Around £4 million has been returned to more than 27,000 workers after hundreds of employers were found to have failed to pay the National Minimum Wage. According to the Birmingham Mail, the repayments amount to around £148 per affected worker, while 658 employers were named following enforcement action.
The Labour government led by Andy Burnham confirmed the list on 3 September, alongside statements from ministers and officials responsible for employment enforcement. The cases cover businesses and organisations across a wide range of sectors, with individual underpayments varying considerably in both the sums involved and the number of workers affected.
658 Employers Named After Minimum Wage Failures
According to the Birmingham Mail, B&Q Limited recorded the largest total underpayment on the published list, failing to pay £456,934.72 to 4,530 workers. Elysium Healthcare Holdings 3 Limited was listed with £330,048.81 owed to 1,095 workers, while St George’s, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group failed to pay £123,331.97 to 75 workers. Support Staff Services Limited was recorded as owing £119,715.13 to 323 workers.
Other entries included Forest Holidays Limited, which failed to pay £100,308.68 to 598 workers, and Five Guys JV Limited, which was listed as having underpaid 3,699 workers by £54,642.47. The published list also included Serco Limited, Leeds United Football Club Limited, G4S Facilities Management (UK) Limited and a number of healthcare, childcare, hospitality and retail employers.
B&Q said the payment shortfalls were unintentional and related to calculations involving geographical allowances paid on top of minimum hourly rates. According to the company’s statement reported by the Birmingham Mail, all affected colleagues were paid in full in July 2025. The company did not dispute the amount or number of workers recorded in the list.
Ministers Tell Employers to Review Payroll Procedures
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said employers should have access to guidance and support to help them comply with minimum wage rules. He said: “Most employers already understand this, and I want to work with them to ensure they have every piece of guidance and support available to help them follow the rules.”
Reynolds also said: “Short-changing your staff isn’t a shortcut to success and we are determined to stamp it out.” Minister for the Future of Work Kate Dearden said underpaying staff was illegal and that workers should receive the pay they had earned. She urged employers to check their payroll and contact Acas if further support was needed.
Matthew Taylor, chair of the Fair Work Agency Advisory Board, said paying the minimum wage was “not optional — it is the law”. He said the agency was intended both to help employers understand their responsibilities and to take action where workers were denied money legally owed to them.
Taylor also urged employers to review their processes and correct mistakes. The enforcement action reported alongside the naming round resulted in around £4 million being returned directly to more than 27,000 workers whose wages had fallen below the legal minimum.
