Record 22,400 minimum wage workers to receive millions in backpay from employers

The names of 239 employers found to have underpaid 22,400 UK workers by a total of £1.44m have been published today by the government.

The back pay identified by HMRC was for more workers than in any previous single naming list and has generated record fines of £1.97m.

The earliest underpayment dated back to 2011, with the most recent happening this year (2018).

Business Minister Andrew Griffiths said: “Our priority is making sure workers know their rights and are getting the pay they worked hard for.  Employers who don’t do the right thing face fines as well as being hit with the bill for backpay.

“The UK’s lowest paid workers have had the fastest wage growth in 20 years thanks to the introduction of the National Living Wage and today’s list serves as a reminder to all employers to check they are getting their workers’ pay right.”

The top 5 reasons for National Minimum and Living Wage underpayments in this round were:

Low Pay Commission Chairman Bryan Sanderson said: “It is crucial that employers understand their responsibilities and workers know their rights around the minimum wage. That is why active enforcement and effective communication from Government is so important.

“It is therefore encouraging to see that HMRC has recovered unpaid wages for the largest number of workers yet in this round of naming and shaming. I’m confident that the Government will continue to pursue underpayment of the minimum wage vigorously.

Funding for minimum wage enforcement has more than doubled since 2015, with the government set to spend £26.3m in 2018/19.

The scheme is in its fifth year and calls out employers who have fallen foul of minimum wage laws, so far identifying £10.8m in back pay for around 90,000 workers, with more than 1,900 employers fined a total of £8.4m. HMRC has launched a series of webinars, available on GOV.UK, to help employers check that they are complying with the law.

The government is currently running a campaign to raise awareness of the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates, which increased on 1 April 2018, as well as encouraging workers who have been underpaid to complain to HMRC. The campaign website has had more than 600,000 visits since the campaign kiced off on 1 April.

Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage have to pay back arrears of wages to the worker at current minimum wage rates and face financial penalties of up to 200% of arrears, capped at £20,000 per worker.

For more information about your pay, or if you think you might be being underpaid, get advice and guidance at www.gov.uk/checkyourpay. Workers can also seek advice from workplace experts Acas.

The employers named today are:

