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The Department for Business wrongly "named and shamed" two firms as minimum wage cheats Reuters

The UK government has admitted that it wrongly listed two employers as part of its scheme to "name and shame" minimum wage cheats after a probe from IBTimes UK. The Department for Business published a list of 115 companies on 23 October and accused the firms of not paying their employees the full National Minimum Wage (NMW), which rose from £6.50 an hour to £6.70 in October and will rise to £9 by 2020.

But the ministry later quietly removed London based Danhouse Security and Scottish business C & R Tyres from the original list. The Department for Business admitted that it had wrongly made the move after IBTimes UK confronted the ministry about the changes.

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"Two businesses who were previously named for failing to pay the NMW to their workers have been named again in error," a spokesperson for ministry said. "We would like to apologise to those businesses and are reviewing our processes to ensure this does not happen again."

However, this is not the first time the Department for Business has had a mix up in its "naming and shaming" scheme. As eagle-eyed employment rights expert Richard Dunstan pointed out, the ministry wrongly named two dissolved businesses (Zoom Ltd and Master Distribution Ltd).

"It's hard to imagine how the Department for Business could make such mistakes. Do they not have checking procedures? We should just be glad the Department for Business is not a major delivery department," Dunstan told IBTimes UK.

Ministers have claimed since the introduction of the "name and shame" scheme in October 2013, more than £1.1m arrears have been flagged up and £513,000 worth of penalties issued. More information about NMW law and compliance can be found on Acas online. Elsewhere, employers can call HMRC for help on the issue at 0800 917 2368 .

Danhouse Security had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication and C & R Tyres declined to comment. The adjusted list from the Department for Business can be viewed below.

