179 employers including Wagamama and Football Clubs Caught Underpaying Staff

The government has cracked down on employers not meeting minimum wage obligations when paying staff and today published a list of the top offenders.

The top offenders were in the hospitality sector with 43 employers underpaying 5,726 staff - equating to just over £460,000, an average of £80 per employee. The next two sectors were hairdressing and retail, but hospitality was by far the worst with over ten times the amount of underpayment.

The minimum wage for people over 25 is set to rise to £7.83 (33 pence increase) next month but those caught out were paying below the current rates (full table below):

Even with the minimum wage going up it does not meet standards set by the UK living wage, which is also going up to £8.75 (£10.20 London).

9,200 employees were underpaid and included in the list of offenders were three football clubs and one rugby club. Birmingham City underpaid over £5,500 to 530 employees, Stoke City underpaid £1,100 to 7 employees and Yeovil Town underpaid £174 to 2 employees. St Helens rugby club underpaid over £5,500 to 117 employees. Football clubs came under investigation for abusing minimum wage law back in 2013 too.

The worst offender on the list was Wagamama, an Asian-flavour restaurant chain HQ'd in London with 120 branches located in the UK. It underpaid 2,630 employees a total of £133,212. This comes not so long after a London branch of the chain was embroiled in controversy a few months ago when staff calling in sick over Christmas were told they would be facing disciplinary action.

The chain responded that there had been a misunderstanding over minimum wage regulations. The underpayments related to staff being asked to buy clothing matching store recommendations out of pocket for which they should have been reimbursed.

Top on the list were:

1. Wagamama Limited, Westminster W1F, underpaid £133,212.42 to 2,630 employees
2. Marriott Hotels Limited, Luton LU1, underpaid £71,722.93 to 279 employees
3. Thursday (UK) Limited, trading as TGI Friday’s, Luton LU1, underpaid £59,347.64 to 2,302 employees
4. National Society For Epilepsy (THE), Chiltern SL9, underpaid £55,251.37 to 26 employees
5. Wright Leisure Limited, trading as Xercise4less, Leeds LS4, underpaid £54,290.37 to 240 employees
6. Ms Sarah Jane Bowman and Ms Annabel Garland Farnell-Watson, trading as Hazelwood House, South Hams TQ7, underpaid £48,288.66 to 3 employees
7. Seashells Limited, Conwy LL29, underpaid £43,235.91 to 68 employees
8. Bridge End House Nursery Limited, Calderdale HD6, underpaid £41,938.73 to 2 employees
9. Globebrow Limited, trading as Manor Adventure, Shropshire SY7, underpaid £33,889.80 to 111 employees
10. Moy Park Limited, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon BT63, underpaid £33,547.57 to 338 employees
11. Daniele Petteno Ltd, trading as Daniele Petteno Architecture Workshop, Wandsworth SW15, underpaid £28,410.25 to 12 employees
12. Beautiful Spots Limited, trading as Benito Brow Bar, Islington B2, underpaid £27,184.28 to 97 employees
13. Threshold Housing Project Limited, trading as Threshold, Tameside OL6, underpaid £26,033.75 to 41 employees
