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Some 27,000 workers are understood to have been adversely affected by businesses breaching National Minimum Wage rules
The Labour Government has "named and shamed businesses" who have been found guilty of breaching minimum wage rules.
A total of 658 employers have been publicly identified for breaching National Minimum Wage rules, with approximately £4million in back pay returned to more than 27,000 workers following what ministers described as "robust" enforcement action.
Penalties amounting to £7 million were levied against businesses found to have fallen short of legal pay requirements.
The Government has pledged to release these naming lists on a more frequent basis, ensuring that non-compliant employers face swift accountability and are pushed to rectify their practices without delay.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: "The best businesses know that looking after your workers isn't just the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do, building the stronger, more successful businesses that drive growth in every postcode."
He added: "Most employers already understand this, and I want to work with them to ensure they have every piece of guidance and support available to help them follow the rules."
"Short-changing your staff isn't a shortcut to success and we are determined to stamp it out."
Kate Dearden, the minister for the future of work, said: "Underpaying your staff is illegal, and we will not let workers foot the bill for their boss failing to follow the rules." She urged every employer to review their payroll immediately and contact Acas for support if needed.
Among the highest-profile names on the list was home improvement retailer B&Q, which reportedly failed to pay £456,934 to 4,530 members of staff.
A company spokesman insisted the underpayments were not deliberate, attributing them to errors in how geographical allowances, paid on top of minimum hourly rates, were calculated.
The spokesman said: "The shortfalls in payments were unintentional. They relate to calculations involving geographical allowances which are paid in addition to minimum hourly rates."
B&Q confirmed that all affected employees received their outstanding wages in full during July 2025.
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Bosses who fail to pay the minimum wage deserve to be named and shamed
"There is no excuse for workers being cheated out of the minimum wage. It’s bad for workers, families and the economy Every pound taken from a worker’s pocket is a pound that could have been spent in local shops, cafes and high streets."
