Almost 140 companies, including some of the UK’s biggest household names, are being named and shamed by the Government for failing to pay their workers the minimum wage.
Investigated between 2016 and 2018, the 139 named companies failed to pay £6.7 million to over 95,000 workers in total, in a flagrant breach of employment law. The offending companies range in size from small businesses to large multinationals who employ thousands of people across the UK.
Preserving and enforcing workers’ rights is a priority for this government. While the vast majority of businesses follow the law and uphold workers’ rights, the publication of the list is intended to serve as a warning to rogue employers that the government will take action against those who fail to pay their employees properly.
This is the first time the government has named and shamed companies for failing to pay National Minimum Wage since 2018, following reforms to the process to ensure only the worst offenders are targeted.
Business Minister Paul Scully said:
Paying the minimum wage is not optional, it is the law. It is never acceptable for any employer to short-change their workers, but it is especially disappointing to see huge household names who absolutely should know better on this list.
This should serve as a wake-up call to named employers and a reminder to everyone of the importance of paying workers what they are legally entitled to.
Make no mistake, those who fail to follow minimum wage rules will be caught out and made to pay up.
Bryan Sanderson, Chair of the Low Pay Commission, said:
There can be no excuses for non-compliance with the minimum wage rates. The annual changes are well publicised 6 months in advance following a well understood process.
Those affected are among the most needy and vulnerable in our country – the companies concerned should be deeply ashamed of their performance.
One of the main causes of minimum wage breaches was low-paid employees being made to cover work costs, which would eat into their pay packet, such as paying for uniform, training or parking fees.
Also, some employers failed to raise employees’ pay after they had a birthday which should have moved them into a different National Minimum Wage bracket.
Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage have to pay back arrears of wages to the worker at current minimum wage rates. They also face hefty financial penalties of up to 200% of arrears – capped at £10,000 per worker – which are paid to the government. Each of the companies named today have paid back their workers, and were forced to pay financial penalties.
While not all breaches of minimum wage rules are intentional, it is the responsibility of all employers to ensure they are following the law. With this round, we are also publishing a short educational bulletin that summarises public guidance on paying workers and common reasons for underpayment – helping to ensure that workers are not short-changed in future.
The companies the government is naming were served a notice of underpayment between September 2016 and July 2018, following investigations by HMRC.
Last month, the government announced a measured increase in National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates, which will come into effect from April 2021. Every worker is entitled to the National Minimum Wage, no matter their age or profession.
This is the full list of companies named for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage, with fuller detail provided in the attached spreadsheet:
- Tesco Stores Limited, Welwyn Hatfield, AL7, failed to pay £5096946.13 to 78199 workers
