Almost 240 companies 'named and shamed' by government for failing to pay minimum wage

Around £1.4 million has been recovered in back pay for 22,400 workers

Employers fined almost £2 million for failing to pay minimum wage (PA)

More than 200 employers who have failed to pay the national minimum wage have been “named and shamed” by the government.

Around £1.4 million has been recovered in back pay for 22,400 workers, with employers fined almost £2 million with some cases stretching back seven years.

Almost 240 employers, including Care homes, car washes, pubs, hairdressers, football and cricket clubs were among those said to have underpaid workers.

Cases included employers taking deductions from wages for uniforms, underpaying apprentices and failing to pay for travel time.

Those named include Bristol City and Doncaster Rovers football clubs, Odeon and UCI Cinema Group in Manchester, Sussex and Durham Cricket Clubs and Newcastle Falcons rugby club.

Business Minister Andrew Griffiths said: "Our priority is making sure workers know their rights and are getting the pay they worked hard for.

"Employers who don't do the right thing face fines as well as being hit with the bill for backpay.

"The UK's lowest paid workers have had the fastest wage growth in 20 years thanks to the introduction of the National Living Wage and today's list serves as a reminder to all employers to check they are getting their workers' pay right."

Low Pay Commission chairman Bryan Sanderson said: "It is crucial that employers understand their responsibilities and workers know their rights around the minimum wage.

"That is why active enforcement and effective communication from government is so important.

"It is therefore encouraging to see that HMRC has recovered unpaid wages for the largest number of workers yet in this round of naming and shaming.

"I'm confident that the government will continue to pursue underpayment of the minimum wage vigorously."

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady commented: "Minimum wage underpayment is happening on an industrial scale.

"Any worker who has been cheated deserves compensation. And their employers should be named and shamed.

"These record-breaking figures show that investing in enforcement works.

"But we know that tens of thousands more workers are still being underpaid, so government must keep the pressure on."

Agencies contributed to this report