Employers have been found to have underpaid a combined 16,000 employees by refusing to pay them the minimum wage.
The national minimum wage was introduced in 1999. It stipulates that employers should pay staff aged 25 and over at least £7.50 an hour. There are lower minimum rates for younger workers. Failure to pay the minimum wage can result in prosecution. However, in most cases, government prefers to name and shame offenders and get arrears settled.
Sports Direct, for example, underpaid 383 of its staff to the tune of £167,000, while Transline and Best Connection, employment agencies used by the sportswear giant, underpaid nearly 4,000 workers by about £800,000
Primark, the discount clothes retailer owned by Associated British Foods, underpaid almost 10,000 workers by more than £230,000 after deducting money from their salaries to pay for staff uniforms.
Sports Direct, which is controlled by the billionaire Mike Ashley, has tried to redeem its image. It has apologised and paid the money owed.
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