Home care provider ordered to repay £600,000 in unpaid travel time to staff

Almost 3,000 home care staff members received a share of over £600,000 in arrears after an investigation by the HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) National Minimum Wage enforcement team found their employer had not paid staff correct wages.

The home care provider was found to have not paid staff for time spent traveling in-between care visits and had not paid some staff for other extra hours worked.

Over £4.6m in wage arrears were discovered by enforcements teams, who conducted 1,455 investigations, finding arrears in 47 per cent of cases.

Business Minister Jenny Willott said: “Paying less than the minimum wage is illegal and, as HMRC’s record shows, if employers break the law they will face tough consequences.

“We want to issue a clear warning to employers who fail to pay the minimum wage: under the Government’s new rules you will be named and shamed and face a stiff financial penalty.

“If anyone suspects they are not being paid the wage they are legally entitled to they should call the Pay and Work Rights helpline.”

Throughout the country 22,000 workers will be receiving an average of £205 in arrears per worker as a result of the work carried out by the National Minimum Wage enforcements teams in 2013/14.

Jennie Granger, director of Enforcement and Compliance at HMRC, said: “Paying the National Minimum Wage is not a choice – it’s the law. HMRC will continue to ensure that workers get at least the wage to which they are legally entitled.

“Where an employer ignores these rules, we will ensure that any arrears are paid out in full and the employer is fined. Rogue employers be warned – we will find you and you will pay.”