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<p>The Government takes the enforcement of National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously
and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) review every complaint that is referred to them,
investigating the complaint and, in addition, carrying out targeted enforcement where
they identify a high risk of non-payment of NMW.</p><p> </p><p>The following table
shows the 10 largest amounts of arrears identified. The majority of employers identified
as paying below the NMW will pay arrears on receipt of a formal Notice of Underpayment,
i.e. civil enforcement action. The 1998 Act makes provision for criminal proceedings
to be brought for offences under section 31 of that Act, and those offences cover
a range of possible non-compliant behaviours. Criminal proceedings were not commenced
in the 10 cases listed.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Large arrears identified
between 2009 to present</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£724,445</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£690,980</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£653,491</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£400,761</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£297,361</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£211,065</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£203,769</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£193,436</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£187,573</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£168,592</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>For the cases above that occurred after April 2009, the maximum penalty was
charged.</p><p> </p><p>This Government has increased the financial penalty percentage
that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law from 50% to 100% and the maximum
penalty has increased from £5,000 to £20,000. The revised penalty is calculated as
100% of the total underpayment for all of the workers specified in a Notice of Underpayment
relating to pay reference periods that commence on or after 7 March 2014.</p><p> </p><p>
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