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UK names over 600 firms for paying staff below minimum wage

The Department for Business and Trade said £4m has been returned to workers, with B&Q and Five Guys among the employers listed.

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The UK government has named more than 600 employers it says paid some staff below the national minimum wage, ordering companies to repay outstanding wages and return funds to affected workers.

According to BBC Business, the Department for Business and Trade said the underpayments affected multiple sectors and that £4m was returned to workers. The list includes 658 businesses spanning shops, restaurants, nurseries, social care providers and some NHS trusts, though the government did not specify the time period covered.

The report said B&Q told the government the shortfalls were unintentional, tied to how geographical allowances were calculated alongside minimum hourly rates, and that affected staff were paid in full in July 2025. Five Guys attributed its underpayments to what it called technical differences in how payroll regulations were applied, identified through a review by HMRC, the UK revenue and tax authority.

Minimum wage rates highlighted in the report were £12.71 for workers aged 21 and over, £10.85 for ages 18 to 20, and £8 for those under 18 and apprentices. The report also cited examples including B&Q underpaying 4,530 workers in total by more than £456,000, and Five Guys owing over £54,000 to 3,699 staff.

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