  1. Monsoon Accessorize Ltd, London W11, neglected to pay £104,507.83 to 1438 workers
  2. Tyne & Wear Riding for the Disabled Association, trading as Washington Riding Centre, Washington, neglected to pay £27,151.79 to 6 workers
  3. Project Security UK Ltd, Doncaster, neglected to pay £23,857.11 to 18 workers
  4. Carl Keith Salons Ltd, Prescot, neglected to pay £20,535.03 to 5 workers
  5. Cornwall Glass & Glazing Ltd, trading as Exeter & MacKenzie Glass Centre, Exeter, neglected to pay £14,253.66 to 9 workers
  6. Mr Gholam Ghiassi, Chaigley, neglected to pay £14,208.40 to 2 workers
  7. Helen Woodend, trading as New Brooms, Burton-in-Kendal, neglected to pay £13,447.01 to 14 workers
  8. Stoke College Educational Trust Ltd, trading as Stoke College, Sudbury, neglected to pay £12,094.83 to 7 workers
  9. Village Garage Engineers Ltd, trading as Village Garage, Plean, neglected to pay £9,159.80 to 3 workers
  10. Aspect Plumbing & Heating Ltd, trading as Aspect Plumbing & Heating, Liverpool, neglected to pay £8,280.45 to 1 worker
  11. D A Elliott Farriers Ltd, Whitby, neglected to pay £7,516.44 to 3 workers
  12. Solex Systems Ltd (ceased trading), Broughton, neglected to pay £5,978.17 to 3 workers
  13. Ian Balfour & Caroline Balfour, trading as A E Taxis, Kirkcaldy, neglected to pay £4,757.59 to 3 workers
  14. Westbrookes Property Ltd, Nottingham, neglected to pay £4,661.73 to 9 workers
  15. Spirit Pub Company (Services) Ltd, Burton on Trent, neglected to pay £4,629.14 to 1 worker
  16. North Tyneside Learning Trust, trading as Woodlawn Special School, West Monkseaton, neglected to pay £4,312.19 to 1 worker
  17. Frederick Evans & Laureen Evans, trading as Manston Riding Centre, Ramsgate, neglected to pay £4,142.83 to 1 worker
  18. Continental Meat Supply Ltd, London SE17, neglected to pay £3,922.59 to 1 worker
  19. Greenwoods Hotel Management Ltd, trading as Greenwoods Hotel and Spa, Stock, neglected to pay £3,545.18 to 2 workers
  20. Supreme Care Services Ltd, Morden, neglected to pay £3,528.64 to 1 worker
  21. Margaret Jankowitz, trading as The Beeches Hair Studio, Clydebank, neglected to pay £3,283.36 to 3 workers
  22. Paterson SA Ltd, trading as Paterson SA Hairdressing, Edinburgh, neglected to pay £3,216.50 to 15 workers
  23. The RHU Ltd, Burgess Hill, neglected to pay £3,166.11 to 1 worker
  24. Mr Prakash Dattani, trading as Interpharm Chemist, Leicester, neglected to pay £3,077.55 to 2 workers
  25. SEM Electrical Ltd, Darlington, neglected to pay £2,666.09 to 1 worker
  26. Susan Beeks, trading as Waterside Hair & Beauty, Harmondsworth, neglected to pay £2,662.49 to 1 worker
  27. Bennett Homes Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £2,659.96 to 2 workers
  28. Andrew Warburton & Theresa Warburton, trading as Alesha Paul Hair Design, Manchester, neglected to pay £2,633.54 to 1 worker
  29. Subway Universal Ltd, trading as Subway, (Morden, Barbican, Richmond, Twickenham), London, neglected to pay £2,466.77 to 10 workers
  30. Elgan Davies Ltd, Cardigan, neglected to pay £2,312.62 to 1 worker
  31. AutoPanels North East Ltd, Chester le Street, neglected to pay £2,101.59 to 1 worker
  32. Giscombe Brown Ltd, trading as Nuba Hair & Beauty, Sheffield, neglected to pay £2,071.68 to 2 workers
  33. SCC Leisure Ltd, trading as Bar Soba, Glasgow, neglected to pay £2,015.82 to 1 worker
  34. Charsi Tikka Ltd, London E7, neglected to pay £1,823.19 to 1 worker
  35. Claire Beaty, trading as Innovations Hair Design, Windsor, neglected to pay £1,765.19 to 1 worker
  36. Mr Bernard Camish, Mrs Carol Camish, Mr James Coles & Mrs Ria Coles, trading as The Poplars, Trowbridge, neglected to pay £1,748.31 to 1 worker
