M&S, Argos and WH Smith among 200 companies ‘named and shamed’ for not paying minimum…

21 June 2023, 14:03 | Updated: 21 June 2023, 15:04

Argos, M&S and WH Smith are among some 200 companies which have been collectively fined £7m for failing to pay employees the minimal wage.

Retailers WH Smith, M&S and Argos have been “named and shamed” by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) for not paying some 63,000 employees members the authorized minimal wage in a 2019 evaluation carried out by HMRC.

Inspectors from HMRC discovered that these on the checklist had made a number of breaches, together with by deducting pay from employees for new uniforms and paying the fallacious apprenticeship wage.

For these aged 23 and over, the authorized minimal wage is £10.42, which rose from £9.50 in April. The authorized minimal hourly wage, which incorporates apprentices and under-18s, is £5.28.

Scroll for full checklist beneath

The companies who didn’t pay their employees adequately will likely be made to reimburse their employees and have additionally been issued fines.

The authorities stated these on the checklist will “face the consequences” of failing to correctly pays employees.

Although it’s unsure how a lot M&S, Argos and WH Smith have been fined, the federal government stated it’s as much as 200% of the arrears they owed, the BBC reported.

WH Smith didn’t pay greater than £1.2m to over 17,600 of its employees, understanding at about £58 every, making it the worst offender among these listed.

In this occasion employees have been compelled to pay out of their very own pocket when the corporate issued a brand new uniform coverage, as an alternative of overlaying the associated fee itself.

Staff have been instructed to put on black trousers, skirts or footwear with the accompanying WH Smith uniform.

A spokesman for WH Smith stated it was a “genuine error” and that that they had reimbursed employees since.

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They stated: “Following a evaluation with HMRC in 2019, and in frequent with a lot of retailers, it was delivered to our consideration that we had misinterpreted how the statutory wage rules have been utilized to our uniform coverage for employees working in our shops.

“This was a real error and it was rectified instantly with all colleagues reimbursed in 2019.”

Also on the checklist was Lloyds Pharmacy, second from the highest, for making the identical mistake with uniforms, because it underpaid employees by a complete of £903,307.

A spokesman for the pharmacy stated: “As quickly as we have been made conscious, we acted rapidly to inform affected colleagues and reimburse them.

“We additionally up to date our coverage to make sure it did not recur.”

Supermarket retailer M&S left 5,363 out of pocket by £578,391, at over £100 every, because it stated the error developed after failing to pay momentary employees quick sufficient.

An M&S spokesman stated: “Like many different organisations, M&S is just named within the NMW checklist due to an unintentional technical situation from over 4 years in the past.

“This occurred just because momentary colleagues have been not paid throughout the strict time intervals specified within the NMW Regulations and was remedied as quickly as we turned conscious of the difficulty.

“Our minimal hourly pay has by no means been beneath the nationwide minimal wage, it’s presently above it and no colleagues have been ever underpaid due to this.”

Bryan Sanderson, chair of the Low Pay Commission stated: “The minimal wage acts as a assure to make sure all employees with out exception obtain a good minimal customary of pay.

“Where employers break the legislation, they not solely do a disservice to their employees but in addition undermine truthful competitors between companies.

“Regular naming rounds must be a useful gizmo in elevating consciousness of underpayment and serving to to guard minimal wage employees.”

The DBT discovered that 39% of 200 companies had deducted pay from employees’ pay, 39% did not pay employees appropriately for the time labored, and 21% had paid the inaccurate apprenticeship charge.

Kevin Hollinrake, the minister for enterprise, markets and small enterprise acknowledged that among the underpayments have been right down to real error, however added that “there is no excuse for underpaying workers”.

He stated: “Most businesses do the right thing and look after their employees, but we’re sending a clear message to the minority who ignore the law: pay your staff properly or you’ll face the consequences.”

