News Article - 22 August 2006
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Some businesses in the UK are still violating payroll rules by paying workers below the hourly minimum wage limit.

Paymaster general Dawn Primarolo said that while the vast majority of employers are honest and scrupulous, there were still some "rogue employers out there willing to flout the law".

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) currently has enforcement teams at work across the UK to ensure that National Minimum Wage rules are being met.

In the last year, HMRC enforcement teams have identified nearly £3.3 million in underpaid salaries across the UK.

According to a list of excuses issued to HMRC about underpayment, some employers believe that workers over 65 or those who do not speak English do not qualify for the minimum wage.

Others claimed that workers were content with £3 an hour, or that they thought rules did not apply to smaller employers.

A total of 16 minimum wage enforcement teams travel around the UK in response to complaints about non-payment.

They also help educate employers and employees, as well as taking enforcement action against those who fail to properly pay their employees.

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