14. Heather Park Community Services Limited, North Lanarkshire ML2, underpaid £26,018.63 to 73 employees
15. 1st Pizza Direct Limited, Highland IV3, underpaid £25,668.15 to 87 employees
16. 4Fashions Ltd, trading as Dress Decode, Manchester M8, underpaid £25,616.56 to 24 employees
17. Wilson’s Country Limited, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon BT63, underpaid £24,560.53 to 63 employees
18. Lickfold Inn Limited, trading as The Lickfold Inn, Chichester GU28, underpaid £23,754.87 to 37 employees
19. North London Asian Care, Enfield N13, underpaid £15,687.49 to 70 employees
20. Witham Hand Car Wash Ltd, Braintree CM8, underpaid £10,051.99 to 6 employees
21. Karen Millen Fashions Limited, West Oxfordshire OX29, underpaid £9,847.20 to 28 employees
22. Mr Muhammad Adnan Safdar and Mrs Khadija Javaid, trading as Citi Dental Surgery, Glasgow City G51, underpaid £8,733.33 to 2 employees
23. Mr Akbor Miah, trading as Dil Indian Cuisine, Monmouthshire NP15, underpaid £7,936.78 to 2 employees
24. Albury Estate Fisheries (2008) Limited, trading as Albury Estate Fisheries, Hounslow TW8, underpaid £7,511.32 to 1 employees
25. Atkins Hotels Limited, trading as The Yorke Arms (previous ownership), Harrogate HG3, underpaid £7,241.82 to 3 employees
26. Adactus Housing Group Limited, Wigan WN7, underpaid £7,098.96 to 9 employees
27. Meejana Limited, trading as Meejana, Elmbridge KT13, underpaid £6,488.88 to 6 employees
28. Summer Lodge Management Limited, trading as Summer Lodge Country House Hotel Restaurant & Spa, West Dorset DT2, underpaid £6,168.48 to 24 employees
29. Davies Security Limited, Swansea SA1, underpaid £5,914.48 to 1 worker
30. Oakfield Caravan Park Limited, Denbighshire LL18, underpaid £5,903.37 to 2 employees
31. Pentlow Community Care Limited, Eastbourne BN21, underpaid £5,725.38 to 36 employees
32. Birmingham City Football Club plc, Birmingham B9, underpaid £5,653.03 to 534 employees
33. St Helens Rugby Football Club Limited, trading as St Helens R.F.C., St. Helens WA9, underpaid £5,536.92 to 117 employees
34. Mr David Wilson, Mrs Doreen Wilson and Mr Darren Wilson, trading as Wilson’s Deliveries, Erewash DE7, underpaid £4,935.46 to 1 worker
35. Smart Hand Car Wash Plymouth Ltd, Plymouth PL3, underpaid £4,817.09 to 2 employees
36. A1 Care Services Limited, Torfaen NP4, underpaid £4,652.73 to 66 employees
37. Jeta Car Wash Ltd, trading as Queensway Car Wash, Arun PO21, underpaid £4,584.93 to 3 employees
38. Cost Effective Catering Limited, City of Edinburgh EH4, underpaid £4,559.11 to 23 employees
39. SB Patel Ltd, trading as Porth Stores, Merthyr Tydfil CF46, underpaid £4,454.29 to 2 employees
40. Plymouth Car Wash Ltd, Plymouth PL4, underpaid £4,122.92 to 3 employees
41. Handy Andy Car Wash Ponteland Limited, trading as Handy Andy Car Wash, Northumberland NE20, underpaid £3,932.55 to 3 employees
42. Mr Lee Harris and Mr David Wilson, trading as The Barber Shop, West Oxfordshire OX28, underpaid £3,894.77 to 2 employees
43. Home Life Carers Limited, Mid Devon EX16, underpaid £3,675.32 to 31 employees
44. Simonstone Ltd, trading as Simonstone Hall Hotel, Richmondshire DL8, underpaid £3,633.42 to 3 employees
45. SSL Foodservice Ltd, trading as SSL Dairies, Luton LU3, underpaid £3,576.88 to 8 employees