Companies fined for pay breaches

1. WH Smith didn’t pay £1,017,693.36 to 17,607 employees
2. Lloyds Pharmacy didn’t pay £903,307.47 to 7,916 employees
3. Marks and Spencer (M&S) didn’t pay £578,390.79 to 5,363 employees
4. Argos didn’t pay £480,093.58 to 10,399 employees
5. Buzz Group Limited didn’t pay £319,297.21 to 3,448 employees
6. Baxterstorey Limited didn’t pay £185,242.24 to 2,166 employees
7. McNicholas Construction Services Limited didn’t pay £170,517.57 to 704 employees
8. Showsec International Limited didn’t pay £107,835.49 to 5,574 employees
9. Brunning and Price Limited didn’t pay £98,675.37 to 1,500 employees
10. Chanel Limited didn’t pay £70,413.59 to 250 employees
11. AAH Limited didn’t pay £42,359.39 to 201 employees
12. Mr John Bowden & Mr Gary Bowden, buying and selling as Dulhorn Farm Holiday Park didn’t pay £37,880.77 to 13 employees
13. 4 Site Security Services Limited didn’t pay £36,388.31 to 170 employees
14. UK Pharmaservices Ltd didn’t pay £35,094.66 to 13 employees
15. Victor Foster Poultry Services Limited didn’t pay £33,045.17 to 284 employees
16. Loganair Limited didn’t pay £24,367 to 43 employees
17. Tudor Employment Agency Limited didn’t pay £22,606.96 to 930 employees
18. Wellingstone Ltd, buying and selling as East Orient Buffet Restaurant didn’t pay £21,127.65 to 8 employees
19. Dune Group Limited didn’t pay £21,088.48 to 339 employees
20. OMI Facilities Limited didn’t pay £20,622.77 to 9 employees
21. The Lion Hotel (Criccieth) Limited, buying and selling as The Lion Hotel didn’t pay £20,322.27 to 9 employees
22. Executive Sport Limited didn’t pay £20,200.34 to 8 employees
23. Lemon Tree Manchester Ltd didn’t pay £18,976.19 to 17 employees
24. TFL Service Centre Limited – Liquidation 13/12/21, traded as Wimbledon Service Centre didn’t pay £18,377.98 to 7 employees
25. ALG Cognita Limited didn’t pay £17,364.51 to 318 employees
26. Twenty Four Seven Recruitment Services Limited didn’t pay £17,049.34 to 213 employees
27. Macdonald Hotels (Management) Limited didn’t pay £16,111.76 to 64 employees
28. Kuehne + Nagel Limited didn’t pay £14,589.92 to 173 employees
29. Hall & Woodhouse Limited didn’t pay £14,354.5 to 23 employees
30. Hickory’s (ROS) Limited, buying and selling as Hickory’s Smokehouse didn’t pay £14,141.12 to 157 employees
31. Baxterstorey Scotland Limited didn’t pay £13,618.29 to 186 employees
32. Oulton Hall Hotel Trading Limited didn’t pay £13,326.97 to 66 employees
33. Momentum Instore Limited didn’t pay £12,501.51 to 434 employees
34. Arnold Clark Automobiles Limited didn’t pay £12,215.56 to 48 employees
35. Park View Health Clubs Limited didn’t pay £12,191.87 to 4 employees
36. Morleys Stores Limited didn’t pay £11,640.77 to 78 employees
37. Lex Legal (UK) Ltd didn’t pay £11,559.42 to 10 employees
38. Oasis and Warehouse Limited didn’t pay £10,963.70 to 996 employees
39. Oxford United Football Club Limited didn’t pay £10,826.74 to 31 employees
40. Elite Recruitment Agency Limited didn’t pay £10,554.39 to 1 employee
41. Holroyd Howe Limited didn’t pay £10,302.15 to 129 employees
42. Mr Paul Wright, buying and selling as Baccarat Hair Design didn’t pay £10,178.71 to 9 employees
