UK government orders over 600 firms to repay millions for minimum-wage breaches
The Department for Business and Trade named more than 600 UK employers for paying below the legal minimum wage, ordering £4 million in back pay and £7 million in fines; B&Q and Five Guys were among the largest offenders.
In its first naming round since the Fair Work Agency was created, the UK government identified 658 employers that underpaid staff relative to the national minimum wage. More than 600 firms were ordered to repay a combined £4 million to affected workers and face £7 million in penalties, according to the Department for Business and Trade. B&Q Ltd topped the list, owing £456,934.72 to 4,530 employees because of errors in calculating geographical allowances, and Five Guys JV Limited owed £54,642.47 to 3,699 workers, citing technical payroll differences uncovered in an HMRC review.
Hospital groups such as St George's, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group and St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were also named, as were several nursing homes and childcare providers. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and minister Kate Dearden warned that underpaying staff is illegal and pledged robust enforcement, while Fair Work Agency advisory board chair Matthew Taylor stressed that paying the minimum wage is a legal requirement.
Why it matters
It reveals widespread wage violations and shows the government’s active steps to protect workers’ pay rights.
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