The government has cracked down on employers not meeting minimum wage obligations when paying staff and today published a list of the top offenders.
The top offenders were in the hospitality sector with 43 employers underpaying 5,726 staff - equating to just over £460,000, an average of £80 per employee. The next two sectors were hairdressing and retail, but hospitality was by far the worst with over ten times the amount of underpayment.
The minimum wage for people over 25 is set to rise to £7.83 (33 pence increase) next month but those caught out were paying below the current rates (full table below):
| Tax Year | 25 and over | 21 to 24 | 18 to 20 | Under 18 | Apprentice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | £7.50 | £7.05 | £5.60 | £4.05 | £3.50 |
| 2018 | £7.83 | £7.38 | £5.90 | £4.20 | £3.70 |
Even with the minimum wage going up it does not meet standards set by the UK living wage, which is also going up to £8.75 (£10.20 London).
9,200 employees were underpaid and included in the list of offenders were three football clubs and one rugby club. Birmingham City underpaid over £5,500 to 530 employees, Stoke City underpaid £1,100 to 7 employees and Yeovil Town underpaid £174 to 2 employees. St Helens rugby club underpaid over £5,500 to 117 employees. Football clubs came under investigation for abusing minimum wage law back in 2013 too.
The worst offender on the list was Wagamama, an Asian-flavour restaurant chain HQ'd in London with 120 branches located in the UK. It underpaid 2,630 employees a total of £133,212. This comes not so long after a London branch of the chain was embroiled in controversy a few months ago when staff calling in sick over Christmas were told they would be facing disciplinary action.
The chain responded that there had been a misunderstanding over minimum wage regulations. The underpayments related to staff being asked to buy clothing matching store recommendations out of pocket for which they should have been reimbursed.
Top on the list were:
- Wagamama Limited, Westminster W1F, underpaid £133,212.42 to 2,630 employees
- Marriott Hotels Limited, Luton LU1, underpaid £71,722.93 to 279 employees
- Thursday (UK) Limited, trading as TGI Friday’s, Luton LU1, underpaid £59,347.64 to 2,302 employees
- National Society For Epilepsy (THE), Chiltern SL9, underpaid £55,251.37 to 26 employees
- Wright Leisure Limited, trading as Xercise4less, Leeds LS4, underpaid £54,290.37 to 240 employees
- Ms Sarah Jane Bowman and Ms Annabel Garland Farnell-Watson, trading as Hazelwood House, South Hams TQ7, underpaid £48,288.66 to 3 employees
- Seashells Limited, Conwy LL29, underpaid £43,235.91 to 68 employees
- Bridge End House Nursery Limited, Calderdale HD6, underpaid £41,938.73 to 2 employees
- Globebrow Limited, trading as Manor Adventure, Shropshire SY7, underpaid £33,889.80 to 111 employees
- Moy Park Limited, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon BT63, underpaid £33,547.57 to 338 employees
- Daniele Petteno Ltd, trading as Daniele Petteno Architecture Workshop, Wandsworth SW15, underpaid £28,410.25 to 12 employees
- Beautiful Spots Limited, trading as Benito Brow Bar, Islington B2, underpaid £27,184.28 to 97 employees
- Threshold Housing Project Limited, trading as Threshold, Tameside OL6, underpaid £26,033.75 to 41 employees
- Heather Park Community Services Limited, North Lanarkshire ML2, underpaid £26,018.63 to 73 employees
- 1st Pizza Direct Limited, Highland IV3, underpaid £25,668.15 to 87 employees
- 4Fashions Ltd, trading as Dress Decode, Manchester M8, underpaid £25,616.56 to 24 employees
- Wilson’s Country Limited, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon BT63, underpaid £24,560.53 to 63 employees
- Lickfold Inn Limited, trading as The Lickfold Inn, Chichester GU28, underpaid £23,754.87 to 37 employees
