What makes a good news tip

We are looking for specific, verifiable information that advances public understanding of UK current affairs, policy, business, technology, and local stories. A strong tip typically includes:

• Public affairs and policy – details of government decisions, parliamentary proceedings, regulatory changes, or lobbying activities that have not yet been reported broadly.
• Business and finance – corporate strategies, market movements, mergers, regulatory investigations, or workplace issues that affect consumers or employees.
• Technology – developments in data privacy, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, or tech regulation that have implications for UK citizens.
• Local UK stories – community issues, local government actions, infrastructure projects, or environmental concerns that deserve wider scrutiny.

We do not accept unsolicited opinion pieces or press releases as news tips. For press releases, please use press@publicjournal.co.uk.

How to reach us

Direct your story tips to editorial@publicjournal.co.uk. For press releases, use press@publicjournal.co.uk. If you need to speak with a member of the editorial team, you can call +44 20 4587 2190. For all other enquiries, see our Contact page.

What to include

To help us assess your tip quickly, please provide as much of the following as possible:

• Who, what, when, where – the key people, organisations, events, and locations involved.
• Supporting documents – reports, emails, photographs, audio, video, or other records. If documents are sensitive, note this in your message.
• On or off the record – let us know how you wish to be treated. If you are not sure, we can discuss options before you share details.

If you are submitting on behalf of an organisation or as a whistleblower, please indicate your relationship to the information.

How we verify tips before publication

Every tip we intend to publish is reviewed by our fact‑checking and standards desk, led by Nathan Cole. We follow the procedures set out in our Fact-Checking Policy and Sources & Standards. This includes corroborating information with multiple sources, checking official records, and, where appropriate, seeking comment from the parties involved. We do not publish information that we cannot verify to a reasonable standard.

Confidentiality and source protection

We treat all sources with care. We will not reveal your identity or contact details without your permission, unless required by law. If you have concerns about confidentiality, please contact legal@publicjournal.co.uk before you submit. Information you send is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy. We encourage sources to read this policy to understand how we process personal data.

What happens after you submit

We aim to acknowledge receipt of your tip within two working days. Due to the volume of submissions, we may not be able to provide a detailed response to every tip. If your tip leads to a story or further investigation, a member of the editorial team will contact you. For general updates on your submission status, please refer to Contact.

Corrections to published articles

If you have identified an error in a published article, please send details to corrections@publicjournal.co.uk. Our process for handling corrections is set out in the Corrections Policy.