  1. Sportswift Limited, trading as Card Factory, Wakefield WF2, failed to pay £430,097.87 to 10,256 workers, with average arrears of £41.94 per worker
  2. T.J. Morris Limited, trading as Home Bargains, Liverpool L11, failed to pay £272,228.44 to 6,743 workers, with average arrears of £40.37 per worker
  3. John Stanley’s Care Agency Limited, Tendring CO7, failed to pay £60,056.80 to 91 workers, with average arrears of £659.96 per worker
  4. Fosse Healthcare Limited, Leicester LE4, failed to pay £50,170.06 to 185 workers, with average arrears of £271.19 per worker
  5. ASAP 24/7 Ltd, Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5, failed to pay £41,166.31 to 74 workers, with average arrears of £556.30 per worker
  6. Methodist Guild Holidays Limited, trading as Christian Guild, Derbyshire Dales DE4, failed to pay £29,255.09 to 136 workers, with average arrears of £215.11 per worker
  7. AM 2 PM Recruitment Solutions (Birmingham) Limited, Birmingham B72, failed to pay £22,919.12 to 2,057 workers, with average arrears of £11.14 per worker
  8. Ms Hazel Weaver, trading as Orkney and Shetland Charters, Orkney Islands KW17, failed to pay £20,148.60 to 5 workers, with average arrears of £4,029.72 per worker
  9. The Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes, trading as NAAFI, Portsmouth PO1, failed to pay £19,909.16 to 60 workers, with average arrears of £331.82 per worker
  10. The Christian Conference Trust, Amber Valley DE55, failed to pay £15,479.62 to 28 workers, with average arrears of £552.84 per worker
  11. Drive Motor Retail Limited, trading as Drive Vauxhall, Leicester LE2, failed to pay £14,988.21 to 18 workers, with average arrears of £832.68 per worker
  12. Kent Mart Ltd, Medway ME1, failed to pay £14,850.38 to 14 workers, with average arrears of £1,060.74 per worker
  13. Bristol City Football Club Limited, trading as Bristol City F.C., Bristol BS3, failed to pay £14,342.73 to 50 workers, with average arrears of £286.85 per worker
  14. Wyevale Garden Centres Holdings Limited, trading as Wyevale Garden Centres, Hounslow TW8, failed to pay £14,296.58 to 2 workers, with average arrears of £7,148.29 per worker
  15. Spirit of 1873 Ltd, trading as Wakefield Trinity, Wakefield WF1, failed to pay £12,370.45 to 27 workers, with average arrears of £458.16 per worker
  16. G.Simmons & Sons Ltd, Walsall WS2 , failed to pay £11,688.35 to 4 workers, with average arrears of £2,922.09 per worker
  17. Kidderminster Care Limited, Wyre Forest DY10, failed to pay £10,521.42 to 8 workers, with average arrears of £1,315.18 per worker
  18. Mr Oliver Kerr, trading as Origin Fresh, Fermanagh and Omagh BT79, failed to pay £10,317.95 to 3 workers, with average arrears of £3,439.32 per worker
  19. Kare Plus National Limited, Telford and Wrekin TF3, failed to pay £9,580.61 to 45 workers, with average arrears of £212.90 per worker
  20. Abacus (Dawley) Ltd, trading as Abacus Childcare, Telford and Wrekin TF4, failed to pay £8,490 to 3 workers, with average arrears of £2,830 per worker
  21. Pringle’s Care Services Limited, Ealing NW10, failed to pay £8,226.63 to 96 workers, with average arrears of £85.69 per worker
  22. Pakistan International Airlines Corporation, Hillingdon TW6, failed to pay £7,956.01 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £7,956.01 per worker
  23. Huddersfield Giants Limited, Kirklees HD1, failed to pay £7,801.70 to 24 workers, with average arrears of £325.07 per worker
  24. Gold Professional Valeting Ltd, Stoke-on-Trent ST6, failed to pay £7,770.76 to 4 workers, with average arrears of £1,942.69 per worker (under previous owners)
  25. TLC (Car Care) Limited, Midlothian EH19, failed to pay £7,522.43 to 129 workers, with average arrears of £58.31 per worker
  26. Manchester Sale Rugby Club Limited, trading as Sale Sharks, Trafford M31, failed to pay £7,445.51 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £7,445.51 per worker
  27. Lyons Holiday Park Limited, Denbighshire LL18, failed to pay £7,321.01 to 12 workers, with average arrears of £610.08 per worker
  28. Sunnymead (Armagh) Limited, trading as Sunnymead Residential Home, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon BT61, failed to pay £6,507.01 to 76 workers, with average arrears of £85.62 per worker
  29. Inno-Media Limited, Westminster W1C, failed to pay £6,494.71 to 10 workers, with average arrears of £649.47 per worker
  30. TC Carehome Limited, Argyll and Bute PA23, failed to pay £6,087.16 to 39 workers, with average arrears of £156.08 per worker
  31. Durham Cricket C.I.C., trading as Durham County Cricket Club, County Durham DH3, failed to pay £6,029.64 to 2 workers, with average arrears of £3,014.82 per worker
  32. One Stop Language Services Limited, Ealing W5, failed to pay £5,722.20 to 2 workers, with average arrears of £2,861.10 per worker
  33. Aspro Security Services Limited, West Lancashire WN8, failed to pay £5,617.60 to 107 workers, with average arrears of £52.50 per worker
  34. Mr Miqdad Salih, trading as Craftsman Hand Car Wash and Valeting, Coventry CV6, failed to pay £5,472.94 to 4 workers, with average arrears of £1,368.24 per worker