- Pizza Hut (U.K.) Limited, Hertsmere, EH2, failed to pay £845936.41 to 10980 workers
- The Lowry Hotel Limited, trading as The Lowry Hotel, Salford, M3, failed to pay £63431.51 to 99 workers
- Doherty & Gray Limited, Mid and East Antrim, BT42, failed to pay £43470.16 to 128 workers
- Independent Care & Support Ltd, Medway, ME2, failed to pay £40275.17 to 55 workers
- Amber Valley Council for Voluntary Services, trading as Amber Valley Centre for Voluntary Services, Amber Valley, DE5, failed to pay £37346.46 to 104 workers
- Premier Care Limited, Salford, M27, failed to pay £31198.61 to 407 workers
- Hill Biscuits Limited, Tameside, OL7, failed to pay £25867.06 to 247 workers
- Sendon Garage Services Limited, Lambeth, SW8, failed to pay £24869.52 to 2 workers
- Natural Nails Beauty London Ltd, Haringey, N17, failed to pay £15265.58 to 4 workers
- Superdrug Stores PLC, Croydon, CR0, failed to pay £15228.57 to 2222 workers
- St Johnstone Football Club Limited (The), Perth and Kinross, PH1, failed to pay £14266.74 to 28 workers
- Home Grown Hotels Limited, New Forest, SO43, failed to pay £13790.44 to 25 workers
- Rebus Construction Ltd, Hart, RG27, failed to pay £13379.94 to 5 workers
- Mrs Emma Hartley, trading as Whitehall Hairdressing, Leeds, BD11, failed to pay £12882.14 to 2 workers
- The Walshford Inn Limited, trading as The Bridge Hotel & Spa, Harrogate, LS22, failed to pay £11947.23 to 26 workers
- Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, BT63, failed to pay £11285.34 to 269 workers
- Müller UK & Ireland Group LLP, Shropshire, TF9, failed to pay £10702.11 to 54 workers
- Dakota Forth Bridge Limited – Dissolved 20/03/2020, City of Edinburgh, EH30, failed to pay £10236.5 to 4 workers
- Pinnacle PSG Limited, City of London, EC4A, failed to pay £10166.03 to 10 workers
- Preystone Property Investments Limited, trading as Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant, Northumberland, NE48, failed to pay £9767.15 to 26 workers
- Western Brand Poultry Products (NI) Ltd, Fermanagh and Omagh, BT92, failed to pay £9275.71 to 50 workers
- Nahid Residential Limited, trading as Manor House Hotel, Guildford, GU4, failed to pay £9159.53 to 5 workers
- Norfolk Coastal Pubs Limited, trading as The Golden Fleece, North Norfolk, NR23, failed to pay £8141.69 to 14 workers
- Worldwide Foods (Birmingham) Limited, trading as Al-Halal Supermarket, Birmingham, B10, failed to pay £8062.88 to 1 worker
- Eat Food Limited, trading as Albatta Restaurant, Colchester, CO1, failed to pay £7987.15 to 5 workers
- G & J Properties Limited, Bolton, BL7, failed to pay £7858.16 to 1 worker
- Adi’s Hand Car Wash Ltd – Dissolved 19/02/2019, Barking and Dagenham, RM8, failed to pay £7750.84 to 2 workers
- South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, Lisburn and Castlereagh, BT16, failed to pay £7564.66 to 193 workers
- Discount Wallpapers Limited, trading as O’Neills Decorating Centre, Bolton, BL4, failed to pay £7446.14 to 11 workers
- Sturgess & Thompson Limited, Leicester, LE4, failed to pay £7385.4 to 2 workers
- Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, BT9, failed to pay £7303.41 to 192 workers
- Helio Leisure Limited, trading as Helio Fitness, Fylde, FY8, failed to pay £7298.69 to 26 workers
- Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Antrim and Newtownabbey, BT41, failed to pay £6900.72 to 146 workers
- Hoar Cross Hall Limited, East Staffordshire, DE13, failed to pay £6651.94 to 26 workers
- Renard Resources Limited, Westminster, WC2E, failed to pay £6492.95 to 484 workers
- Imago @ Loughborough Limited, Charnwood, LE11, failed to pay £6319.05 to 101 workers
