Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs Names 191 Businesses for Breaking National Minimum Wage Law – Including John Lewis, Martin McColl Retail Limited, Pontins and Even The Body Shop

Today (Thursday 5 August) 191 businesses are being named for breaking national minimum wage law.

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Following investigations by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, a total of £2.1 million was found to be owed to over 34,000 workers.

The breaches took place between 2011 and 2018. Named employers have since been made to pay back what they owed, and were fined an additional £3.2 million, showing it is never acceptable to underpay workers.

The UK government recently gave millions a pay rise, by increasing National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates in April 2021. The rise means someone working full time on the National Living Wage will be taking home £5,400 more annually than they were in 2010. Every single UK worker is entitled to the National Minimum Wage, no matter their age or profession.

Whilst not all minimum wage underpayments are intentional, it has always been the responsibility of all employers to abide by the law. Clear guidance is available on gov.uk, which all employers should check.

Minimum wage breaches can occur when workers are being paid on or just above the minimum wage rate, and then have deductions from their pay for uniform or accommodation.

The employers named today previously underpaid workers in the following ways:

  • 47% wrongly deducted pay from workers’ wages, including for uniform and expenses
  • 30% failed to pay workers for all the time they had worked, such as when they worked overtime
  • 19% paid the incorrect apprenticeship rate

Business Minister Paul Scully said:

Our minimum wage laws are there to ensure a fair day’s work gets a fair day’s pay – it is unacceptable for any company to come up short.

All employers, including those on this list, need to pay workers properly.

This government will continue to protect workers’ rights vigilantly, and employers that short-change workers won’t get off lightly.

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 £20,000 per worker – which are paid to the government. Since 2015 the government has ordered employers to repay over £100 million to 1 million workers.

A significant number of the minimum wage breaches identified today affected those on apprenticeships. Today the government has published new guidance to ensure employers know exactly what they need to do to pay their apprentices, and all workers, correctly.

National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme Round 17, August 2021: educational bulletin (PDF541KB7 pages)

The government is committed to protecting workers’ rights and while the vast majority of businesses follow the law and uphold workers’ rights, the publication of this list serves as a reminder to employers that the government will take action against those who fail to pay their employees the minimum wage.

As well as advice for employers, HMRC offers advice for all workers on how to ensure they are being paid correctly via the Check your pay website.

Chair of the Low Pay Commission Bryan Sanderson said:

These are very difficult times for all workers, particularly those on low pay who are often undertaking critical tasks in a variety of key sectors including care. The minimum wage provides a crucial level of support and compliance is essential for the benefit of both the recipients and our society as a whole.

