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<p>The Notice of Underpayment issued to an employer by HMRC following the identification
of underpayments of the National Minimum Wage does not differentiate between underpayments
to workers and apprentices. Non-compliance involving apprentices is not restricted
to the Apprentice National Minimum Wage; some non-compliance will occur where an apprentice
is entitled to the relevant age rate (where they are aged over 19 and have completed
their first year).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is therefore not possible to provide
information on the number of employers who have faced a penalty for non-payment of
the apprentice National Minimum Wage since March 2014, as HMRC do not hold this information.
Nor is it possible to provide details of the number of naming cases involving underpayments
to apprentices. We can confirm that every employer that has been named has faced a
financial penalty. These penalties will have related to pay reference periods falling
before and after 7 March 2014 and so will have been calculated at the previous and
current rates.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In 2014/15, the National Minimum Wage
enforcement budget was increased by £1.2m from £8m to £9.2m. There are currently 189
staff across HMRC contributing to enforcing NMW, including people who work in legal
advice, debt management, technical support and criminal investigation, amongst others.
This includes an additional 26 inspectors recently recruited following the in-year
14/15 funding increase. Within this overall resource, we do not specify an amount
that should be allocated to enforcing the apprentice National Minimum Wage. HMRC are
required to respond to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. In
addition to this, complaints from apprentices are prioritised and fast-tracked.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Anyone who is concerned that they have been underpaid the National
Minimum Wage should call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline for free and confidential
advice on 0800 917 2368.</p><p> </p>
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