Lancashire companies named and shamed for not paying minimum wage

The Government published the biggest ever list of its kind, with more than £466,000 owed.

In the North West, twenty-seven employers have been identified for failing to pay their staff properly .

Paper Innovation Ltd, Preston, owed £2,024.82 to four workers. A spokesman said: “At a time when the company made efforts to invest into young people by using the government’s own apprentice scheme, the issue was raised that we hadn’t conformed to every aspect of the scheme and this put us in breach of the National Minimum Wage.

“The company immediately repaid the amounts owing.”

Preston Flowers Limited, Preston, owed £1,493.40 to one worker. A spokesman said it was an error surrounding the pay to a 19-year-old who had since left the company and been an apprentice at the time.

“It was a technical error and I have the paperwork to prove it ,” said the spokesman.

Euro Dental Laboratory Services Ltd, of Adlington, Chorley, owed £173 to one worker. Owner Derek Dabbs said the member of staff was his own son.

He said it was a technicality owing to the changing number of days in each month which meant the daily rate fell.

It had now been rectified.

Since the scheme was introduced in October 2013, 688 employers have been named and shamed, with total arrears of more than £3.5 million.

Blackpool Football Club was also named for owing £517.88 to one worker.

Business Minister Margot James said: “This Government is determined to build an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few. That means making sure everyone gets paid the wages they are owed – including our new, higher, National Living Wage.”