Minimum wage dodgers in the minority
HMRC finds just £3.3m in underpaid wages
Findings by HM Revenue and Customs have uncovered that most companies in the
UK are honest and scrupulous when it comes to paying their employees the minimum
wage.
Overall HMRC identified that there was just £3.3m in underpaid wages across
the UK in the past year.
The current minimum wage is £5.05 an hour. On 1 October, the hourly rate for
over-22s will rise to £5.35, with pay for 18 to 21 year olds increasing to £4.45
from £4.25 while 16 to 17-year-olds will get a 30p increase to £3.30 an hour.
HMRC also published a list of the worst excuses given for not paying the
minimum wage, which included:
· He’s a waste of space
· She only wanted £3 an hour
· I didn’t think the worker was worth it
· I didn’t think it applied to small firms
· He’s disabled
· They can’t cope on their own and it’s more than they’d get in their home
country
· She’s on benefits – those and her pay add up to minimum wage
· They’re over 65
· They can’t speak English
· I only took him on as a favour
Paymaster general Dawn Primarolo said the list aimed to remind employers and
staff of their rights relating to the minimum wage of £5.05 an hour.