B&Q and Five Guys among firms that paid staff below minimum wage
More than 600 companies underpaid staff, with £4m returned to workers, according to the government.
The government has identified over 600 UK businesses, including B&Q and Five Guys, that paid their employees below the minimum wage. This has resulted in £4 million being returned to workers and £7 million in penalties. B&Q and Five Guys both blamed technical differences in how payroll regulations were applied for the underpayments.
The list of 658 businesses includes various sectors such as shops, restaurants, nurseries, social care providers, and NHS trusts. The minimum wage in the UK is £12.71 for those aged 21 and over, £10.85 for those aged 18 to 20, and £8 for those under 18 and apprentices. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds emphasized the government's commitment to preventing underpayment of staff, stating that it is both the right and smart thing to do.
Kate Dearden, minister for the future of work, added that the government will not allow workers to bear the cost of their employers' failure to comply with the rules. The first ten employers on the list, sorted by the amount of wages not paid, include B&Q Ltd, Elysium Healthcare Holdings 3 Ltd, St George's, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group, and Five Guys JV Limited.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