  37. Nichola Crosby, trading as Beyond The Fringe, Cwmbran, neglected to pay £1,687.91 to 1 worker
  38. Paul Scully Ltd, trading as Scully Scully, Godalming, neglected to pay £1,660.85 to 1 worker
  39. P.K. Meats Ltd, Wimborne, neglected to pay £1,628.86 to 1 worker
  40. Your Leisure Kent Ltd, trading as Tides Leisure & Indoor Tennis Centre, Deal, neglected to pay £1,619.95 to 1 worker
  41. Cross Electrical Ltd, Surbiton, neglected to pay £1,597.41 to 1 worker
  42. March Hair Plymouth Ltd, Plymouth, neglected to pay £1,590.98 to 2 workers
  43. Carole Eustace & Mark Eustace, trading as Westfield Court Hotel, Sutton Coldfield, neglected to pay £1,510.78 to 1 worker
  44. Affinity Dental Ltd, Rochdale, neglected to pay £1,452.02 to 1 worker
  45. Norma Clark Hair & Beauty Ltd, Glasgow, neglected to pay £1,391.32 to 1 worker
  46. Young Men's Christian Association Bargoed and District Branch, Bargoed, neglected to pay £1,372.12 to 1 worker
  47. Capital Care Services (UK) Ltd, London E18, neglected to pay £1,298.83 to 2 workers
  48. Assess to Progress Ltd, Pudsey, neglected to pay £1,286.76 to 3 workers
  49. Givehand Ltd, London E17, neglected to pay £1,281.89 to 2 workers
  50. Studio Fifty Six (Christchurch) Ltd, Christchurch, neglected to pay £1,243.82 to 2 workers
  51. Little Apple Ltd, trading as Sileby Day Nursery, Leicester, neglected to pay £1,229.21 to 2 workers
  52. Complete Joinery Midlands Ltd, Nottingham, neglected to pay £1,175.73 to 1 worker
  53. Printer Cartridge Supplies Ltd, Redruth, neglected to pay £1,096.19 to 1 worker
  54. Anthony Williamson, Salvatore Bifulco, Tracey Caswell & Leo Bifulco, trading as Your Lifestyle LLP, Gloucester, neglected to pay £1,092.85 to 16 workers
  55. Ellenborough Park Ltd, trading as Ellenborough Park Hotel, Cheltenham, neglected to pay £1,084.01 to 1 worker
  56. PCC UK International Ltd, trading as We Love Laptops, Lostock, neglected to pay £1,079.07 to 3 workers
  57. Metro Surveillance Group Ltd, Cookstown, neglected to pay £1,059.35 to 1 worker
  58. Joe Allen, trading as Joe Allen Electrical Contractors, Newark, neglected to pay £1,052.51 to 1 worker
  59. Leo Mancini Ltd, Ascot, neglected to pay £1,022.83 to 1 worker
  60. Sue Kramer, trading as Hillcrest Montessori Nursery School, Coulsdon, neglected to pay £1,018.79 to 1 worker
  61. Robert Huggett, trading as Robert & Sheron, Midhurst, neglected to pay £962.38 to 1 worker
  62. Christopher Spry Ltd, trading as Christopher Spry Hairdressers, Norwich, neglected to pay £931.54 to 1 worker
  63. Cannon Services (UK) Ltd, Aylesford, neglected to pay £871.03 to 1 worker
  64. Hyde Park Food Ltd, trading as Chicken Valley, London W12, neglected to pay £820.80 to 1 worker
  65. LS&R Ltd, trading as Omega Business Supplies, Stockport, neglected to pay £784.92 to 1 worker
  66. Waters & Sons Independent Funeral Directors Ltd, Southampton, neglected to pay £768.51 to 1 worker
  67. Xercise4less (Wakefield) Ltd, Wakefield, neglected to pay £751.29 to 1 worker
  68. Rasheed Mustafa, trading as Riverstone Property, Crawley, neglected to pay £742.91 to 1 worker
  69. KJM Autos Ltd, Hengoed, neglected to pay £736.12 to 1 worker
  70. MAC Repair Ltd, Leeds, neglected to pay £715.68 to 1 worker
  71. Meden Courier Services Ltd, Mansfield, neglected to pay £684.59 to 3 workers
  72. Lynsey Sellars, trading as La Belle Health & Beauty, Leeds, neglected to pay £659.40 to 1 worker
  73. Ground Events Ltd, trading as The Playground, London N15, neglected to pay £624.00 to 1 worker
  74. Ceredigion Couriers Ltd, Machynlleth, neglected to pay £620.55 to 1 worker
  75. Strathmore Hotels Ltd, trading as Royal Hotel, Argyll, and Salutation Hotel, Perth, neglected to pay £609.97 to 2 workers
