The Government has named 191 employers who have underpaid workers £2.1 million between 2011 and 2018, a list that includes "major household names".
Named employers have since been fined an additional £3.2m for failing to pay over 34,000 employees at least the minimum wage.
Business minister Paul Scully said:
"Employers that short-change workers won't get off lightly".
The Government said not all underpayments were intentional, but highlighted it is the responsibility of all employers to abide by the law.
Employers underpaid workers in the following ways:
- 47% wrongly deducted pay from workers' wages, including for uniform and expenses
- 30% failed to pay workers for all the hours they worked
- 19% paid an incorrect apprenticeship rate.
Bryan Sanderson, chair of the Low Pay Commission, said:
"These are very difficult times for all workers, particularly those on low pay who are often undertaking critical tasks in a variety of key sectors including care.
"The minimum wage provides a crucial level of support and compliance is essential for the benefit of both the recipients and our society as a whole."
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