43. Verve Personnel Limited didn’t pay £10,124.04 to 794 employees
44. Contemplation Homes Limited didn’t pay £10,095.23 to 87 employees
45. The Park Hotel Ayrshire Limited didn’t pay £10,088.99 to 129 employees
46. Portway Crown Limited didn’t pay £9,809.24 to 3 employees
47. Thomas Commercial Cleaning Limited didn’t pay £9,762.56 to 6 employees
48. Delta Crewe Hall Op Co Limited didn’t pay £9,626.89 to 29 employees
49. Top Nails Livingston Ltd didn’t pay £9,266.40 to 5 employees.
50. Acropolis Corporate Limited didn’t pay £9,150.60 to 56 employees
51. Avondale Foods (Craigavon) Limited, Craigavon, BT66, didn’t pay £9,007.35 to 149 employees.
52. Delta Telford Op Co Limited didn’t pay £8,871.76 to 12 employees
53. M1 Valet Centre Ltd didn’t pay £7,807.71 to 3 employees
54. Warrington Football Club Limited (The), buying and selling as Warrington Wolves didn’t pay £7,720.61 to 34 employees
55. Mr Faried Khan, buying and selling as The News Shop didn’t pay £7,393.47 to 1 employee
56. Hudsons 23 Limited, buying and selling as 23 Taxis didn’t pay £7,190.46 to 83 employees
57. Dazzle Pristine Car Wash & Vehicle Servicing Ltd didn’t pay £7,051.08 to 5 employees
58. Lucknam Park Hotels Limited didn’t pay £6,990.12 to 33 employees
59. PFF Packaging (Sedgefield) Limited didn’t pay £6,115.36 to 99 employees
60. Mr Harbhajan Singh Walia, buying and selling as Parkside International Hotel didn’t pay £5,936.40 to 2 employees
61. D & F Trading Ltd didn’t pay £5,920.22 to 7 employees
62. Elvis Car Wash Ltd didn’t pay £5,768.98 to 3 employees
63. Roka Mayfair Limited didn’t pay £5,741.87 to 16 employees
64. Mr Jangi Ismail Hamid didn’t pay £5,714.27 to 6 employees
65. The House of Bruar Limited didn’t pay £5,543.80 to 57 employees
66. Thanet Early Years Project didn’t pay £5,487.97 to 27 employees
67. Delta Forest Pines Op Co Limited, buying and selling as DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resortfailed to pay £5,471.81 to 17 employees
68. Nurse 365 Limited didn’t pay £5,238.01 to 8 employees
69. Ross Labels Limited didn’t pay £5,221.27 to 106 employees
70. Little Poppets Nurseries Limited didn’t pay £5,214.88 to 19 employees
71. Tenpin (Scotland) Limited, buying and selling as Pro Bowl Glenrothes didn’t pay £5,174.65 to 1 employee
72. Virgin Active Limited didn’t pay £5,074.96 to 80 employees
73. Dr Tyrone Castles, buying and selling as The Royal Hotel didn’t pay £4,974.72 to 9 employees
74. All Day Recruitment Limited didn’t pay £4,896.57 to 25 employees
75. Casual Dining Restaurants Group Limited didn’t pay £4,647.70 to 20 employees
76. Hatch Brothers Limited, buying and selling as Genesis Crafty didn’t pay £4,439.53 to 7 employees
77. Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club didn’t pay £4,426.73 to 1 employee
78. Express Valeting Limited didn’t pay £4,338.3 to 3 employees
79. Cater Link Limited didn’t pay £4,285.35 to 61 employees
80. Day of Sunshine (UK) Ltd didn’t pay £4,275.19 to 2 employees
81. Tot Stop Pre School & Early Years Centre Ltd didn’t pay £4,213.77 to 10 employees
82. H.S. Walia Limited, buying and selling as Lawn & Parkside International Hotels didn’t pay £4,198.85 to 1 employee
83. Velocity Interactive didn’t pay £3,868.40 to 2 employees