- Western Health and Social Care Trust, Derry City and Strabane, BT47, failed to pay £6170.97 to 170 workers
- Littlemoss Preservation Limited, Tameside, M43, failed to pay £5434.18 to 4 workers
- Mr Phillip Brookman, trading as Phillip Brookman Decorator & Plasterer, Cardiff, CF5, failed to pay £5141.7 to 1 worker
- O & H Electrical Limited, Torbay, TQ2, failed to pay £5139.02 to 6 workers
- Mr Jonathan Evans, trading as Jonty Evans Equestrian Activities, Gloucester, GL53, failed to pay £5008.16 to 5 workers
- SKL Professional Recruitment Agency Limited, trading as SKL Homecare, Hertsmere, WD23, failed to pay £4628.69 to 43 workers
- Wigan Rugby League Club Limited, trading as Wigan Warriors , Wigan, WN5, failed to pay £4559.24 to 1 worker
- Mr Blerim Bajrami, trading as Secure Hand Car wash, Cannock Chase, WS11, failed to pay £4475.01 to 3 workers
- Tring Park Day Nursery Ltd, Dacorum, HP23, failed to pay £4415.63 to 2 workers
- Pet Charmer Ltd – Liquidated April 2019, trading as Wild Animal Adventures and Pet Mania, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18, failed to pay £4168.9 to 1 worker
- WKW Partnership Limited, trading as Cairngorm Hotel, Highland, PH22, failed to pay £4057 to 7 workers
- Mr Roan Bradshaw and Ms Joy Bradshaw, trading as First Glance, Lewisham, SE4, failed to pay £3997.58 to 1 worker
- Costco Wholesale UK Limited, Hertsmere, WD25, failed to pay £3747.52 to 58 workers
- Gregg Little Testing Centre Limited, County Durham, DL5, failed to pay £3703.9 to 4 workers
- Solent Build Group Limited – Liquidated 06/12/2018, Southampton, SO19, failed to pay £3676.33 to 1 worker
- Blakerin International Holdings Limited, trading as Cumbria Park Hotel, Carlisle, CA3, failed to pay £3611.13 to 46 workers
- Multitech Site Services Limited, Uttlesford, CM6, failed to pay £3294.52 to 1 worker
- Dr Jaskaram Bains and Dr Bernie Chand, trading as Hanwell Dental Practice, Unknown, W7, failed to pay £3072.25 to 5 workers
- Byron Hamburgers Limited, Westminster, W1D, failed to pay £3062.03 to 77 workers
- Nina’s Nursery (Davenport) Limited, Stockport, SK2, failed to pay £3058.2 to 18 workers
- Walton Bannus Estates Limited, Harborough, LE17, failed to pay £3051.6 to 2 workers
- Circus in Schools Limited (Notice of voluntary strike-off – Nov 17), Cornwall, TR13, failed to pay £2958.85 to 2 workers
- KKM Enterprises Limited – Liquidated 23/08/2019), trading as The Cleaning Company, Redbridge, E18, failed to pay £2876.68 to 4 workers
- The Bobby Dhanjal Practice Limited, trading as Bobby Dhanjal Wealth Management, Blaby, LE19, failed to pay £2868.69 to 3 workers
- Manor House Country Hotel Limited, Fermanagh and Omagh, BT94, failed to pay £2837.04 to 139 workers
- Morden Estates Company Limited, Dorset, BH20, failed to pay £2761.45 to 43 workers
- The Education Development Service Ltd, Telford and Wrekin, TF4, failed to pay £2520.4 to 2 workers
- Mr Malcolm Gilmour and Mr David Gilmour, trading as Gilmour Bros , South Lanarkshire, ML11, failed to pay £2446.58 to 3 workers
- Storrs Hall Limited, South Lakeland, LA23, failed to pay £2402.23 to 3 workers
- DCS&D Limited, trading as Heritage Healthcare, Darlington, DL1, failed to pay £2393.39 to 13 workers
- Rainbow Room (East Kilbride) Limited, South Lanarkshire, G74, failed to pay £2378.77 to 15 workers
- Mr Darran Vaughan, trading as VAS Car Sales, Newry, Mourne and Down, BT30, failed to pay £2351.41 to 1 worker
- Mr Gnanenran Arumugam, trading as Lavender Convenience Store, Cheshire East, CW2, failed to pay £2335.88 to 1 worker
- The Calderdale Community Childcare Company Ltd, Calderdale, HX2, failed to pay £2321.81 to 2 workers
