DIY store B&Q and the accelerated nutrient concatenation Five Guys are among hundreds of UK businesses named by the authorities for paying unit beneath the minimum wage.
More than 600 employers were ordered to wage affected workers the outstanding wages, with £4m returned to workers, according to the Department for Business and Trade.
The firms person besides been issued penalties worthy £7m.
B&Q said the underpayments were unintentional and the effect of calculations involving geographical allowances, portion Five Guys blamed "technical differences successful however payroll regulations were applied".
The database of 658 businesses includes shops, restaurants, nurseries, societal attraction providers and a fistful of NHS trusts. The play of underpayments covered by the database varies depending connected the employer, but wide spans from 2013 to 2025.
Minimum wage is £12.71 for unit aged 21 and over. For 18 to 20 twelvemonth olds the complaint is £10.85, and for nether 18s and apprentices it is £8.
B&Q underpaid 4,530 workers a full of much than £456,000, according to the government.
B&Q said successful response: "The shortfalls successful payments were unintentional. They subordinate to calculations involving geographical allowances which are paid successful summation to minimum hourly rates. All affected colleagues were rapidly paid successful afloat successful July 2025."
Five Guys, named successful the database arsenic owing implicit £54,000 to 3,699 staff, said "technical differences successful however payroll regulations were applied" led to its underpayments, which were identified successful a reappraisal by the HMRC, the UK's gross and taxation authority.
"We worked intimately and transparently with HMRC passim the process and person made each required payments to affected existent and erstwhile employees," the institution said.
Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group failed to wage implicit £123,000 to 75 workers, according to the list. BBC News understands the underpayments were the effect of wage sacrifice schemes which person since been changed.
The authorities database said St George's University Hospitals successful Wandsworth, London, underpaid 55 workers. It is understood that this was owed to wage sacrifice schemes and method issues with London weighting allowances for immoderate staff. The radical has since changed its processes pursuing a reappraisal by HMRC.
BBC News understands that the Trust which covers the 2 groups disputes that immoderate unit were underpaid.
A spokesperson said apprentices astatine Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust were inadvertently underpaid betwixt 2019 and 2023.
They said portion their wage met the requirements for their contracted hours, meetings, handovers and clip spent changing into azygous hadn't been accounted for, adding the spot has since changed policies and practices.
The different spot named has been contacted for comment.
There were besides respective nursing homes connected the list, and aggregate childcare providers.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the authorities was determined to stamp retired the signifier of "short-changing your staff".
"The champion businesses cognize that looking aft your workers isn't conscionable the close happening to do, it's the astute happening to do," helium said.
Kate Dearden, curate for the aboriginal of work, said: "Underpaying your unit is illegal, and we volition not fto workers ft the measure for their brag failing to travel the rules."
"Every leader should cheque their payroll present and scope retired to Acas if they request further support," she added.
The archetypal 10 employers connected the government's list, which was sorted by the magnitude of wages not paid, are:
1. B&Q Ltd, failed to wage £456,934.72 to 4,530 workers.
2. Elysium Healthcare Holdings 3 Ltd, Borehamwood, failed to wage £330,048.81 to 1,095 workers.
3. St George's, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group, failed to wage £123,331.97 to 75 workers.
4. Support Staff Services Limited, Slough, failed to wage £119,715.13 to 323 workers.
5. Forest Holidays Ltd, Moira, failed to wage £100,308.68 to 598 workers.
6. St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London (Wandsworth), failed to wage £77,498.91 to 55 workers.
7. Lanes Group Limited, Leeds, failed to wage £67,893.34 to 297 workers.
8. UK Care Team Ltd, Leicester, LE19, failed to wage £67,082.76 to 99 workers.
9. Five Guys JV Limited, London (Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea), failed to wage £54,642.47 to 3,699 workers.
10. Merlin Cinemas Limited, Redruth, failed to wage £50,198.75 to 181 workers.
The database marks the archetypal "naming round" since the Fair Work Agency was acceptable up successful April nether the Employment Rights Act.
As good arsenic enforcing the minimum wage, the bureau besides volition soon tackle practices of denying workers vacation and sick pay.
Chair of the agency's advisory board, Matthew Taylor, said naming employers which underpay unit was an important reminder that "paying the minimum wage is not optional - it is the law".
He said: "Most employers privation to bash the close thing, and we volition enactment them to comply, but those who autumn abbreviated should expect robust enforcement to support workers and support a just playing tract for liable businesses."
Clarification 3 September: An earlier mentation of this nonfiction contained a nonstop punctuation from a spokesperson for St George's, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group which was aboriginal withdrawn. This conception was amended to summarise the BBC's knowing of however wage sacrifice schemes had operated astatine the hospitals. It besides incorporated the trusts' presumption that nary unit had been underpaid.
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