84. B H Live didn’t pay £3,757.43 to 130 employees
85. Few Inns Limited didn’t pay £3,756.10 to 6 employees
86. Hunter’s Moon UK Limited, buying and selling as Margaret Kimber didn’t pay £3,653.22 to 8 employees
87. The Organic Hair Company Limited didn’t pay £3,590.83 to 4 employees
88. Ms Dimitroulla Antoniou, buying and selling as Montage didn’t pay £3,579.72 to 2 employees
89. Little Sunbeams Pre-School didn’t pay £3,561.97 to 9 employees
90. Reahs Restaurant Ltd, buying and selling as The Portmor didn’t pay £3,292 to 8 employees
91. Delta Park Op Co Limited didn’t pay £3,242.59 to 26 employees
92. Landlet Limited didn’t pay £3,224.06 to 9 employees
93. Toolstation Limited didn’t pay £3,090.18 to 79 employees
94. USA Car Wash (Derby) Limited didn’t pay £3,005.10 to 9 employees
95. The Inveraray Inn Limited, buying and selling as The George Hotel didn’t pay £2,933.93 to 25 employees
96. Blackpool Pleasure Beach Limited didn’t pay £2,866.95 to 12 employees
97. Eunoia Enterprises Limited didn’t pay £2,798.84 to 31 employees
98. Mrs Pauline Butfield, buying and selling as Pauline’s Hair & Beauty didn’t pay £2,791.84 to 1 employee
99. Bubbles Sussex Services Limited didn’t pay £2,654.37 to 9 employees
100. Ridgeway Private Day Nursery Limited didn’t pay £2,600 to 3 employees
101. Ok&R Blue Bakery Limited didn’t pay £2,574.87 to 4 employees
102. Integra Accounting Limited didn’t pay £2,566.42 to 5 employees
103. Crofton Park Cars Ltd didn’t pay £2,549.48 to 1 employee
104. The Young Explorers Day Nursery Limited didn’t pay £2,521.93 to 14 employees
105. Mr Kristopher George Shenton, buying and selling as KGS Gas Services didn’t pay £2,428.96 to 1 employee
106. O’Connor’s Restaurant Ltd, buying and selling as O’Connor’s Bar and Restaurant didn’t pay £2,413.89 to 1 employee
107. WGAB Limited, buying and selling as Excel Clothing didn’t pay £2,369.12 to 18 employees
108. ITL (North East) Limited didn’t pay £2,346.53 to 2 employees
109. Mer Manor Operations Limited didn’t pay £2,332.78 to 98 employees
110. Arcadia Group Limited didn’t pay £2,233.19 to 109 employees
111. Curran Court Hotel 2017 Limited didn’t pay £2,003.07 to 63 employees
112. Copona Limited didn’t pay £1,994.61 to 1 employee
113. OMI Management Ltd didn’t pay £1,983.23 to 2 employees
114. MJ Services East Limited didn’t pay £1,977.97 to 2 employees
115. Careers Advice & Learning Centre Limited didn’t pay £1,972.73 to 6 employees
116. Disha (Newcastle) Ltd, buying and selling as Subway didn’t pay £1,948.98 to 2 employees
117. Core Assetz Ltd didn’t pay £1,928.61 to 3 employees
118. Phoenix Eye Ltd didn’t pay £1,917.07 to 301 employees
119. Arla Foods Limited didn’t pay £1,916.60 to 14 employees.
120. Calmac Services Limited, buying and selling as Riverside Vets Canvey didn’t pay £1,912.81 to 1 employee
121. Central Fitness Limited didn’t pay £1,909.17 to 1 employee
122. Jettco Plastering Limited didn’t pay £1,905.95 to 1 employee
123. Mr Makudur Rahman, buying and selling as Ghandi Indian Restaurant didn’t pay £1,896.70 to 2 employees
124. Mack Daddys Gloucester Road Limited didn’t pay £1,863.80 to 2 employees
125. Mr Vinodrai Pranjivanbhai Tanna, buying and selling as Tanna Pharmacy didn’t pay £1,815.53 to 1 employee
