The UK government has publicly named nearly 400 employers found to have underpaid their workers, with staff collectively owed more than £7.3 million in back wages. The enforcement action arrives at a politically charged moment, coming just weeks before a significant increase to the National Minimum Wage takes effect in April.
The naming exercise, the first such “naming round” since ministers pledged to publish offending employers more frequently, spans sectors including retail, social care, and hospitality. Beyond repaying workers, the 389 businesses have also been handed £12.6 million in financial penalties, signaling a tougher stance from officials on wage compliance.
A Crackdown With Political Weight
Business Secretary Peter Kyle framed the enforcement action in unambiguous terms, stating it was unfair for companies to gain a competitive advantage by breaking the rules. Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden was equally direct: “Nobody should finish a week’s work and find they’ve been paid less than they’ve earned.”
According to the government, the timing is deliberate. The announcement precedes the launch of the Fair Work Agency, a new enforcement body designed to strengthen workers’ rights and consolidate existing compliance functions. Officials say the naming round is part of a broader, more sustained effort to hold employers accountable, not a one-off exercise. Workers who believe they are being underpaid can contact Acas or use the government’s minimum wage calculator on Gov.uk to verify whether they are receiving the correct rate.
What the April 2026 Wage Rise Means in Practice
From April 1, 2026, the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over will rise to £12.71 per hour, up from £12.21, an increase of 50 pence. According to official government rate tables, the uplift extends across all age brackets: 18 to 20-year-olds will see their hourly minimum rise from £10.00 to £10.85, while workers under 18 and apprentices will move from £7.55 to £8.00 per hour.
For full-time employees on the National Living Wage, the increase translates to approximately £977 more per year, a meaningful sum for those in low-paid roles, though critics may argue it still falls short of living costs in many parts of the country. The new rates were set following recommendations from the Low Pay Commission, an independent body that advises the government on minimum wage levels each year.
The increases represent a continuation of the trajectory set in recent years. As recently as April 2024, the over-21 rate stood at £11.44, meaning the National Living Wage will have risen by more than £1.25 per hour in just two years, a notable acceleration compared to the pace of increases seen in the early 2020s.
For workers and employers alike, April 1 marks a firm deadline. Businesses that fail to comply now do so against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny, and, if recent enforcement action is any indication, a government increasingly willing to go public with the names of those who fall short.