- North London Asian Care, Enfield N13, underpaid £15,687.49 to 70 employees
- Witham Hand Car Wash Ltd, Braintree CM8, underpaid £10,051.99 to 6 employees
- Karen Millen Fashions Limited, West Oxfordshire OX29, underpaid £9,847.20 to 28 employees
- Mr Muhammad Adnan Safdar and Mrs Khadija Javaid, trading as Citi Dental Surgery, Glasgow City G51, underpaid £8,733.33 to 2 employees
- Mr Akbor Miah, trading as Dil Indian Cuisine, Monmouthshire NP15, underpaid £7,936.78 to 2 employees
- Albury Estate Fisheries (2008) Limited, trading as Albury Estate Fisheries, Hounslow TW8, underpaid £7,511.32 to 1 employees
- Atkins Hotels Limited, trading as The Yorke Arms (previous ownership), Harrogate HG3, underpaid £7,241.82 to 3 employees
- Adactus Housing Group Limited, Wigan WN7, underpaid £7,098.96 to 9 employees
- Meejana Limited, trading as Meejana, Elmbridge KT13, underpaid £6,488.88 to 6 employees
- Summer Lodge Management Limited, trading as Summer Lodge Country House Hotel Restaurant & Spa, West Dorset DT2, underpaid £6,168.48 to 24 employees
- Davies Security Limited, Swansea SA1, underpaid £5,914.48 to 1 worker
- Oakfield Caravan Park Limited, Denbighshire LL18, underpaid £5,903.37 to 2 employees
- Pentlow Community Care Limited, Eastbourne BN21, underpaid £5,725.38 to 36 employees
- Birmingham City Football Club plc, Birmingham B9, underpaid £5,653.03 to 534 employees
- St Helens Rugby Football Club Limited, trading as St Helens R.F.C., St. Helens WA9, underpaid £5,536.92 to 117 employees
- Mr David Wilson, Mrs Doreen Wilson and Mr Darren Wilson, trading as Wilson’s Deliveries, Erewash DE7, underpaid £4,935.46 to 1 worker
- Smart Hand Car Wash Plymouth Ltd, Plymouth PL3, underpaid £4,817.09 to 2 employees
- A1 Care Services Limited, Torfaen NP4, underpaid £4,652.73 to 66 employees
- Jeta Car Wash Ltd, trading as Queensway Car Wash, Arun PO21, underpaid £4,584.93 to 3 employees
- Cost Effective Catering Limited, City of Edinburgh EH4, underpaid £4,559.11 to 23 employees
- SB Patel Ltd, trading as Porth Stores, Merthyr Tydfil CF46, underpaid £4,454.29 to 2 employees
- Plymouth Car Wash Ltd, Plymouth PL4, underpaid £4,122.92 to 3 employees
- Handy Andy Car Wash Ponteland Limited, trading as Handy Andy Car Wash, Northumberland NE20, underpaid £3,932.55 to 3 employees
- Mr Lee Harris and Mr David Wilson, trading as The Barber Shop, West Oxfordshire OX28, underpaid £3,894.77 to 2 employees
- Home Life Carers Limited, Mid Devon EX16, underpaid £3,675.32 to 31 employees
- Simonstone Ltd, trading as Simonstone Hall Hotel, Richmondshire DL8, underpaid £3,633.42 to 3 employees
- SSL Foodservice Ltd, trading as SSL Dairies, Luton LU3, underpaid £3,576.88 to 8 employees
- A2 Car Wash Limited, Southwark SE1, underpaid £3,553.65 to 3 employees
- Pink Innovations Ltd, Kingston upon Hull, City of HU4, underpaid £3,482.83 to 5 employees
- The Blue Bicycle (York) Limited, trading as The Blue Bicycle, York YO1, underpaid £3,479.46 to 2 employees
- The Care Bureau Limited, Warwick CV32, underpaid £3,423.94 to 343 employees
- Box & Charnock Limited, Bedford MK44, underpaid £3,387.55 to 1 worker
- Red Arrow Fulfilment Limited, Test Valley SO51, underpaid £3,245.85 to 33 employees
- Foxlowe Trading Company Limited, Staffordshire Moorlands ST13, underpaid £3,200.97 to 1 worker
- Hideaway Day Nursery Limited, Walsall WS2, underpaid £3,184.11 to 18 employees
- Headromance Ltd, Havant PO9, underpaid £2,959.64 to 9 employees
- QCS Contract Cleaning Ltd, Belfast BT15, underpaid £2,952.19 to 237 employees
- Mr Nigel Birch and Mrs Sarah Shotton, trading as Oasis Hair & Bodycare, Mansfield NG18, underpaid £2,818.99 to 16 employees
- Trinity Pre-School, trading as Trinity Children’s Centre Nursery & Out of School Club, Kirklees WF14, underpaid £2,612.06 to 3 employees