126. Grimethorpe Hand Car Wash Ltd didn’t pay £1,793.29 to 1 employee
127. George Day Nurseries Limited, buying and selling as Orpington Day Nursery didn’t pay £1,776.75 to 4 employees
128. Mrs Karen Wells, buying and selling as Cream Hair Design didn’t pay £1,776.15 to 2 employees
129. Mrs Patricia Jervis, buying and selling as Bumble Beez didn’t pay £1,768.87 to 7 employees
130. Wren Kitchens Limited didn’t pay £1,675.73 to 16 employees
131. Bendart Limited, buying and selling as Blackwell Print didn’t pay £1,585.08 to 2 employees
132. Uppal Convenience Stores Limited, buying and selling as Spar, Runcorn didn’t pay £1,574.02 to 1 employee
133. Mrs Zara Emma Mason, buying and selling as The Lamb Inn didn’t pay £1,567.39 to 3 employees
134. Checkpoint Car Care Ltd didn’t pay £1,532.25 to 2 employees
135. Mr Richard Woodland, buying and selling as Woodland Autos didn’t pay £1,530.42 to 1 employee
136. Westbourne Leisure Limited, buying and selling as The Strawberry Bank Hotel didn’t pay £1,513.44 to 31 employees
137. The Pit Stop (Colchester) Limited didn’t pay £1,474.69 to 1 employee
138. Mrs Helen Wilson, buying and selling as The Hygiene Machine didn’t pay £1,462.26 to 2 employees
139. Delta Ashford Op Co Limited, buying and selling as Ashford International Hotel didn’t pay £1,435.91 to 12 employees
140. Version Limited, buying and selling as La Coupe Studio didn’t pay £1,428.01 to 1 employee
141. M R Academy Limited traded as Sugarcoat Nails didn’t pay £1,391.42 to 3 employees
142. Ms Joanne Sarabia, buying and selling as Secrets Hair & Beauty didn’t pay £1,373.90 to 1 employee
143. Springvale Leather Limited didn’t pay £1,373.23 to 1 employee
144. The Trading Mill Limited didn’t pay £1,336.33 to 4 employees
145. Dudley Taylor Pharmacies Limited didn’t pay £1,276.45 to 174 employees
146. St. Nicholas House Ltd didn’t pay £1,178.53 to 2 employees
147. Whitbread Group PLC didn’t pay £1,118.37 to 1 employee
148. Glowing Global Advertising Limited didn’t pay £1,116.99 to 4 employees
149. Sahara Global Ltd, buying and selling as A1 Hand Car Wash didn’t pay £1,087.87 to 4 employees
150. Delta Chesford Grange OP CO Limited, buying and selling as Chesford Grange Hotel didn’t pay £1,066.21 to 6 employees
151. Vue Cinemas (UK) Limited didn’t pay £1,029.13 to 8 employees
152. Heritage Hotels Blackpool Limited traded as Melville Hotel didn’t pay £1,027.65 to 2 employees
153. Nail Retreat London Limited didn’t pay £1,015.23 to 2 employees
154. D&M Middleton Limited didn’t pay £960.64 to 4 employees
155. Bar Lounge Limited didn’t pay £951.17 to 23 employees
156. BNP Paribas Real Estate Advisory & Property Management UK Limited didn’t pay £933.12 to 3 employees
157. Portal Security Ltd didn’t pay £927.61 to 55 employees
158. North Norfolk Hospitality Limited, buying and selling as The Cliftonville Hotel didn’t pay £908.56 to 3 employees
159. Serenity Health Care (Team) Ltd didn’t pay £904.09 to 2 employees
160. The Rides Motor Services Limited didn’t pay £877.42 to 3 employees
161. St. Mark’s Pre-School didn’t pay £870.55 to 6 employees
162. Little Treasures Nurseries Kirton Ltd didn’t pay £866.01 to 2 employees