- Gzim Workshop Limited, trading as Valeting Car wash, Haringey, N17, failed to pay £2297.21 to 3 workers
- Alaska Fast Foods Ltd – Dissolved 05/02/2019, trading as Freddy’s Chicken & Pizza, Hyndburn, BB5, failed to pay £2180.93 to 7 workers
- Tracy Hart, trading as Little Oaks Pre School, Dacorum, HP2, failed to pay £2134.47 to 1 worker
- Chi Yip Group Limited, Oldham, M24, failed to pay £2121.51 to 14 workers
- Four Pillars Hotels Limited, Harrogate, HG2, failed to pay £2092.55 to 29 workers
- Mr William Fleeson, trading as Rainbow Room International, Stirling, FK8, failed to pay £2089.66 to 11 workers
- D & D Decorators Limited, East Ayrshire, KA3, failed to pay £2080.35 to 1 worker
- Kiddi Day Care Limited – Liquidation of the company commenced February 2019, trading as Blue Giraffe Childcare, Birmingham, B11, failed to pay £1978.57 to 9 workers
- Dessian Products Limited, Belfast, BT12, failed to pay £1885 to 1 worker
- Crewe Hotel Trading Limited, trading as Holiday Inn Express Crewe, Cheshire East, CW1, failed to pay £1871.52 to 19 workers
- Fast Fresh Ltd – Liquidated December 2019, trading as Subway, Sunderland, SR6, failed to pay £1833.02 to 3 workers
- Document Transport Limited, trading as Kegworth Hotel, North West Leicestershire, DE74, failed to pay £1801.07 to 10 workers
- Larne Coachworks Limited, Mid and East Antrim, BT40, failed to pay £1791.69 to 1 worker
- Mrs Therese Ann Binns, trading as Winston Churchill, Bradford, BD4, failed to pay £1774.35 to 3 workers
- Mr Brian Wilde, Ms Mariella Gabbutt, Mr Tony Wilde, Mr Joseph Wilde, trading as J & B Wilde & Sons, Manchester, M11, failed to pay £1717.23 to 4 workers
- UKS Group Limited, Bristol, City of, BS4, failed to pay £1666.88 to 13 workers
- LM Bubble Tea Ltd., trading as Mooboo, Liverpool, L1, failed to pay £1628.49 to 14 workers
- The Wensleydale Heifer Limited, Richmondshire, DL8, failed to pay £1625.89 to 3 workers
- Fewcott Healthcare Limited, Cherwell, OX27, failed to pay £1575 to 2 workers
- Hotel Birmingham Ltd, trading as Travellers Inn, Sandwell, B69, failed to pay £1516.25 to 3 workers
- Keasim Glasgow Limited, trading as Malones Glasgow, Glasgow City, G2, failed to pay £1503.43 to 1 worker
- Shades Hair Design Limited – Dissolved 18/12/2018, trading as Shades Hair & Beauty, Bridgend, CF32, failed to pay £1487.98 to 2 workers
- Signature Inns Limited, trading as Westmead Hotel, Bromsgrove, B48, failed to pay £1456.81 to 5 workers
- Kingsland Engineering Company Limited (The), North Norfolk, NR26, failed to pay £1331.79 to 4 workers
- The Roxburghe Hotel Edinburgh Limited, City of Edinburgh, EH2, failed to pay £1317.43 to 47 workers
- Business Services Organisation, Belfast, BT2, failed to pay £1310.69 to 32 workers
- Mr William Fleeson, trading as Rainbow Room International, Stirling, FK8, failed to pay £2089.66 to 11 workers
- Mrs Krystle Purdy, trading as Krystalized, Epping Forest, IG10, failed to pay £1294.13 to 1 worker
- Oakminster Healthcare Limited, trading as Cumbrae House Care Home , Glasgow City, G20, failed to pay £1292.3 to 21 workers
- Rainbows Day Care (Pembrokeshire) Limited – Dissolved 03/03/2020, Pembrokeshire, SA62, failed to pay £1273.38 to 46 workers
- Maltings Entertainment Limited, trading as Carbon Nightclub and The Mill Bar and Grill Restaurant, Mid Suffolk, IP14, failed to pay £1263.44 to 1 worker
- Ben Ong UK Limited – Liquidated 28/11/2018, trading as Ben’s Natural Health, Barnet, NW11, failed to pay £1257.12 to 3 workers
- Mr Nosh Fusha, trading as Green Lane Car Wash, Walsall, WS2, failed to pay £1254.73 to 1 worker
- Cygnet Health Care Limited, Tonbridge and Malling, TN15, failed to pay £1249.55 to 15 workers