Employer / Company name Trading Name Arrears No of workers
John Lewis plc £941,355.67                  19,392
Martin McColl Retail Limited £258,047.80                    4,366
One Stop Stores Limited £56,505.04                    2,631
Welcome Break Holdings Limited £49,031.77                    1,591
Sword Security (N.I.) Ltd (under new ownership) £44,280.74                       160
The Body Shop International Limited £34,670.81                       959
Methodist Homes £29,244.25                           6
Britannia Jinky Jersey Limited Pontins £29,027.33                       954
Millenium Care Ltd £28,871.77                         40
KRM Limited First Steps Day Nursery £28,378.70                         25
Enterprise Rent-A-Car UK Limited £25,438.82                         65
Menai Meats (Wales) Limited £23,558.16                         34
The Sheffield United Football Club Limited £21,802.17                         25
Mrs Lynda Quigley Child’s Play £20,402.45                         40
Amna Care Domiciliary Ltd £18,574.02                         65
Peak Building Services Limited LIQUIDATION 19 October 2018 £14,732.31                         23
Circadian Trust Sphere Leisure Ltd £13,828.01                       290
Worcestershire County Cricket Trading Limited £12,919.37                           2
Eishtec UK Limited £12,504.46                       157
Fresh-Pak Chilled Foods Limited £11,487.93                       274
Travel Joy Hostels Limited The King William IV £10,673.59                           2
Burningfold Limited £9,916.36                           1
Pret A Manger (Europe) Limited £9,679.91                         33
7 to 10 Food & Wine Ltd £9,573.74                           2
Mrs Sonia Anderson & Mrs Jean Martin First Steps Nursery £9,156.09                         25
T S Lee & Son Limited CPR Skip Hire £8,880.43                         13
Aire Valley Frozen Foods Limited £8,823.37                         20
Marshall Motor Group Limited £8,816.31                         16
DDV Hairdressing Limited  ACTIVE PROPOSAL TO STRIKE OFF Tony & Guy £8,685.57                           5
Otium Entertainment Group Limited Coventry City Football Club £8,180.25                       194
Harratts of Wakefield Limited Harratts Kia £7,863.82                         26
Shabab Express Limited £6,783.69                         14
APC Care Limited £6,311.60                         39
Soya World Limited Soya £6,156.93                           2
Your Local Food & Wine Ltd Premier £6,144.27                           6
HPJ (GX) Ltd Jungs £6,059.37                           5
Mears Homecare Limited £5,908.87                           4
Vertu Motors plc £5,901.44                         63
TAFS Foods Limited Kentucky Fried Chicken £5,257.84                       294
Quest Strategic Consulting Limited                       (Dissolved 17/11/20) £5,119.16                           6
Mr Mohammed Asif Supawash Laundrette £4,972.55                           3
M Francis (Cardiff) Limited Minster Cleaning Services £4,793.14                         69
Lees Cleaning Contractors LLP Lees Premier Cleaning £4,768.09                           7
Stena Best Hand Car Wash Ltd £4,749.57                           6
Noonan Services Group (NI) Limited (Dissolved) £4,617.17                         79
Medea Hair Limited Body Essential Hair Designer £4,593.40                           1
Big News Trading Ltd Chibber’s Superstore £4,545.64                           1
Mrs Julie Anne Rickett Chevalian Stud £4,505.36                           1
The Dental Workshop Limited £4,190.65                           1
Chilton Motors Limited £4,171.87                           1
Grade One Commercial Cleaning Services Limited £4,145.80                           6
Brighter Beginnings Day Nursery Limited £4,139.44                         45
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC £4,055.96                           3
D Southall & Sons Southalls of Norchard £4,036.13                         79
A1 Home Care Ltd £3,774.46                         24
Mr Hasan Yalcin and Mrs Sultan Yalcin Bridge Kebabs (under new ownership) £3,723.68                           2
MacLeod Garages Ltd Kiwis Garage £3,663.63                           1
Newry Crash Repair Centre Ltd £3,438.61                           6
Cheshire Central Limited Cheshire Central Car Valeting Centre £3,425.11                           4
Clarendon Park Farms Limited £3,384.51                           1
Mrs Julie Roche and Mr Christopher Roche Hill Cottage Farm Camping & Caravan Park £3,351.90                           1
J Ren Ltd Mooboo £3,114.73                         24
Russell Nursery School Limited £3,080.31                           1