46. A2 Car Wash Limited, Southwark SE1, underpaid £3,553.65 to 3 employees
47. Pink Innovations Ltd, Kingston upon Hull, City of HU4, underpaid £3,482.83 to 5 employees
48. The Blue Bicycle (York) Limited, trading as The Blue Bicycle, York YO1, underpaid £3,479.46 to 2 employees
49. The Care Bureau Limited, Warwick CV32, underpaid £3,423.94 to 343 employees
50. Box & Charnock Limited, Bedford MK44, underpaid £3,387.55 to 1 worker
51. Red Arrow Fulfilment Limited, Test Valley SO51, underpaid £3,245.85 to 33 employees
52. Foxlowe Trading Company Limited, Staffordshire Moorlands ST13, underpaid £3,200.97 to 1 worker
53. Hideaway Day Nursery Limited, Walsall WS2, underpaid £3,184.11 to 18 employees
54. Headromance Ltd, Havant PO9, underpaid £2,959.64 to 9 employees
55. QCS Contract Cleaning Ltd, Belfast BT15, underpaid £2,952.19 to 237 employees
56. Mr Nigel Birch and Mrs Sarah Shotton, trading as Oasis Hair & Bodycare, Mansfield NG18, underpaid £2,818.99 to 16 employees
57. Trinity Pre-School, trading as Trinity Children’s Centre Nursery & Out of School Club, Kirklees WF14, underpaid £2,612.06 to 3 employees
58. Mr Wayne Gray and Mrs Margaret Gray, trading as Jackson Gray, Dundee City DD3, underpaid £2,514 to 4 employees
59. Busy Bee Montessori Nursery School Limited, trading as Busy Bees Nursery School, Forest Heath IP28, underpaid £2,488.29 to 19 employees
60. SBDP1 Limited, Great Yarmouth NR29, underpaid £2,275.03 to 67 employees
61. Tayto Group Limited, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon BT62, underpaid £2,236.14 to 50 employees
62. Impact Call Centre Limited, Test Valley SO51, underpaid £2,095.14 to 15 employees
63. 4th Generation (NW) Limited, Stockport SK6, underpaid £2,086.41 to 1 worker
64. A Johnson Construction Limited, Cheshire East CW1, underpaid £2,033.45 to 2 employees
65. Thurlestone Estates Limited, trading as Thurlestone Hotel, South Hams TQ7, underpaid £2,028.14 to 4 employees
66. Lakemere Green Limited, trading as Neville Hair & Beauty, Kensington and Chelsea SW1X, underpaid £2,023.29 to 1 worker
67. Universal United Commerce Limited, City of Edinburgh EH6, underpaid £2,009.88 to 2 employees
68. Patisserie Patchi Limited, trading as Patchi, Brent NW10, underpaid £2,007.92 to 7 employees
69. Mr Mahendra Davda, trading as M M Davda, Birmingham B10, underpaid £1,902.35 to 1 worker
70. Stef and Stan Ltd, St Albans AL2, underpaid £1,900.59 to 2 employees
71. I Can Day Nurseries Limited , trading as Scamps Day Nursery, Cheshire East SK11, underpaid £1,891.75 to 2 employees
72. Holbrook Academy, Babergh IP9, underpaid £1,862.05 to 2 employees
73. Nath Stores Limited, Stockton-on-Tees TS17, underpaid £1,823.69 to 1 worker
74. Vickers Construction Limited, Stockton-on-Tees TS18, underpaid £1,809.35 to 1 worker
75. Manor House Hotel (Oakehampton) Limited, trading as The Manor House Hotel, West Devon EX20, underpaid £1,776.33 to 31 employees
76. Extra Care for Elderly People Limited, Antrim and Newtownabbey BT41, underpaid £1,775.79 to 6 employees
77. Rootcroft Limited, trading as West House Residential Home, Southend-on-Sea SS0, underpaid £1,774.39 to 13 employees
