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<p>Individuals who are entitled to the National Minimum Wage should receive it and
we are committed to taking the steps necessary to improve compliance; ensuring employers
understand their responsibilities and workers know their rights, and ensuring robust
enforcement of the law.</p><p>Detailed guidance, including how to calculate the minimum
wage, is available on the gov.uk website. Confidential advice is also available for
both workers and employers through the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. Any worker who
is concerned that they have not been paid what they are legally entitled to or who
wants to make a complaint, should call the helpline on 0800 917 2368.</p><p>We have
taken a number of steps to strengthen enforcement activity. This year, HMRC’s enforcement
budget has increased by £1.2million to £9.2 million. This extra funding will enable
HMRC to increase the number of National Minimum Wage compliance officers who, as well
as continuing to respond to every complaint, will also undertake targeted enforcement,
focusing on the worst offending employers in the highest-risk sectors.</p><p>Employers
who are found to have broken the law face substantially higher penalties. We increased
the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law
from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid wages owed to workers and the maximum
penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. The increase came into effect on 7 March 2014. Since
revising the Government’s naming scheme, we have also named 30 employers who between
them owed over £50,000 in arrears, to provide further incentive to all employers to
comply.</p>
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