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Government Says B&Q and Five Guys Among Firms that Failed to Pay Minimum Wage
Employers were ordered to repay £4 million to more than 27,000 workers after enforcement action found widespread minimum wage breaches.
- On Thursday, September 3, 2026, the Department for Business and Trade published a list of 658 employers found to have underpaid staff, affecting over 27,000 workers across the UK.
- The government regularly publishes these lists to hold bosses accountable and curb wage theft; since 2011, the initiative has issued more than £100 million in penalties to over 5,200 employers.
- DIY retailer B&Q reportedly failed to pay more than £456,000 to 4,530 workers, while fast food chain Five Guys owed over £54,000 to 3,699 staff, both citing "technical differences in how payroll regulations were applied."
- Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds stated "short-changing your staff isn't a shortcut to success," while Minister for the Future of Work Kate Dearden added that "underpaying your staff is illegal."
- This marks the first "naming round" since the Fair Work Agency was established in April under the Employment Rights Act, with plans to tackle unpaid holiday and sick pay breaches.
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Total News Sources62
Leaning Left4Leaning Right1Center37Last UpdatedBias Distribution88% Center
Bias Distribution
- 88% of the sources are Center
88% Center
C 88%
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