Berkshire Employers Named for Minimum Wage Breaches — Our Advice on What Workers Can Do
A new government list has revealed that nearly 400 employers across the UK have failed to pay staff the legal minimum wage — collectively owing more than £7 million to around 60,000 workers. Several Berkshire employers appear on the list, including Omnia Outsourcing in Reading, which owes more than £8,000 to 14 employees, along with R Maidenhead Opco and Laureus Developments Limited.
To help explain how workers can protect themselves, East Berkshire Citizens Advice joined BBC Radio Berkshire’s breakfast show to talk through what people can do if they discover they’ve been paid below the minimum wage or underpaid in general.
During the interview, CEO, Nicola Miller highlighted that pay problems are something advisers see regularly:
At Citizens Advice East Berkshire, we do come across people experiencing issues with their pay… sometimes it’s as simple as people understanding their rights and working out what they should be getting so they can go back and challenge their employer.
She explained that while payroll errors are common and often fixable, the key is knowing what you’re entitled to:
Employers should and would be able to fix that quite quickly if you can go back with all the facts. But when that doesn’t happen, then we’re here to help advise people on what steps they can take to get the money rectified.
Workers should follow their organisation’s policy for raising problems with pay. Nicola went on to explain that whilst, for many employees, the idea of raising the issue with a manager can feel daunting, an employer can’t sack you for challenging underpayment. Workers are legally entitled to recover what they’re owed and if they have not been able to resolve the issue with their employer, they may be able to make a claim to an employment tribunal. For claims about unpaid wages, workers have 3 months minus 1 day from the date they should have been paid.
The interview reinforced a key message: if something doesn’t add up with your pay, don’t ignore it. There are clear legal protections for workers, and help is available to understand your rights and challenge unfair pay. Citizens Advice East Berkshire continues to support local people with free, confidential guidance on pay issues — including underpayment, unlawful deductions and minimum wage concerns.
References:
BBC Radio Berkshire interview: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002sqf1
BBC news story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj40xzkqekro
25/03/26