Mr Ramon Sanchez Chester House Guest House £3,060.36                           4
JoRecruitment Limited £3,008.63                         52
Northcote Hotel Limited £2,949.33                         16
Brittain & McMail Limited Rainbow Rooms International £2,923.25                         16
Sandylane Limited £2,877.41                       101
Oldham Athletic (2004) Association Football Club Limited £2,812.38                           6
York Hand Car Wash Ltd Dissolved 9 April 2019 Tesco Hand Car Wash £2,811.40                           3
Glenmore Property Services Limited £2,794.97                           3
Little Tots Nursery (Scunthorpe) Ltd £2,754.06                           9
South Worcestershire Citizens Advice Bureau £2,739.14                           1
Jungs Eton Limited £2,686.57                           1
SRCL Limited £2,677.10                           4
Step by Step Recruitment Limited £2,658.96                         35
Illingworth Moor Retail Limited Subway £2,643.75                           1
Hair By JFK Limited £2,609.30                           2
Guru Nanak Sikh Temple £2,556.83                           1
Harbour Havens Limited Kildonan Hotel £2,478.12                           4
Crewe Alexandra Football Club Company,Limited(The) £2,477.33                         46
Anglo Limited £2,461.23                           9
Willow Catering Limited £2,364.66                           1
V.A.S.S. Northwest Ltd (In Liquidation) Andy’s VW Centre £2,287.43                           1
Wise Employment (Swindon) Limited £2,266.04                       181
Lyndon Resources Limited £2,251.03                           3
Mr Tetsuo Saisho and Mrs Olga Lucia Saisho Japan Letting Agency £2,212.09                           1
Franchi Hairdressing Limited Giampiero Hair Colour Salon £2,199.88                           3
City Auto Repairs Ltd £2,185.07                           3
Mrs Shazia Ayub Wash and Go Slough £2,169.80                           4
Phillips (Lisburn) Limited £2,147.33                           1
Aecom Limited £2,142.21                           7
Fusion Hairdesign Ltd £2,089.27                           1
Chasewood Care Limited  LIQUIDATION 16 August 2018 £2,023.43                         80
Shado Services Limited Minster Cleaning Services £2,010.89                         35
Way2Save Harlesden Limited £1,899.03                         14
Charlton Athletic Football Company Limited £1,880.12                         16
North East Convenience Stores Limited Spar £1,853.62                         81
Ongar Motor Cycles Limited £1,842.06                           1
Mr Karzan Mustafa Mohammad Best Hand Car Wash £1,830.59                           2
Mr Shangara Singh The Spring Cottage £1,830.46                           2
Whoop Hall (2006) Limited The Whoop Hall Inn £1,820.43                         12
Bankfield Residential Care Limited (Dissolved 18/09/18) £1,785.09                         40
Swinton Park Limited £1,751.51                         15
Westrow Ilkley LLP Westrow £1,734.76                           3
Mr Amar Anwar Benwell Post Office £1,711.04                           2
Hessle Plant Limited £1,655.01                           1
Woodfield Road Store Limited DISSOLVED 11 June 2019 £1,612.85                           4
Pacson Limited £1,607.20                           3
Smart Recruitment Solutions (Swindon) Limited £1,596.17                       112
Hotel MK Limited Double Tree by Hilton Milton Keynes £1,552.07                         12
Danum Homecare Ltd £1,516.00                         13
Darlaston Builders Merchants Limited £1,444.01                           1
Borders Automobile Company Limited Border Motor Group £1,429.12                           7
Flying Start Day Nursery Chigwell Ltd £1,390.66                           9
Mr Stephen Austwick Steve Austwick MOT Centre £1,386.75                           2
Belfast Service Centre Limited £1,377.61                           3
Onyx Hair Limited Stone Hair £1,371.19                           2
Little Twisters Limited £1,360.12                           9
Miss Emma Aitken Razor King £1,327.50                           1
Ms Caroline Koenig Walkers Private Day Nursery £1,324.74                           2
Lyndon Subcontractors Limited £1,323.01                           1
Dunkeld House Hotel LLP £1,322.08                           8
John Condona’s Pleasure Fairs Limited Condona’s Family Entertainment Centre £1,318.23                         90
K McKeown Builders Ltd £1,317.94                           2
Worldsec Limited £1,180.47                         36
Wentbridge House Limited Wentbridge House Hotel £1,177.98                         47
