Companies have been named and shamed for failing to pay their workers the minimum wage.

The Government has released a list of companies, including some of the UK’s biggest household names, that failed to pay £6.7 million to over 95,0000 workers in total between 2016 and 2018.

The list is said to serve as a warning to rogue employers that the Government will take action. This is the first time the government has named and shamed companies for failing to pay National Minimum Wage since 2018.

In the list of 140 companies, near to the local area there were just four that were named and shamed.

This includes Costco, headquartered in Bushey, which failed to pay £3,747.52 to 58 workers.

SKL Professional Recruitment Agency Limited, trading as SKL Homecare Hertsmere in Bushey, failed to pay £4,628.69 to 43 workers.

And then further away in Hertfordshire there was:

Tracy Hart, trading as Little Oaks Pre School, Dacorum, which failed to pay £2,134.47 to one worker.

Tring Park Day Nursery Ltd, Dacorum HP23, which failed to pay £4,415.63.

One of the main causes of minimum wage breaches was low-paid employees being made to cover work costs, which would eat into their pay packet, such as paying for uniform, training or parking fees.

Also, some employers failed to raise employees’ pay after they had a birthday which should have moved them into a different National Minimum Wage bracket.

Business Minister Paul Scully said: “Paying the minimum wage is not optional, it is the law. It is never acceptable for any employer to short-change their workers, but it is especially disappointing to see huge household names who absolutely should know better on this list.

“This should serve as a wake-up call to named employers and a reminder to everyone of the importance of paying workers what they are legally entitled to.

“Make no mistake, those who fail to follow minimum wage rules will be caught out and made to pay up.”

Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage have to pay back arrears of wages to the worker at current minimum wage rates. They also face hefty financial penalties of up to 200 per cent of arrears - capped at £10,000 per worker - which are paid to the government.