  35. Mr Ebrahim Sadiq Mustafa, trading as Soap Suds Car Wash, Stoke-on-Trent ST1, failed to pay £5,298.58 to 5 workers, with average arrears of £1,059.72 per worker
  36. Ozmen Limited, Sheffield S2, failed to pay £5,070.35 to 19 workers, with average arrears of £266.86 per worker
  37. Sugra Limited, trading as 247 Professional Health, Bradford BD9, failed to pay £5,061.26 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £5,061.26 per worker
  38. Airwright (Midlands) Ltd, Redditch B98, failed to pay £4,580.26 to 8 workers, with average arrears of £572.53 per worker
  39. Odeon and UCI Cinema Group Ltd, Manchester M1, failed to pay £4,438.92 to 237 workers, with average arrears of £18.73 per worker
  40. Alyth Halls Committee, Perth and Kinross PH11, failed to pay £4,416.30 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £4,416.30 per worker
  41. George Ronald Limited, trading as Marquis Court, Sunderland SR3, failed to pay £4,084.35 to 18 workers, with average arrears of £226.91 per worker
  42. SRK Limited, trading as Premier Nursery, Hillingdon UB8, failed to pay £4,065.69 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £4,065.69 per worker
  43. N Pashkaj Car Wash Limited, Southwark SE1, failed to pay £4,023.68 to 2 workers, with average arrears of £2,011.84 per worker
  44. Dromore Diocesan Trust, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon BT65, failed to pay £3,844.98 to 3 workers, with average arrears of £1,281.66 per worker
  45. Mr Robert Louis Craig and Mrs Camille Craig, trading as Craig’s Couriers, Falkirk FK6, failed to pay £3,798.29 to 2 workers, with average arrears of £1,899.15 per worker
  46. Skillcrown Homes Limited, Bromley BR2, failed to pay £3,618 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £3,618 per worker
  47. Nick’s 76 Services Limited, trading as Nick’s Car Wash, Conwy LL22, failed to pay £3,601.20 to 3 workers, with average arrears of £1,200.40 per worker
  48. R & N Partners Mr Laurence Helstrip, Mrs Barbara Helstrip, Mr Ian Helstrip, Mrs Debbie Fitzmaurice, Mrs Kelly Fitzgerald and Mrs Sarah Beswick, trading as Green Gables, Elmhurst & Oakdene Care Homes, Bradford BD12, failed to pay £3,578.80 to 72 workers, with average arrears of £49.71 per worker
  49. London Clubs Management Limited, trading as Alea Casino, Nottingham NG1, failed to pay £3,541.24 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £3,541.24 per worker
  50. Advanced Building (NW) Ltd, Salford M28, failed to pay £3,524.77 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £3,524.77 per worker
  51. Image on Food Limited, Shropshire TF9, failed to pay £3,514.74 to 14 workers, with average arrears of £251.05 per worker
  52. Braehead Foods Limited, East Ayrshire KA2, failed to pay £3,482.94 to 21 workers, with average arrears of £165.85 per worker
  53. Roe Park Holdings Limited, trading as Roe Park Resort, Causeway Coast and Glens BT49, failed to pay £3,399.28 to 46 workers, with average arrears of £73.90 per worker
  54. Trackars Limited, Belfast BT9, failed to pay £3,334.55 to 23 workers, with average arrears of £144.98 per worker
  55. Mrs April Louise Thompson and Miss Nicola Frances Thompson, trading as Baby Maids, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon BT32, failed to pay £3,283.65 to 18 workers, with average arrears of £182.43 per worker
  56. Springmarsh Homes Limited, Bromley BR1, failed to pay £3,196.88 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £3,196.88 per worker
  57. Wylam Garage Limited, Northumberland NE46, failed to pay £3,132.29 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £3,132.29 per worker
  58. Premiere Coffee Limited, trading as Costa Coffee, Southampton SO14, failed to pay £3,116.85 to 41 workers, with average arrears of £76.02 per worker
  59. Mr Percy John Puddepha, Mrs Rosemary P Puddepha, Mr Brian J Puddepha and Ms Diana E Puddepha, trading as The Pines Hotel, Purbeck BH19, failed to pay £3,043.44 to 2 workers, with average arrears of £1,521.72 per worker
  60. Ms Julie Harris, trading as The Hair Shed, Hastings TN34, failed to pay £3,009.79 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £3,009.79 per worker
  61. Securiclean (UK) Limited, Northampton NN3, failed to pay £2,990.13 to 41 workers, with average arrears of £72.93 per worker
  62. Lawton Heath Ltd, trading as The Horseshoe Inn, Cheshire East ST7, failed to pay £2,921.51 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £2,921.51 per worker
  63. Mr Mohammed Ismail, trading as Tesco Hand Car Wash, Calderdale HX1, failed to pay £2,731.24 to 4 workers, with average arrears of £682.81 per worker
  64. Oak Grove Cabins Ltd, Derry City and Strabane BT47, failed to pay £2,728.35 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £2,728.35 per worker
  65. Carden Park Hotel Limited, Cheshire West and Chester CH3, failed to pay £2,656.01 to 70 workers, with average arrears of £37.94 per worker
  66. Kensington Hand Car Wash Limited, trading as Waves Car Wash, Kensington and Chelsea W14, failed to pay £3,758.56 to 13 workers, with average arrears of £289.12 per worker
