HMRC warning for all employees paid National Minimum Wage

Young business woman at work
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HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued a warning for all British employees who are paid a regular wage. By law, all employers are required to pay your wages at the agreed date and time which is generally featured in your employment contract. However, there may be cases where you find that you have either not been paid or have been paid the incorrect amount.

It's important to note that you may have to calculate how much you're owed when taking into account external factors such as taxes and National Insurance. These deductions should be made clear on your payslip and if you believe there has been a discrepancy, you should first ask your employer why such a deduction was made and correct any mistakes.

Othertimes, however, an employer may avoid paying you the correct amount if you're owed the National Minimum Wage, especially if you're an apprentice and have discovered you're being paid less than what you're owed. The National Minimum Wage is the minimum hourly pay rate which is owed to all employees and apprentices with varying hourly rates depending on your age.

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National Minimum Wage rates

Currently, the National Minimum Wage is:

  • Apprentice: £6.40

  • Under 18: £6.40

  • 18 to 20: £8.60

  • 21 and over: £11.44

What to do if you find out you're being underpaid

If you find that your employer is not paying you properly you can easily make a complaint with HMRC. In order to do this, you can head to the National Minimum Wage complaints page at GOV.UK which can direct you to make complaints online or via post. If you want to make a complaint online, HMRC has a digital assistant available that can help you through the complaints process.

Before making a complaint, it is advised that you have the following details on hand:

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  • Contact details including phone number or email

  • How much you're currently being paid

  • How many hours you have worked

  • Your employer's details

  • Your National Insurance Number

It's important to note that if you don't have all these details on hand, you shouldn't hesitate to still make a complaint as HMRC could contact you to gather more information. If you are concerned about any action your employer could take in response to you personally making a complaint, you can ask HMRC to not inform them.

Furthermore if you want additional advice on pay and work rights, you can contact the Acas helpline via phone at 0300 123 1100.