Several high-profile UK employers, including Pizza Express, British Airways, and outsourcing giant Capita, have been publicly named and shamed by the government for failing to pay workers the legal minimum wage.
Following detailed investigations carried out by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), over 60,000 underpaid employees have now received a total of £7.4 million in back pay. A total of 518 companies were found to be in breach of minimum wage laws, according to the Department for Business and Trade.
Other well-known names on the government’s list include German-owned discount supermarket Lidl and motoring retailer Halfords.
The investigations, spanning from 2015 to 2022, have only recently concluded, enabling the release of the full list of offending employers. A spokesperson from the business department confirmed all owed wages had been repaid prior to publication.
Capita Identified as Worst Offender
Capita, one of the government’s largest contractors, topped the list of violators, having failed to pay £1.5 million to 5,543 employees. The firm attributed the shortfall to “inadvertent underpayments” between 2015 and 2021, including an unpaid 25-minute login period for call centre staff.
“All back pay was made promptly, and we apologise for any impact on our current and former employees,” a Capita spokesperson stated. The company also noted it had updated internal systems to prevent similar issues in future and remains vigilant to changes in employment legislation.
Pizza Express and British Airways Also Cited
Pizza Express failed to pay £760,702 to 8,470 staff—an average shortfall of around £90 per person. The company described the breach, which took place between 2012 and 2018, as an “unintentional technicality” and said all affected employees had since been reimbursed.
British Airways, meanwhile, was found to have underpaid £231,276 to 2,165 cabin crew members who joined the airline between 2014 and 2017. A company audit in 2017 flagged the issue, and back payments were made several years ago, a spokesperson confirmed.
Halfords and Lidl Also Implicated
Halfords acknowledged underpaying staff due to historic work-related expenses that should have been covered by the company. The firm said it acted swiftly in 2021 to identify and compensate affected employees. “We now fully cover all associated costs,” said a company representative.
Trade Union Demands Stricter Enforcement
Commenting on the findings, Trades Union Congress (TUC) General Secretary Paul Nowak urged stronger enforcement of minimum wage laws. “Wage theft harms workers, families and the economy. Every pound stolen is a pound not spent on our high streets,” he said.
As of April, the National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over has increased from £11.44 to £12.21 per hour.
