The Government has published its latest “naming and shaming” list of employers and businesses which have failed to pay their workers the National Minimum Wage (NMW).
The naming scheme is designed to increase awareness of NMW Legislation and act as a deterrent to those employers who might be tempted to deliberately underpay their employers. However, it is not limited to those who intentionally underpaid their workers, it also includes those who unknowingly did so.
What does the latest list tell us?
In total, the 491 employers on the list underpaid around 42,000 workers and received fines of £10.2 million, with £6 million paid to the underpaid workers.
The amount of money owed to workers ranged significantly between employers, from £824,383.62 owed to 3317 workers by one employer, to £244.75 owed to one worker.
The most common reasons for the underpayments were failure to pay:
· the correct rate to apprentices
· the uprated minimum wage
· for all a worker’s working time
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Projected 2026 National Living Wage (NLW) rate
This most recent round of “naming and shaming” follows the Low Pay Commission (LPC) releasing their projected rate of NLW for 2026 back in August.
Whilst only an estimate, the LPC released a projected range of £12.55 to £12.86 per hour for the 2026 rate with a central estimate sitting at £12.71 per hour. The projection aligns with the Government’s request to ensure the NLW rate doesn’t fall below two-thirds of UK median earnings.
The real Living Wage (RLW)
The RLW, not to be confused with the NLW, is a voluntary rate that is independently calculated to cover the actual cost of living and currently over 16,000 businesses are signed up to be Living Wage Employers.
In October 2025, the new rates for 2025-26 were announced. The new rates are £14.80 an hour in London (95p or a 6.9% increase from the current rate of £13.85) and £13.45 an hour across the rest of the UK (85p or a 6.7% increase from the current rate of £12.60). The rates apply to all workers over the age of 18.
These updates come on the back of the LPC consulting on the best way to achieve a single minimum wage rate for all workers over the age of 18 earlier on in the year.
Additionally, through its Plan to Make Work Pay, the Government is introducing a significant change to workers’ rights and enforcement via the Employment Rights Bill by establishing, from April 2026, a new Fair Work Agency. This will take on the power to tackle employers underpaying workers and failing to pay holiday and sick pay. The Government says this will directly benefit around 15 million, or half of all UK workers.
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