- Mr Wayne Gray and Mrs Margaret Gray, trading as Jackson Gray, Dundee City DD3, underpaid £2,514 to 4 employees
- Busy Bee Montessori Nursery School Limited, trading as Busy Bees Nursery School, Forest Heath IP28, underpaid £2,488.29 to 19 employees
- SBDP1 Limited, Great Yarmouth NR29, underpaid £2,275.03 to 67 employees
- Tayto Group Limited, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon BT62, underpaid £2,236.14 to 50 employees
- Impact Call Centre Limited, Test Valley SO51, underpaid £2,095.14 to 15 employees
- 4th Generation (NW) Limited, Stockport SK6, underpaid £2,086.41 to 1 worker
- A Johnson Construction Limited, Cheshire East CW1, underpaid £2,033.45 to 2 employees
- Thurlestone Estates Limited, trading as Thurlestone Hotel, South Hams TQ7, underpaid £2,028.14 to 4 employees
- Lakemere Green Limited, trading as Neville Hair & Beauty, Kensington and Chelsea SW1X, underpaid £2,023.29 to 1 worker
- Universal United Commerce Limited, City of Edinburgh EH6, underpaid £2,009.88 to 2 employees
- Patisserie Patchi Limited, trading as Patchi, Brent NW10, underpaid £2,007.92 to 7 employees
- Mr Mahendra Davda, trading as M M Davda, Birmingham B10, underpaid £1,902.35 to 1 worker
- Stef and Stan Ltd, St Albans AL2, underpaid £1,900.59 to 2 employees
- I Can Day Nurseries Limited , trading as Scamps Day Nursery, Cheshire East SK11, underpaid £1,891.75 to 2 employees
- Holbrook Academy, Babergh IP9, underpaid £1,862.05 to 2 employees
- Nath Stores Limited, Stockton-on-Tees TS17, underpaid £1,823.69 to 1 worker
- Vickers Construction Limited, Stockton-on-Tees TS18, underpaid £1,809.35 to 1 worker
- Manor House Hotel (Oakehampton) Limited, trading as The Manor House Hotel, West Devon EX20, underpaid £1,776.33 to 31 employees
- Extra Care for Elderly People Limited, Antrim and Newtownabbey BT41, underpaid £1,775.79 to 6 employees
- Rootcroft Limited, trading as West House Residential Home, Southend-on-Sea SS0, underpaid £1,774.39 to 13 employees
- Little Footprints Nursery Limited, Leicester LE5, underpaid £1,760.15 to 1 worker
- Marcandi Limited, trading as madbid.com, Westminster SW1P, underpaid £1,743.48 to 1 worker
- Clean as a Whistle Super Hand Car Wash Ltd, Plymouth PL5, underpaid £1,706.26 to 2 employees
- Lyndhurst School, Surrey Heath GU15, underpaid £1,696.21 to 3 employees
- Ms Lorna O’Donnell, trading as Snowdons Hairdressing Salon, Solihull B36, underpaid £1,675.71 to 1 worker
- Twinkles (Leeds) Limited, Leeds LS2, underpaid £1,617.87 to 8 employees
- Ritcin Limited, trading as Starbucks, Belfast BT1, underpaid £1,592.79 to 79 employees
- Cedar Tree Care Home Ltd, Derby DE23, underpaid £1,531.99 to 11 employees
- Dan Skelton Racing Limited, Stratford-on-Avon B49, underpaid £1,520.19 to 3 employees
- Fast Car wash Ltd, trading as Waves Hand Car Wash, Basildon SS15, underpaid £1,444.16 to 3 employees
- G.Purchase Construction Limited, Walsall WS2, underpaid £1,392.55 to 8 employees
- Dr Baber Ghafoor and Dr S A Abbasi, Rochdale OL11, underpaid £1,355.98 to 6 employees
- Feather and Black , Chichester PO19, underpaid £1,333.25 to 31 employees
- ADI Hand Car Wash Ltd, Epping Forest CM5, underpaid £1,304.77 to 6 employees
- Independent Community Care Management Limited, Kettering NN15, underpaid £1,301.82 to 14 employees
- Crystal Knitwear Limited, Mansfield NG18, underpaid £1,144.48 to 6 employees
- Georgie Porgy’s Pre-School Ltd, Havering RM12, underpaid £1,142.13 to 6 employees
- Stoke City Football Club Limited, trading as Stoke City F.C., Stoke-on-Trent ST4, underpaid £1,102.62 to 7 employees
- Parkers Mini Buses (Ellesmere Port) Limited, Cheshire West and Chester CH65, underpaid £1,092.56 to 5 employees
- Fosters Bakery (Staincross) Limited, Barnsley S75, underpaid £1,074.93 to 1 worker