78. Little Footprints Nursery Limited, Leicester LE5, underpaid £1,760.15 to 1 worker
79. Marcandi Limited, trading as madbid.com, Westminster SW1P, underpaid £1,743.48 to 1 worker
80. Clean as a Whistle Super Hand Car Wash Ltd, Plymouth PL5, underpaid £1,706.26 to 2 employees
81. Lyndhurst School, Surrey Heath GU15, underpaid £1,696.21 to 3 employees
82. Ms Lorna O’Donnell, trading as Snowdons Hairdressing Salon, Solihull B36, underpaid £1,675.71 to 1 worker
83. Twinkles (Leeds) Limited, Leeds LS2, underpaid £1,617.87 to 8 employees
84. Ritcin Limited, trading as Starbucks, Belfast BT1, underpaid £1,592.79 to 79 employees
85. Cedar Tree Care Home Ltd, Derby DE23, underpaid £1,531.99 to 11 employees
86. Dan Skelton Racing Limited, Stratford-on-Avon B49, underpaid £1,520.19 to 3 employees
87. Fast Car wash Ltd, trading as Waves Hand Car Wash, Basildon SS15, underpaid £1,444.16 to 3 employees
88. G.Purchase Construction Limited, Walsall WS2, underpaid £1,392.55 to 8 employees
89. Dr Baber Ghafoor and Dr S A Abbasi, Rochdale OL11, underpaid £1,355.98 to 6 employees
90. Feather and Black , Chichester PO19, underpaid £1,333.25 to 31 employees
91. ADI Hand Car Wash Ltd, Epping Forest CM5, underpaid £1,304.77 to 6 employees
92. Independent Community Care Management Limited, Kettering NN15, underpaid £1,301.82 to 14 employees
93. Crystal Knitwear Limited, Mansfield NG18, underpaid £1,144.48 to 6 employees
94. Georgie Porgy’s Pre-School Ltd, Havering RM12, underpaid £1,142.13 to 6 employees
95. Stoke City Football Club Limited, trading as Stoke City F.C., Stoke-on-Trent ST4, underpaid £1,102.62 to 7 employees
96. Parkers Mini Buses (Ellesmere Port) Limited, Cheshire West and Chester CH65, underpaid £1,092.56 to 5 employees
97. Fosters Bakery (Staincross) Limited, Barnsley S75, underpaid £1,074.93 to 1 worker
98. James Ritchie Clocks (established 1809) Ltd, City of Edinburgh EH3, underpaid £1,064.66 to 2 employees
99. Poppies WL & S Limited, trading as Poppies, West Lancashire L39, underpaid £1,061.70 to 69 employees
100. Rudan Knightsbridge Limited, trading as Daniel Hersheson, Kensington and Chelsea SW1X, underpaid £1,060.55 to 4 employees
101. Achieving Excellence UK Ltd, Tameside SK16, underpaid £1,031.19 to 1 worker
102. Focus Food Services Limited, Chesterfield S43, underpaid £1,007.73 to 6 employees
103. Mr Peter Watts, trading as 3ccc, Birmingham B44, underpaid £1,006.67 to 2 employees
104. Days Poole Limited, trading as Day’s Restaurant, Poole BH12, underpaid £1,001.34 to 19 employees
105. Europa Foods Distribution Limited, Causeway Coast and Glens BT51, underpaid £976.55 to 2 employees
106. Grade House Limited, Brent HA0, underpaid £951.75 to 1 worker
107. Alison Margaret Smith, trading as A.M.S Hair & Beauty, City of Edinburgh EH12, underpaid £935.21 to 1 worker
108. Mrs Angela Fox, trading as Café Express, Stockton-on-Tees TS18, underpaid £870.21 to 1 worker
109. Redhill Service Centre Limited, Gedling NG5, underpaid £825.24 to 1 worker
110. Shoe Zone Retail Limited, Leicester LE1, underpaid £804.88 to 15 employees
111. Arcadis Consulting (UK) Limited, Cardiff CF3, underpaid £796.72 to 2 employees
112. RPP Wood Green Ltd, trading as Roosters Piri Piri, Haringey N22, underpaid £779.39 to 3 employees