  76. Duval Security Ltd, Derby, neglected to pay £520.00 to 1 worker
  77. ENA Ltd, trading as ENA Salon, London WC2B, neglected to pay £492.48 to 1 worker
  78. U & T Ltd, trading as The Sweet Spot, Hamilton, neglected to pay £482.64 to 2 workers
  79. Lee Nixon, trading as Mediabox Productions, Nottingham, neglected to pay £468.00 to 1 worker
  80. Christopher Whiteside, trading as The Hair Workshop, Lytham St Annes, neglected to pay £457.58 to 1 worker
  81. Findme4u Ltd, London SE12, neglected to pay £442.26 to 1 worker
  82. The Square Bar & Restaurant Ltd, Harrogate, neglected to pay £437.02 to 1 worker
  83. Wyin Innovations, Croydon, neglected to pay £417.51 to 1 worker
  84. Nightingale Social Care Staffing Agency Ltd, Barnsley, neglected to pay £405.47 to 1 worker
  85. Top Quote Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £391.89 to 1 worker
  86. Greg Heywood, trading as Vineyard King, Northampton, neglected to pay £353.93 to 1 worker
  87. Allen Avenue Ltd, Croydon, neglected to pay £347.24 to 1 worker
  88. Storm Commercials Ltd, Monk Bretton, neglected to pay £342.40 to 1 worker
  89. Michelle Marklow, trading as Shellies Flowers, Birmingham, neglected to pay £323.09 to 1 worker
  90. Sam Clackmannan (Scotland) Ltd, trading as Samantha Blues Hairdressing, Clackmannan, neglected to pay £319.29 to 1 worker
  91. Cocouk Ltd, trading as Le Dermex, Edinburgh, neglected to pay £305.50 to 1 worker
  92. Forward Life Ltd, Swansea, neglected to pay £286.00 to 1 worker
  93. Direct Windows & Conservatories (Staffordshire) Ltd, trading as Direct Windows & Conservatories, Stoke-on-Trent, neglected to pay £274.70 to 1 worker
  94. Impresstech Ltd, trading as Best One (ceased trading April 2014), London SW2, neglected to pay £272.34 to 1 worker
  95. International Business Action Ltd, trading as County Hand Car Wash, Morecambe, neglected to pay £266.50 to 1 worker
  96. Susan Turner, trading as The Belle Air Hairdressing Salon, Wakefield, neglected to pay £261.91 to 2 workers
  97. Commply (Yorkshire) Ltd, Leeds, neglected to pay £260.37 to 7 workers
  98. The Court Hotel (Bromley) Ltd, Bromley, neglected to pay £230.67 to 3 workers
  99. Sweetly Stevia (UK) Ltd, London SE16, neglected to pay £227.50 to 1 worker
  100. The Spa in Lancing Ltd, trading as The Spa in Lancing, Lancing, neglected to pay £192.26 to 1 worker
  101. Pimms Hair & Beauty Ltd, Aldershot, neglected to pay £178.22 to 2 workers
  102. D K Forecourts Ltd, trading as Texaco Garage, Caerphilly, neglected to pay £156.00 to 1 worker
  103. Coach Travel Wales Ltd, trading as Coach Travel Wales, Aberystwyth, neglected to pay £153.52 to 1 worker
  104. D K Forecourts Ltd, trading as Pavilion Garage, Pontypool, neglected to pay £151.44 to 1 worker
  105. Pilning Kings Arms Ltd (previous owners), trading as The Kings Arms, Bristol, neglected to pay £143.72 to 1 worker
  106. Steve Efthimiou, trading as Mr Clutch, Luton, neglected to pay £135.24 to 1 worker
  107. Urban Angels (Didsbury) Ltd, Didsbury, neglected to pay £133.19 to 1 worker
  108. Huddleson Enterprises Ltd, trading as The Lock Keeper's Inn, Belfast, neglected to pay £132.35 to 7 workers
  109. MLVH Ltd, trading as The Manor Hotel, Christchurch, neglected to pay £124.89 to 1 worker
  110. Mark Gosling, trading as Regency Autos, Penarth, neglected to pay £116.76 to 1 worker
  111. Bartek Deli Enterprise Ltd, trading as Polmar Supermarket, London W13, neglected to pay £110.50 to 1 worker
  112. Mrs Mary Forbes, trading as Mary Forbes Hairdressing, Dundee, neglected to pay £106.44 to 1 worker
  113. Cribs Estates Ltd, London SW19, neglected to pay £104.32 to 1 worker
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