The government have 'named and shamed' 37 employers who have failed to pay their workers the minimum wage.
The government has ‘named and shamed’ 37 employers who failed to pay workers the minimum wage
While the fight for a living wage goes on, it’s important not to be complacent about the minimum wage. Or to be more specific, about enforcement of the minimum wage.
Indeed, enshrining higher pay in law is only half the battle – the other half involves making sure the law is upheld and that companies don’t use loopholes to sidestep it.
And so despite our many disagreements with the Conservative-led coalition, it’s encouraging to see that they are taking enforcement of the minimum wage seriously – HM Revenue and Customs’ National Minimum Wage enforcement budget is to be increased by £3 million in financial year 2015 to 2016, taking the total to £12.2 million.
The government has also today ‘named and shamed’ 37 employers who have failed to pay their workers the minimum wage. The biggest names on the list are retail giant H&M and service station operator Welcome Break.
According to government figures, between them they owe workers a total of over £177,000 in arrears and have been charged financial penalties totalling over £51,000.
The roll of dishonour runs as follows:
- Kings Group LLP, Hertfordshire, neglected to pay £53,808.91 to 53 workers
- Kings Group Lettings LLP, Hertfordshire, neglected to pay £26,893.43 to 49 workers
- Chi Yip Group Ltd, Middleton, neglected to pay £15,566.78 to 13 workers
- Kingsclere Nurseries Ltd trading as Abacus Day Nursery, Newbury, neglected to pay £12,904.19 to 8 workers.
- Ms Thap Thi Ly trading as Sweet N Sour, Fleetwood, neglected to pay £11,039.14 to 2 workers
- Michael Kearney trading as Electrical Estimates, Ceredigion, neglected to pay £5,557.91 to 4 workers
- ABC Early Learning and Childcare Centre UK Ltd, Wolverhampton, neglected to pay £5,329.25 to 68 workers
- C J Hartley Ltd trading as Headwork, Sheffield, neglected to pay £4,762.64 to 4 workers
- Mrs Kelly Jayne Lockley trading as Diva Hair Design, Walsall, neglected to pay £4,103.65 to a worker
- Browncow Tanning Ltd trading as Fake Bake Hair & Beauty Boutique, Glasgow, neglected to pay £3,406.66 to 2 workers
- J Wood Joiners & Builders Ltd, Edinburgh, neglected to pay £3,373.19 to 4 workers
- Louise Ross Trading as Luxe Salon, Leeds, neglected to pay £3,368.13 to a worker
- H&M Hennes & Mauritz UK Ltd, London, neglected to pay £2,604.87 to 540 workers
- Building Projects Ltd, Dundee, neglected to pay £2,345.85 to 3 workers
- David A Farrer Ltd, Morecambe, neglected to pay £2,261.00 to a worker
- Julian’s Hair Salon Ltd, Newbury, neglected to pay £2,131.35 to a worker
- Motorists Discount Store Ltd trading as TMS Autoparts, Manchester, neglected to pay £2,025.19 to a worker
- Ms Dawn Platts trading as Level 2 Hair Studio, Barnsley, neglected to pay £1,186.89 to a worker
- Myers and Family Ltd, Wakefield, neglected to pay £1.598.82 to a worker
- Welcome Break Holdings Ltd, Newport Pagnell, neglected to pay £1,318.70 to 19 workers
- Callum Austin Ltd trading as Jason Austin Hairdressers, Kettering, neglected to pay £1,899.66 to 2 workers
- Mrs Karen Riley Trading as Crave, Preston, neglected to pay £1,179.09 to 7 workers
- RPM Performance Rally World Ltd, Maldon, neglected to pay £998.71 to a worker
- Ego Hair & Beauty (Anglia) Ltd, Colchester, neglected to pay £985.55 to a worker
- Mr Jinit Shah trading as Crystal Financial Solutions, Middlesex, neglected to pay £941.65 to a worker
- Counted4 Community Interest Company, Sunderland, neglected to pay £930.73 to a worker
- HAE Automotive Services Ltd, Harrogate (ceased trading), neglected to pay £798.16 to a worker
- Vision on Digital Ltd, Ossett, neglected to pay £683.86 to a worker
- Ultimate Care UK Ltd, Ipswich, neglected to pay £613.79 to 7 workers
- Century Motors (Sheffield) Ltd, Sheffield, neglected to pay £571.72 to a worker
- Mr D Eastwell & Mr G Brinkler trading as The Salon, Letchworth Garden City, neglected to pay £409.85 to a worker
- Rumble (Bedworth) Ltd, Nuneaton, neglected to pay £404.41 to a worker
- Shannons Ltd, Worthing neglected to pay £313.76 to a worker
- Holmes Cleaning Company, Worksop neglected to pay £240.48 to a worker
- Learnplay Foundation Ltd, West Bromwich, neglected to pay £224.73 to a worker
- Adrien Mackenzie trading as Maverick Models, Manchester, neglected to pay £205.52 to a worker
- QW Security Ltd, Hartlepool, neglected to pay £126.20 to a worker
Minimum wage rates by age group:
- Adult rate (21 and over) – £6.50 per hour
- 18 to 20 year olds – £5.13 per hour
- 16 to 17 year olds – £3.79 per hour
- Apprentice rate – £2.73 per hour
Since peaking at 9.6 per cent above inflation in 2001, the value of the minimum wage has gradually fallen over recent years. Inflation levels surpassed the minimum wage percentage in 2008; the biggest difference between the two coming in 2011, when inflation percentages were almost 2 per cent above the minimum wage.
An analysis by the Resolution Foundation last year also found that a worker on the minimum wage would need to work 380 hours a week to match the annual salary of someone in the 99th percentile.
James Bloodworth is the editor of Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter
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11 Responses to “Roll of Dishonour: The 37 firms who failed to pay the minimum wage – named and shamed”
Mike Stallard
In Wisbech, Cambs, every single business pays the basic wage to my own knowledge.
However, when “Bulgarians” are invited by the Agency to work, they are saddled with “Deductions” for uniform, transport and, no doubt, consumption of air.
The net pay, I am reliably informed Is between £3 and £4 per hour.
Keith M
Bad publicity is the best solution.
Leon Wolfeson
So something they’ll brush off? Mm-hum.
Nope, 5% of global revenue fines, now…
Leon Wolfeson
So of course you’ve reported them all for illegal deductions to wages, rights?
Mike Stallard
I do not report people who are not doing illegal things. I hope nobody does.