In a long-overdue display of accountability, the government has released a list of employers caught stealing from their own staff — underpaying workers by thousands, in some cases for years. While several companies have since offered apologies and blamed “administrative oversights,” workers’ rights advocates say the pattern reveals a systemic disregard for the livelihoods of working people.
Among the worst offenders in north-west England was discount supermarket chain B&M Bargains Ltd, which owed a single employee in Liverpool £3,304 over just three months. In Greater Manchester, car trader Roger Irving failed to pay a worker a staggering £34,861 between December 2017 and June 2023. Meanwhile, Accrington Surgical Instrument Suppliers Ltd in Hyndburn short-changed an employee £3,862 over five months in 2025.
These are not isolated incidents. Nationally, the Department for Business & Trade has ordered employers to repay over £7.3 million in stolen wages. Nearly 400 employers — including well-known brands — now face penalties totalling up to £12.6 million.
The scale of wage theft is staggering. ISS Mediclean Limited topped the list, failing to pay £1.5 million to 6,580 workers. Busy Bees nurseries underpaid 9,056 workers by £485,374, while BUPA Care Services shortchanged 8,810 workers to the tune of £441,439.
When confronted, many employers offered the familiar refrain of “clerical error.” Accrington Surgical Instrument Suppliers, which underpaid an apprentice after failing to update wages in line with the national minimum wage, insisted it was “not a deliberate act.” B&M similarly claimed a “technical breach” at its Speke store, adding that the issue was “immediately stopped and corrected.”
But for workers and advocates, such excuses wear thin. Wage theft — whether by multinational corporations or small businesses — robs workers of money they have already earned, often pushing families into financial precarity. An “oversight” that leaves a worker underpaid by tens of thousands of pounds over several years stretches the bounds of credibility.
Roger Irving, who owned Chorlton Cars, told the BBC he had paid all fines and retired, declining to comment further. For the worker he underpaid by nearly £35,000, the impact of that prolonged wage theft is likely far from over.
From next month, the national minimum wage will rise to £12.71 for workers aged 21 and over — a welcome increase, but one that only highlights the importance of robust enforcement. Business Secretary Peter Kyle acknowledged the stakes, stating: “The vast majority of businesses in this country do the right thing by paying their staff properly and playing by the rules. It’s not fair on them when others are able to get ahead by not paying the wages their workers are owed.”
Yet as today’s list shows, naming and shaming is only a first step. Workers’ rights advocates argue that real accountability requires stronger penalties, proactive enforcement, and a clear message: underpaying workers is not a paperwork mistake — it is theft, and it will not be tolerated.
Source: BBC