- James Ritchie Clocks (established 1809) Ltd, City of Edinburgh EH3, underpaid £1,064.66 to 2 employees
- Poppies WL & S Limited, trading as Poppies, West Lancashire L39, underpaid £1,061.70 to 69 employees
- Rudan Knightsbridge Limited, trading as Daniel Hersheson, Kensington and Chelsea SW1X, underpaid £1,060.55 to 4 employees
- Achieving Excellence UK Ltd, Tameside SK16, underpaid £1,031.19 to 1 worker
- Focus Food Services Limited, Chesterfield S43, underpaid £1,007.73 to 6 employees
- Mr Peter Watts, trading as 3ccc, Birmingham B44, underpaid £1,006.67 to 2 employees
- Days Poole Limited, trading as Day’s Restaurant, Poole BH12, underpaid £1,001.34 to 19 employees
- Europa Foods Distribution Limited, Causeway Coast and Glens BT51, underpaid £976.55 to 2 employees
- Grade House Limited, Brent HA0, underpaid £951.75 to 1 worker
- Alison Margaret Smith, trading as A.M.S Hair & Beauty, City of Edinburgh EH12, underpaid £935.21 to 1 worker
- Mrs Angela Fox, trading as Café Express, Stockton-on-Tees TS18, underpaid £870.21 to 1 worker
- Redhill Service Centre Limited, Gedling NG5, underpaid £825.24 to 1 worker
- Shoe Zone Retail Limited, Leicester LE1, underpaid £804.88 to 15 employees
- Arcadis Consulting (UK) Limited, Cardiff CF3, underpaid £796.72 to 2 employees
- RPP Wood Green Ltd, trading as Roosters Piri Piri, Haringey N22, underpaid £779.39 to 3 employees
- Mrs Lisa Chakir, trading as Chairs Hairdresser, West Lothian EH49, underpaid £774.86 to 1 worker
- Mrs Jacqueline Young, trading as The Forum (previous ownership), Northumberland NE63, underpaid £770.01 to 1 worker
- Mr George Hanson and Mr James Hanson, trading as Punycode Riding Stables, Shropshire SY10, underpaid £747.9 to 4 employees
- Express Vision (UK) Ltd, Birmingham B18, underpaid £727.35 to 1 worker
- Sanjay Foods (UK) Limited, Leicester LE4, underpaid £719.18 to 6 employees
- Indulge Me Limited, trading as Indulge, Harrow HA5, underpaid £718.1 to 1 worker
- Mr Christopher James Hill, trading as D&A Sheds, Aylesbury Vale MK18, underpaid £701.37 to 1 worker
- Bush House Pembroke Limited, Pembrokeshire SA71, underpaid £686.92 to 6 employees
- Miss Zoe MacDonald, trading as Unique Hair & Beauty, Na h-Eileanan Siar HS1, underpaid £686 to 1 worker
- VF Cash & Carry Limited, trading as Variety Foods, Newham E7, underpaid £667.86 to 19 employees
- MRN Recruitment Limited, South Holland PE11, underpaid £628 to 265 employees
- Gloss Hairdressing Limited, Harrogate HG5, underpaid £618.57 to 4 employees
- Rainbow Brite Cleaning Services Limited, Newport NP20, underpaid £585.95 to 9 employees
- The Urban Chocolatier Limited, Newham E7, underpaid £578.01 to 1 worker
- Edworthy Computing Limited, Mid Devon EX17, underpaid £548.45 to 1 worker
- Mumtaz Leeds Limited, trading as Mumtaz, Leeds LS10, underpaid £540 to 1 worker
- East Lancashire Services Limited, Rochdale OL10, underpaid £539.49 to 28 employees
- Plaistow Broadway Filling Stations Limited, Basildon CM12, underpaid £535.53 to 1 worker
- NTCDucting.com Limited, Swansea SA7, underpaid £492.17 to 1 worker
- Mr Ali Qerimi, trading as Olympic Hand Car Wash, Newham E15, underpaid £475.5 to 2 employees
- Moulsham Residential Home (Chelmsford) Limited, Chelmsford CM2, underpaid £474.82 to 2 employees
- Blaxills Fitted Furniture Limited, trading as Blaxills, St Albans AL2, underpaid £472.46 to 1 worker
- Miss Tracey Henry, trading as Valentinos Hair Salon, Southampton SO15, underpaid £472.33 to 1 worker
- Cragwood International Limited, trading as Cragwood Country House Hotel & Restaurant, South Lakeland LA23, underpaid £467.78 to 3 employees
- Step Up Security Services Ltd, Knowsley L33, underpaid £462.42 to 28 employees
- Mr Shahzad Iqbal Kiyani, trading as Aprana Café, Birmingham B8, underpaid £452.5 to 1 worker