- Thurlaston Meadows Care Home Ltd, Rugby, CV23, failed to pay £1223.54 to 1 worker
- Trent Park Catering Limited Companies Status- Active Proposal to Strike Off, trading as Trent Park Café, Enfield, EN4, failed to pay £1213.77 to 10 workers
- Lord Hill Hotel Limited, Shropshire, SY2, failed to pay £1168.91 to 18 workers
- Smart Solutions (Recruitment) Limited, Newport, NP18, failed to pay £1152.09 to 90 workers
- Black Rock Hotels Limited, trading as Leighinmohr House Hotel, Mid and East Antrim, BT42, failed to pay £1138.05 to 30 workers
- Gino’s Dial-A-Pizza Ltd Companies Status- Active Proposal to Strike Off, Cannock Chase, WS11, failed to pay £1117.38 to 7 workers
- Mitras Automotive (UK) Limited, Cheshire West and Chester, CW7, failed to pay £1048.29 to 3 workers
- Anjana Bhog Sweets Limited – Dissolved 17/09/19, Brent, HA0, failed to pay £1020 to 1 worker
- Mr Mohammed Nasir, trading as Omar Khayyam, City of Edinburgh, EH12, failed to pay £935.31 to 2 workers
- About Face Beauty Clinic Limited, Glasgow City, G1, failed to pay £924.51 to 6 workers
- Mr Howard Coy, trading as H Coy & Son, Melton, LE14, failed to pay £902.29 to 1 worker
- Jameson Knight Estates Limited – Dissolved 29/01/2019, Tower Hamlets, E2, failed to pay £885.06 to 2 workers
- Croome International Transport Limited, Maidstone, ME17, failed to pay £869.19 to 8 workers
- Rainbow Room (24 Royal Exchange Square) Limited, Glasgow City, G1, failed to pay £851.7 to 6 workers
- The Coaching Inn Group (No2) Limited (Application for voluntary strike-off – Dec 2019), Boston, PE21, failed to pay £811.88 to 2 workers
- Cotswold Motor Group Limited, Cheltenham, GL51, failed to pay £796.31 to 2 workers
- Glenpac Bacon Products Limited, Newry, Mourne and Down, BT35, failed to pay £752.02 to 2 workers
- Mistsolar Limited, trading as Bridgend Ford, Bridgend, CF31, failed to pay £739 to 1 worker
- Robinson’s of Failsworth (Bakers) Limited, Tameside, M35, failed to pay £736.82 to 9 workers
- Mr Timothy Lock and Mrs Beatrice Lock, trading as Woodborough Hall , Gedling, NG14, failed to pay £723.6 to 2 workers
- Nova Display Limited, Leeds, LS25, failed to pay £722.78 to 1 worker
- Dessert House on the River Limited (Compulsory notice to strike off – 17/03/20, suspended 29/04/20), trading as Kaspa’s Desserts, Lewisham, SE13, failed to pay £719.1 to 1 worker
- Mr Edwin Minchin, trading as Eddie’s Diner, Great Yarmouth, NR30, failed to pay £670.13 to 3 workers
- The Izaak Walton Hotel (Dovedale) Ltd, Staffordshire Moorlands, DE6, failed to pay £667.6 to 2 workers
- Mr David Blake, trading as Foxhills Farm and Riding Centre, Walsall, WS9, failed to pay £667.54 to 1 worker
- Shaoke Hospitality Ltd – Dissolved 30/04/2020, trading as Mooboo, Leeds, LS1, failed to pay £664.94 to 5 workers
- Richard Webster & Co Limited, Eastleigh, SO50, failed to pay £621.23 to 1 worker
- Newemoo Limited, Birmingham, B5, failed to pay £591.86 to 2 workers
- Regional Buildings Assessments LLP, Hyndburn, BB1, failed to pay £562.89 to 2 workers
- Ace Hospitality Ltd, trading as Holiday Inn Express Birmingham- South A45 , Birmingham, B25, failed to pay £556.15 to 14 workers
- Mrs Elizabeth Norris and Dr Terry Hooper, trading as St Bart’s Day Nurseries, Dover, CT13, failed to pay £552.53 to 9 workers
- The Club Company (UK) Limited, Wokingham, RG10, failed to pay £540.3 to 11 workers
- Eat Tokyo Limited, Barnet, NW11, failed to pay £530.83 to 2 workers
- Molescroft Nursing Home (Holdings) Limited, trading as Beverley Grange Nursing Home, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU17, failed to pay £510.24 to 1 worker