About weSpy
weSpy publishes investigations into who profits, and who pays. We find out what's really going on and show you the evidence.
Most of what we need to know is already public. It sits in regulator reports, council records, company accounts and government spreadsheets that hardly anyone reads. We read them, put the numbers side by side, and show you what they add up to.
We are on the side of the people paying, not the people being paid. That doesn't mean we bend the facts. It means we choose which facts to chase.
How we check our work
- Every figure has a source. Numbers in our stories link to where they came from.
- Everyone we name can reply. We ask before we publish, and we print what they say, or that they said nothing.
- We correct mistakes in public. Corrections go at the top of the story, with the date and what changed. How to flag a possible error.
- We publish our data where we can, so anyone can redo the sums.
How we label evidence
Publishing something is not the same as proving it. So in our stories, the key findings carry one of four labels, with a short note right next to the claim explaining what it rests on and linking to the source where there is one.
- Established by the records
We checked it against documents or data that anyone can look up: official figures, published filings, or our own data, which we share. The source is linked.
- Reported by a source
A named organisation, official body or publication says it. We tell you who, and link to where they said it. We have not independently confirmed it.
- We could not verify
We found the claim, but not the original document behind it. We include it only when it matters to the story, and we say so beside it.
- Still unresolved
The question is open: the evidence conflicts, it rests on estimates, or a check is still under way.
The labels describe how well supported a claim is, not how serious it is. Each story also lists its sources in full at the end, and explains how we did the work.
Tip us off
If you know about something that should be investigated, we want to hear it. Documents help, but they aren't essential. Start by telling us what you know.
Our advice on staying safe is on the same page. Please read it before you send anything sensitive.