  67. Advance Apparel Ltd, Barking and Dagenham RM9, failed to pay £2,634.34 to 4 workers, with average arrears of £658.59 per worker
  68. Khanna Enterprises (Oxford) Limited, trading as Best Western Linton Lodge Hotel, Oxford OX2, failed to pay £2,620.15 to 7 workers, with average arrears of £374.31 per worker
  69. Mr Kaine Anthony Smith, trading as KAS Electrical Services, Hinckley and Bosworth LE6, failed to pay £2,591.81 to 2 workers, with average arrears of £1,295.91 per worker
  70. Mr Lorenzo Berni, trading as Osteria San Lorenzo, Kensington and Chelsea SW3, failed to pay £2,590.20 to 8 workers, with average arrears of £323.78 per worker
  71. Brent Park Hand Car Wash Ltd, Brent NW10, failed to pay £2,463.23 to 5 workers, with average arrears of £492.65 per worker
  72. The Tilery Limited, trading as The Tilery Nursing Home, Fermanagh and Omagh BT92, failed to pay £2,423.50 to 33 workers, with average arrears of £73.44 per worker
  73. Scutt Beaumont Solicitors Ltd, Leicester LE1, failed to pay £2,395.64 to 8 workers, with average arrears of £299.46 per worker
  74. Eastbourne Area Parents’ Action Group (Learning Disabilities), trading as Chalk Farm LDC, Eastbourne BN20, failed to pay £2,385.40 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £2,385.40 per worker
  75. C W King Fishers Day Nurseries Limited, Croydon CR2, failed to pay £2,296.81 to 8 workers, with average arrears of £287.10 per worker
  76. Accent on Education Limited, Newport NP20, failed to pay £2,293.23 to 9 workers, with average arrears of £254.80 per worker
  77. Azure East Midlands Limited, trading as Radisson Blu Hotel, North West Leicestershire DE74, failed to pay £2,144.06 to 8 workers, with average arrears of £268.01 per worker
  78. The Dundee Football Club Limited, trading as Dundee F.C., Dundee City DD3, failed to pay £2,134.84 to 4 workers, with average arrears of £533.71 per worker
  79. York Conferences Limited, York YO10, failed to pay £2,069.88 to 5 workers, with average arrears of £413.98 per worker
  80. Mr Kevin Walker, trading as Kevin Walker Family Butcher, Argyll and Bute G84, failed to pay £1,903.83 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,903.83 per worker
  81. Mr Desmond James Locke and Mrs Diane Helen Locke, trading as The Bull’s Head, Guildford GU4, failed to pay £1,851.25 to 3 workers, with average arrears of £617.08 per worker
  82. Aingarth Rest Home Limited, Conwy LL28, failed to pay £1,836.60 to 9 workers, with average arrears of £204.07 per worker
  83. Glo Hair & Beauty Limited, Harrow HA1 , failed to pay £1,791.77 to 5 workers, with average arrears of £358.35 per worker
  84. Mr Stuart Rooke, trading as S R Motors, Carmarthenshire SA39, failed to pay £1,762.43 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,762.43 per worker
  85. The Internet Retailer Limited, Wealden RH18, failed to pay £1,730.66 to 6 workers, with average arrears of £288.44 per worker
  86. Mr Matthew Paul Adamson and Mr Steven Elliott Booth, trading as Search Point UK, Leeds LS15, failed to pay £1,681.50 to 17 workers, with average arrears of £98.91 per worker
  87. Mr Joseph Horsfall and Mr William Marshall Miller, trading as Ashgrove Park, Moray IV30, failed to pay £1,678.73 to 5 workers, with average arrears of £335.75 per worker
  88. Burrow Down Support Services Limited, Torbay TQ3, failed to pay £1,651.04 to 8 workers, with average arrears of £206.38 per worker
  89. Demrahh Play Ltd, trading as Mini Monsterz Scarborough, Scarborough YO11, failed to pay £1,647.17 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,647.17 per worker
  90. Corus Hotels Limited, Milton Keynes MK1, failed to pay £1,636.79 to 18 workers, with average arrears of £90.93 per worker
  91. Grampian Catering Equipment Limited, Aberdeenshire AB41, failed to pay £1,594.63 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,594.63 per worker
  92. Aftec Electrical Services Limited, South Staffordshire WV10, failed to pay £1,585.85 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,585.85 per worker
  93. Doncaster Rovers Limited, trading as Doncaster Rovers F.C., Doncaster DN4, failed to pay £1,585.24 to 2 workers, with average arrears of £792.62 per worker
  94. Favotell Ltd, Westminster W1G, failed to pay £1,566.21 to 3 workers, with average arrears of £522.07 per worker
  95. Clarkson House Residential Care Home Ltd, Tameside OL6, failed to pay £1,563.75 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,563.75 per worker
  96. Genco Electrical Projects Limited, Kirklees HD1, failed to pay £1,563.01 to 2 workers, with average arrears of £781.51 per worker
  97. Personic Computers Limited, Bristol BS3, failed to pay £1,542.10 to 3 workers, with average arrears of £514.03 per worker
  98. Hypersync Limited, Newry, Mourne and Down BT34, failed to pay £1,518 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,518 per worker
  99. H.I. Lime Street Limited, trading as Holiday Inn Liverpool City Centre, Liverpool L2, failed to pay £1,502.91 to 8 workers, with average arrears of £187.86 per worker