113. Mrs Lisa Chakir, trading as Chairs Hairdresser, West Lothian EH49, underpaid £774.86 to 1 worker
114. Mrs Jacqueline Young, trading as The Forum (previous ownership), Northumberland NE63, underpaid £770.01 to 1 worker
115. Mr George Hanson and Mr James Hanson, trading as Punycode Riding Stables, Shropshire SY10, underpaid £747.9 to 4 employees
116. Express Vision (UK) Ltd, Birmingham B18, underpaid £727.35 to 1 worker
117. Sanjay Foods (UK) Limited, Leicester LE4, underpaid £719.18 to 6 employees
118. Indulge Me Limited, trading as Indulge, Harrow HA5, underpaid £718.1 to 1 worker
119. Mr Christopher James Hill, trading as D&A Sheds, Aylesbury Vale MK18, underpaid £701.37 to 1 worker
120. Bush House Pembroke Limited, Pembrokeshire SA71, underpaid £686.92 to 6 employees
121. Miss Zoe MacDonald, trading as Unique Hair & Beauty, Na h-Eileanan Siar HS1, underpaid £686 to 1 worker
122. VF Cash & Carry Limited, trading as Variety Foods, Newham E7, underpaid £667.86 to 19 employees
123. MRN Recruitment Limited, South Holland PE11, underpaid £628 to 265 employees
124. Gloss Hairdressing Limited, Harrogate HG5, underpaid £618.57 to 4 employees
125. Rainbow Brite Cleaning Services Limited, Newport NP20, underpaid £585.95 to 9 employees
126. The Urban Chocolatier Limited, Newham E7, underpaid £578.01 to 1 worker
127. Edworthy Computing Limited, Mid Devon EX17, underpaid £548.45 to 1 worker
128. Mumtaz Leeds Limited, trading as Mumtaz, Leeds LS10, underpaid £540 to 1 worker
129. East Lancashire Services Limited, Rochdale OL10, underpaid £539.49 to 28 employees
130. Plaistow Broadway Filling Stations Limited, Basildon CM12, underpaid £535.53 to 1 worker
131. NTCDucting.com Limited, Swansea SA7, underpaid £492.17 to 1 worker
132. Mr Ali Qerimi, trading as Olympic Hand Car Wash, Newham E15, underpaid £475.5 to 2 employees
133. Moulsham Residential Home (Chelmsford) Limited, Chelmsford CM2, underpaid £474.82 to 2 employees
134. Blaxills Fitted Furniture Limited, trading as Blaxills, St Albans AL2, underpaid £472.46 to 1 worker
135. Miss Tracey Henry, trading as Valentinos Hair Salon, Southampton SO15, underpaid £472.33 to 1 worker
136. Cragwood International Limited, trading as Cragwood Country House Hotel & Restaurant, South Lakeland LA23, underpaid £467.78 to 3 employees
137. Step Up Security Services Ltd, Knowsley L33, underpaid £462.42 to 28 employees
138. Mr Shahzad Iqbal Kiyani, trading as Aprana Café, Birmingham B8, underpaid £452.5 to 1 worker
139. D K Leisure Ltd, trading as Bushtown Hotel, Causeway Coast and Glens BT51, underpaid £448.13 to 2 employees
140. Clear-View Fife Limited, trading as Clear-View Cleaning Specialists, Fife KY6, underpaid £431.63 to 1 worker
141. Capital (Hair and Beauty) Limited, Eastbourne BN21, underpaid £427.4 to 78 employees
142. Saramago Ltd, trading as Saramago Café Bar, Glasgow City G2, underpaid £425.63 to 4 employees
143. McClarance Services Limited, trading as Elliot McClarance, Trafford WA14, underpaid £416.17 to 2 employees
144. Entier Limited, Aberdeenshire AB32, underpaid £403.07 to 1 worker
145. DSM N.E. Ltd, County Durham DL5, underpaid £395.57 to 1 worker
146. Darren Dickie, trading as Darren Dickie Roofing & Building Contractor, Barrow-in-Furness LA14, underpaid £392.22 to 1 worker
