Restaurants, bars and hotels among employers attracting most minimum wage complaints

Restaurants, bars and hotels are among the employers attracting the most complaints over failure to pay the National Minimum Wage, HMRC has said.

In 2017-18 more than 200,000 workers were awarded £15.6m in pay owed, up from £10.9m to 98,000 workers the previous year.

The increase has been partly attributed to the launch of HMRC's online complaints service in January this year.

As the government launched its annual campaign to encourage workers to take action if they are not being paid the National Living Wage or National Minimum Wage HMRC said: "Industries most complained about to HMRC include restaurants, bars, hotels and hairdressing."

The three businesses told The Caterer that the underpayments had resulted from uniform and live-in accommodation deductions, which have since been rectified.

Business minister Andrew Griffiths has said: "Employers abusing the system and paying under the legal minimum are breaking the law. Shortchanging workers is a red line for this government and employers who cross the line will be identified by HMRC and forced to pay back every penny, and could be hit with fines of up to 200% of wages owed."

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