163. Mr Rassul Kadir, buying and selling as Talbot Road Car Wash didn’t pay £864.80 to 5 employees
164. Mr Thomas O’Brien & Mr Lee Taylor, buying and selling as Chambers Hair Design didn’t pay £858.90 to 1 employee
165. Elmhurst School Limited didn’t pay £829.32 to 1 employee
166. Amira G Foods Limited didn’t pay £796.43 to 1 employee
167. Mr R.E. Blair and Mrs June Victoria Blair, buying and selling as Higher Trenoweth Farm didn’t pay £776.76 to 1 employee
168. Comptons 2000 Limited didn’t pay £772.36 to 3 employees
169. LDH Hotels Limited, buying and selling as The Tongue Hotel didn’t pay £771.48 to 11 employees
170. Pizza & Co West Road Limited didn’t pay £757.62 to 1 employee
171. Tangerine Properties Ltd didn’t pay £743.21 to 5 employees
172. Ms Claire Frances, buying and selling as Claire Frances Hairdressing didn’t pay £739.02 to 1 employee
173. Delta Hampshire Court Op Co Limited, buying and selling as Hampshire Court Hotel didn’t pay £737.96 to 10 employees
174. Delta Stratford Manor Op Co Limited didn’t pay £728.77 to 8 employees
175. Fintax UK Limited didn’t pay £727.79 to 3 employees
176. Forza GB (Great Britain) Ltd didn’t pay £721.34 to 2 employees
177. Benugo Limited didn’t pay £717.80 to 12 employees
178. AMYU Limited traded as Golden Spice Kebab House didn’t pay £710.20 to 4 employees
179. Old Plaza Ltd didn’t pay £692.60 to 15 employees
180. The Governors, buying and selling as Pheasey Park Farm Primary School and Children’s Centre didn’t pay £683.58 to 8 employees
181. You Me Thai Ltd didn’t pay £667.70 to 2 employees
182. The Network (Field Marketing & Promotions) Company Limited, buying and selling as JYL Hand to Hand didn’t pay £661.37 to 14 employees
183. Ripon Spa Hotel Limited didn’t pay £654.85 to 8 employees
184. Social Care Alba Ltd didn’t pay £650.38 to 8 employees
185. The H Room Limited didn’t pay £639.67 to 4 employees
186. Eurotherm Limited didn’t pay £639.67 to 7 employees
187. Mr Henry Gornall, Mrs Joesphine Gornall, Mrs Lisa Gornall and Mr Richard Gornall, buying and selling as The Hideaway at Windermere didn’t pay £620.75 to 3 employees
188. Anthony John Salons Limited didn’t pay £615.46 to 1 employee
189. The Learning Mill Ltd didn’t pay £612.69 to 1 employee
190. Moses Basket Ltd, buying and selling as Happi Feet didn’t pay £610.65 to 10 employees
191. Super Noodles Catering Limited didn’t pay £601.24 to 1 employee
192. Al-Haqq UK Ltd, buying and selling as Heavenly Desserts didn’t pay £594.62 to 3 employees
193. Delta Belton Woods Op Co Limited didn’t pay £587.56 to 3 employees
194. 727 Your Store Limited didn’t pay £580.37 to 1 employee
195. The Green Courier Limited, buying and selling as Churchill Express didn’t pay £576.08 to 1 employee
196. Tyre Torque Doncaster Limited didn’t pay £566.16 to 6 employees
197. United Church Schools Trust didn’t pay £554.82 to 2 employees
198. Global Education Management Systems Limited didn’t pay £530.42 to 1 employee
199. Mr Shobuz Ali, buying and selling as Khalisa Indian Restaurant L16, didn’t pay £526.07 to 2 employees
200. JJJ-D Corporation Ltd didn’t pay £509.20 to 10 employees
201. Edenmore Golf & Country Club Ltd didn’t pay £506.52 to 11 employees
202. Mr Patrick Ginnelly didn’t pay £502.37 to 1 employee