147. Biddall Leisure Limited, trading as The Vine Hotel, East Lindsey PE24, underpaid £389.77 to 1 worker
148. Legal Square Ltd, Manchester M12, underpaid £370.13 to 1 worker
149. Neath Road Car Sales & Car Wash Ltd, Wiltshire SA1, underpaid £348.69 to 5 employees
150. Mr Shakil Shah, trading as Town Fryer, St. Helens WA10, underpaid £347.31 to 3 employees
151. Jackson Gray Limited, trading as Jackson Gray, Dundee City DD3, underpaid £343.38 to 3 employees
152. Mrs Elaine Phillips and Mr Mitchell Phillips, trading as Studio 57 Clinic, Brighton and Hove BN3, underpaid £339.03 to 2 employees
153. Maxine Adams, Kensington and Chelsea SW3, underpaid £312.45 to 1 worker
154. 4TheHouse Limited, Leeds LS14, underpaid £288.1 to 1 worker
155. Ari Pizza Ltd, trading as Marmaris Pizza, Ashfield NG17, underpaid £287.8 to 2 employees
156. Hales Group Limited, Peterborough PE1, underpaid £285.08 to 6 employees
157. Mariner Travel Limited, Warrington WA13, underpaid £281.72 to 1 worker
158. P&P Duff (Scotland) Limited, trading as Patrick, Renfrewshire PA1, underpaid £280.15 to 1 worker
159. Grand Union Company Limited, Lambeth SE11, underpaid £271.28 to 6 employees
160. Mr Ahmed Faalzada, trading as Pizza on Broadway, Kingston upon Thames KT6, underpaid £266.25 to 1 worker
161. Ducati Manchester Limited, Trafford M33, underpaid £246.88 to 1 worker
162. Ms Fiona Latham, trading as The Wellington Hotel, Halton L24, underpaid £233.55 to 1 worker
163. Tsang’s Kitchen Ltd, Wiltshire SN10, underpaid £221.1 to 1 worker
164. Mr Nicholas Tsaroullas, Mr John Yiamokis Tsaroullas and Mrs Kyriacou Tsaroullas , trading as Mentone Hotel, North Somerset BS23, underpaid £209.44 to 4 employees
165. GAF Foods Limited, trading as Subway, Haringey N4 1, underpaid £200.81 to 5 employees
166. Tanna’s Limited, Brent NW10, underpaid £194.54 to 1 worker
167. P&A Food Management Services Limited, Hambleton DL8, underpaid £186.39 to 11 employees
168. Mr Tino Cernera, trading as Da Vinci, Dacorum HP23, underpaid £183.83 to 2 employees
169. Mrs Carole Bentley, trading as Tenford Kennels, Staffordshire Moorlands ST10, underpaid £182.12 to 1 worker
170. Yeovil Football & Athletic Club (The), trading as Yeovil Town F.C, South Somerset BA22, underpaid £174.18 to 2 employees
171. Casa Bianco Limited, trading as The White Rooms, Southampton SO14, underpaid £171.2 to 1 worker
172. Ms Karly Skerman and Mr Ray Booth, trading as Billy Rays Store, East Riding of Yorkshire YO15, underpaid £161.67 to 1 worker
173. Orchard Care (South West) limited, trading as Restgarth Care Home, Cornwall PL13, underpaid £161.27 to 7 employees
174. Always Cleaning Limited, Oldham OL9, underpaid £154.58 to 2 employees
175. Mr Hamid Noori, trading as Valley Road Hand Car Wash, Plymouth PL7, underpaid £153.3 to 1 worker
176. London Irish Scottish Richmond Limited, trading as London Irish, Spelthorne TW16, underpaid £131.73 to 1 worker
177. Mr Sean Hornby, trading as The Queens Hotel, Bury BL2, underpaid £129.45 to 1 worker
178. SM News Limited, Wigan WN7, underpaid £120 to 1 worker
179. Riverside Pizza Company Limited, trading as La Figa, Tower Hamlets E14, underpaid £100.83 to 1 worker