at acas.org.uk. Disclosing to the press or on social media is protected only in limited circumstances, so take advice before doing so.
The prescribed persons most likely to be relevant to our work are:
- the Information Commission (the ICO), for data protection;
- HM Revenue and Customs, for tax;
- the Serious Fraud Office, for serious or complex fraud, bribery and corruption;
- the Health and Safety Executive, for health and safety at work;
- the Equality and Human Rights Commission, for equality and human rights law.
Protection and support
We will not dismiss you, end your contract or treat you badly because you raised a genuine concern, even if it turns out to be mistaken. Anyone who victimises or threatens a whistleblower will face action under our code of conduct. If you believe you are being treated badly because you raised a concern, tell the Director straight away, or contact Protect.
We keep a confidential record of every concern raised and what we did about it. The Director reviews this policy at least once a year and whenever the law changes.
Whistleblowing · version 1.0 · approved 27/10/2026 · next review 27/10/2027. Templace is a trading name of TWH Holdings Limited, company number 10663539, Meadway, Mill Road, Writhlington, Radstock, BA3 5TY.