New research reveals the financial impact to the taxpayer of failing to listen to whistleblowers. The Post Office Horizon scandal, the Countess of Chester/ Lucy Letby scandal and the collapse of the construction firm Carillion alone have so far cost the taxpayer £426 million.

In the first analysis of this kind, the whistleblowing charity Protect has analysed three major scandals of recent years in which a lack of accountability and a failure to listen to whistleblowers have been officially acknowledged. It found that failing to act when whistleblowers spoke up cost the government (at a conservative estimate):

• £178m in the Post Office IT Horizon scandal
• £39m in the Countess of Chester/Lucy Letby scandal
• £209m in the Carillion collapse scandal.

The figures include the costs of subsequent public inquiries, delays to essential work and compensation.

The money lost could have funded the construction of 14 new schools. Or it could have been spent on employing 1440 doctors or 2580 nurses for five years.

https://protect-advice.org.uk/ignoring-whistleblowers-costs-the-taxpayer-hundreds-of-millions-of-pounds/