100.First Care Services Limited, Wolverhampton WV3, failed to pay £1,491.20 to 26 workers, with average arrears of £57.35 per worker

101.Sprim V.I.P. Limited, Westminster SW1V, failed to pay £1,432.46 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,432.46 per worker

102.Paul John Construction (Leicester) Limited, trading as Paul John Group, North West Leicestershire LE67, failed to pay £1,406.76 to 2 workers, with average arrears of £703.38 per worker

103.House of Juniors Limited, Manchester M1, failed to pay £1,375.80 to 2 workers, with average arrears of £687.90 per worker

104.Jordan Fishwick LLP, Cheshire East SK11, failed to pay £1,362.13 to 21 workers, with average arrears of £64.86 per worker

105.Prem Construction Limited, Kettering NN14, failed to pay £1,309.57 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,309.57 per worker (under previous owners)

106.C B Electrical Contractors (S.E) Limited, Hastings TN38, failed to pay £1289.85 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,289.85 per worker

107.Energy Care (UK) Limited, Bedford MK45, failed to pay £1,283.40 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,283.40 per worker

108.Cleaning & Environmental Solutions Ltd, Ashfield NG16, failed to pay £1,275.88 to 11 workers, with average arrears of £115.99 per worker

109.Mr Joel Adebayo, trading as Rainham Day Nursery, Havering RM13, failed to pay £1,267.50 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1267.50 per worker

110.Cargills Metro UK Limited, trading as Zordels, Gravesham DA12, failed to pay £1,243.13 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,243.13 per worker

111.Mr Sotirios Bourmpos, trading as Sotiris Greek Specialist Pastries, Bristol BS1, failed to pay £1,240.60 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,240.60 per worker

112.Elitex Limited, trading as Elitex Micros, Birmingham 6HN, failed to pay £1,210.83 to 1 worker, with average arrears of £1,210.83 per worker

113.The Gurkha (Blackpool) Ltd, company changed name from Fishtail Inn Limited on 06/09/2017, trading as Gurkha Hotel Restaurant and Bar Gurkha Hotel Restaurant and Bar, Blackpool FY4, failed to pay £1,153.19 to 7 workers, with average arrears of £164.74 per worker

114.The Northampton Town Football Club