Thousands of workers get £7.4million after being underpaid by bosses

Thousands of workers who have been left out of pocket will be repaid over £7.4million. It comes following investigations by , which concluded between 2015 and 2022, found 518 employers and business had underpaid nearly 60,000 members of staff.

The employers and businesses have since paid back what they owe to their staff and faced financial penalties of up to 200% of their underpayment.

It comes after in April this year. The minimum wage for workers aged 21 and over has risen from £11.44 an hour to £12.21 an hour, from £8.60 an hour to £10 an hour for those aged 18 to 20, and from £6.40 an hour to £7.55 an hour for under-18s and apprentices.

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This follows a significant uplift to the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage - putting £1,400 into the pockets of full-time workers on NLW and supporting millions of families across the country - as well as the biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation under the Employment Rights Bill.

Minister for Employment Rights, Justin Madders said: “There is no excuse for employers to undercut their workers, and we will continue to name companies who break the law and don’t pay their employees what they are owed.

“Ensuring workers have the support they need and making sure they receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work is a key commitment in our Plan for Change. This will put more money in working people’s pockets, helping to boost productivity and ending low pay.”

Baroness Philippa Stroud, Chair of the Low Pay Commission, said: “We welcome today’s publication. Underpayment leaves workers out of pocket and disadvantages the majority of employers who do abide by the rules.

“These naming rounds play an important part in ensuring that all workers receive their full wages and that they are aware there is support for them to ensure that they do.”

What to do if you've been underpaid

To see if you’ve been underpaid, you should start by going through your payslips and checking them against the minimum rates. If you think you haven’t been paid enough, you should first talk to your employer to give them the chance to rectify the situation.

If this doesn’t solve the problem, you can complain to HMRC through . They’ll then investigate your complaint and if you have been underpaid, you’ll get the money back that you’re due.

If HMRC find that the employer has not paid, they will send them a notice for the arrears plus a fine for not paying the minimum wage.

HMRC can take them to court on behalf of the worker if the employer still refuses to pay.

Another way to complain about being underpaid is via the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) pay and work rights helpline on 0300 123 1100.