Over 600 UK businesses, including estate agents and property firms, have been publicly identified by the government for failing to pay the minimum wage. The Department for Business and Trade stated that these employers must repay approximately £4 million to more than 27,000 workers who were underpaid.
In addition to the repayments, the businesses face combined penalties of around £7 million. This latest round of naming is part of the government's ongoing enforcement of National Minimum Wage rules.
Since the naming scheme began in 2011, over 5,200 employers have faced penalties exceeding £100 million, with approximately £66 million repaid to 650,000 workers. This is also the first naming round since the Fair Work Agency was set up in April, an enforcement body created by the Employment Rights Act to consolidate workers' rights enforcement.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds commented that "short-changing your staff isn't a shortcut to success and we are determined to stamp it out." Kate Dearden, Minister for the Future of Work, added that underpaying staff is illegal and employers will be held accountable.