- D K Leisure Ltd, trading as Bushtown Hotel, Causeway Coast and Glens BT51, underpaid £448.13 to 2 employees
- Clear-View Fife Limited, trading as Clear-View Cleaning Specialists, Fife KY6, underpaid £431.63 to 1 worker
- Capital (Hair and Beauty) Limited, Eastbourne BN21, underpaid £427.4 to 78 employees
- Saramago Ltd, trading as Saramago Café Bar, Glasgow City G2, underpaid £425.63 to 4 employees
- McClarance Services Limited, trading as Elliot McClarance, Trafford WA14, underpaid £416.17 to 2 employees
- Entier Limited, Aberdeenshire AB32, underpaid £403.07 to 1 worker
- DSM N.E. Ltd, County Durham DL5, underpaid £395.57 to 1 worker
- Darren Dickie, trading as Darren Dickie Roofing & Building Contractor, Barrow-in-Furness LA14, underpaid £392.22 to 1 worker
- Biddall Leisure Limited, trading as The Vine Hotel, East Lindsey PE24, underpaid £389.77 to 1 worker
- Legal Square Ltd, Manchester M12, underpaid £370.13 to 1 worker
- Neath Road Car Sales & Car Wash Ltd, Wiltshire SA1, underpaid £348.69 to 5 employees
- Mr Shakil Shah, trading as Town Fryer, St. Helens WA10, underpaid £347.31 to 3 employees
- Jackson Gray Limited, trading as Jackson Gray, Dundee City DD3, underpaid £343.38 to 3 employees
- Mrs Elaine Phillips and Mr Mitchell Phillips, trading as Studio 57 Clinic, Brighton and Hove BN3, underpaid £339.03 to 2 employees
- Maxine Adams, Kensington and Chelsea SW3, underpaid £312.45 to 1 worker
- 4TheHouse Limited, Leeds LS14, underpaid £288.1 to 1 worker
- Ari Pizza Ltd, trading as Marmaris Pizza, Ashfield NG17, underpaid £287.8 to 2 employees
- Hales Group Limited, Peterborough PE1, underpaid £285.08 to 6 employees
- Mariner Travel Limited, Warrington WA13, underpaid £281.72 to 1 worker
- P&P Duff (Scotland) Limited, trading as Patrick, Renfrewshire PA1, underpaid £280.15 to 1 worker
- Grand Union Company Limited, Lambeth SE11, underpaid £271.28 to 6 employees
- Mr Ahmed Faalzada, trading as Pizza on Broadway, Kingston upon Thames KT6, underpaid £266.25 to 1 worker
- Ducati Manchester Limited, Trafford M33, underpaid £246.88 to 1 worker
- Ms Fiona Latham, trading as The Wellington Hotel, Halton L24, underpaid £233.55 to 1 worker
- Tsang’s Kitchen Ltd, Wiltshire SN10, underpaid £221.1 to 1 worker
- Mr Nicholas Tsaroullas, Mr John Yiamokis Tsaroullas and Mrs Kyriacou Tsaroullas , trading as Mentone Hotel, North Somerset BS23, underpaid £209.44 to 4 employees
- GAF Foods Limited, trading as Subway, Haringey N4 1, underpaid £200.81 to 5 employees
- Tanna’s Limited, Brent NW10, underpaid £194.54 to 1 worker
- P&A Food Management Services Limited, Hambleton DL8, underpaid £186.39 to 11 employees
- Mr Tino Cernera, trading as Da Vinci, Dacorum HP23, underpaid £183.83 to 2 employees
- Mrs Carole Bentley, trading as Tenford Kennels, Staffordshire Moorlands ST10, underpaid £182.12 to 1 worker
- Yeovil Football & Athletic Club (The), trading as Yeovil Town F.C, South Somerset BA22, underpaid £174.18 to 2 employees
- Casa Bianco Limited, trading as The White Rooms, Southampton SO14, underpaid £171.2 to 1 worker
- Ms Karly Skerman and Mr Ray Booth, trading as Billy Rays Store, East Riding of Yorkshire YO15, underpaid £161.67 to 1 worker
- Orchard Care (South West) limited, trading as Restgarth Care Home, Cornwall PL13, underpaid £161.27 to 7 employees
- Always Cleaning Limited, Oldham OL9, underpaid £154.58 to 2 employees
- Mr Hamid Noori, trading as Valley Road Hand Car Wash, Plymouth PL7, underpaid £153.3 to 1 worker
- London Irish Scottish Richmond Limited, trading as London Irish, Spelthorne TW16, underpaid £131.73 to 1 worker
- Mr Sean Hornby, trading as The Queens Hotel, Bury BL2, underpaid £129.45 to 1 worker
- SM News Limited, Wigan WN7, underpaid £120 to 1 worker
- Riverside Pizza Company Limited, trading as La Figa, Tower Hamlets E14, underpaid £100.83 to 1 worker