Sparklers Private Nursery Ltd £1,177.08                         21
Mr Riccardo Corvi Rainbow Room International Ayr £1,119.32                           3
Mr Onur Ecevit Hand Car Wash £1,072.90                           2
Total Catering Solutions  Recruitment Limited TCS Recruitment £1,042.14                       104
Mr Akbar Shah Biddulph Soaps £1,034.89                           4
Mr Lirim Gecaj Bespoke Valet & Detailing Service £1,033.82                           2
Grey Communications Group Limited £1,033.20                           1
Hair & Beauty Bank Ltd (Dissolved 04/02/21) £1,022.13                           1
Meadow Street Motors Limited D.L. Motors £956.26                           1
Teifi Tots Limited £939.55                         17
Workforce Staffing Ltd £915.90                         50
Kinetic Law Ltd £912.40                           1
CAJ Contract Services Limited £908.28                           1
Automec Swansea Limited (Dissolved on 2 April 2019) £892.12                           1
Mr Sam Dewar SCD Joinery £886.53                           1
UK Kidz Solutions Ltd £882.20                           1
Mr John Maxwell Eurofix Car Repairs £872.58                           2
CJ RIDINGS LIMITED (name changed March 2020) £869.15                           9
Little Uns Daycare Limited £867.92                           7
Mrs Jennifer Riley and Mr Andrew Riley The Tyndrum Inn £844.84                           1
Simpson Print Limited Simpson Group £831.29                         34
Kate Preston Salons Limited £825.63                           4
Mrs Mozdeh Bandar and Miss Natalie Mahryar Bandar All in One Takeaway £822.15                           1
4SLC For Stocksbridge Leisure Centre Trust £819.45                           4
Uniqwin UK Limited £786.13                         14
Homebeech Limited £785.71                         59
Mrs Samantha Hawes The Look £785.13                           2
Shengyang Trading Limited Mooboo £760.15                           3
Nicola Jones Cosmetology (under new ownership) £759.60                           1
Portsmouth Community Football Club Limited £741.32                         10
Mr Samuel T Farnell, Mr Gary Farnell, Mr Anthony P Farnell and Mr Gregory M Farnell Acorn Cleaning Services £737.14                           1
Commercial Collection Services Limited CCS Collect £736.43                           2
Frank H. Mann (Torquay) Limited £724.26                           5
Quality Home Care (Barnsley) Limited £711.40                         31
Mr Stuart Melvin Aston Reflex Park Diner £706.50                           2
B Pharma Ltd Bispham Road Pharmacy £698.51                           1
K & A Care Limited Granada House Care Home £695.18                         11
Carpet Kingdom Ltd £693.57                           2
Fishmore Hall Hotel Limited £690.22                           8
JBD Recruitment Limited £681.87                         16
R & A Food & Wine Ltd (Dissolved 05/11/19) £678.60                           1
Frontline Recruitment Partnerships Limited £671.59                         54
Mahal Premier Limited £670.43                           1
Mrs Janine McMahon Rainbow Room International £652.34                           8
Viking Academy Trust £651.43                           2
WBC Limited Westdown Bathroom Centre £632.07                           5
Mr Amin Lakhani & Mr Azim Lakhani Saffronland Homes 1 £623.94                         42
Capture CCTV Solutions Limited £622.07                           2
Cavalier Country Club Limited Holdsworth House Hotel £601.92                           1
Fleeson & Robb Limited Rainbow Room International £597.70                           5
Mr Amin Lakhani & Mr Azim Lakhani Saffronland Homes 2 £623.94                         42
SBFM Limited £583.02                           1
Cofton Country Holidays Limited £576.64                           2
Anglophiles Academic Limited £575.51                           1
Education Development Trust £575.35                           2
Mrs Jennifer Campbell and Mr John Campbell Badden Farm Nursery £569.72                           1
Walnut Tree Garage Limited JP Tod Commercials £559.73                           4
Ms Deborah Harrison Kingfisher Care Services £558.79                           2
Mr Jess Dillon Southside Cleaning Services £543.77                         45
Mr Harold Todd H T Motors £537.84                           1
Epicure Bar and Kitchen Limited (LIQUIDATION 15 January 2020) £530.56                           3
Laggan Outdoor Limited £526.68                           6
Mr Robert Mitchell Sherlocks £504.78                           1
Mr Andrew Hay Beach Service Station £501.79                           3