Minimum Wage

General Chat
1

I’m 18 with a part time job which I’ve had for a few years, where I work has recently been taken over by new owners. Since they started, most weeks I’ve been underpaid (I’m on minimum wage).

The underpayment can range from pence to pounds. As the business where I work is only small, I work directly with the owner so often I feel uncomfortable about challenging when I’m underpaid. I feel petty questioning pay issues and have only ever challenged it when it was under by £20.

This week I have been underpaid resulting in being paid around £5.88 an hour for the week - for context the minimum wage for my age is £6.15 an hour. A under 18 member of staff has been paid around £3.88 an hour - minimum wage is £4.35 for under 18s.

I’m not sure what to do next. I know that I can report minimum wage violations to HMRC but I’m concerned that the owners will find out I have reported them. I’m also not sure if the underpayments are enough for them to do anything about it.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Edit: for added context, we record our hours on a sign in/out sheet. We also aren’t provided with payslips which makes tracking pay difficult.

2

Talk to him… It sounds like maybe they aren’t recording hours correctly resulting in you being underpaid.

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3

There’s a sheet where we write down when we start and finish. I also keep a note of this so I can work out my hours at the end of the week.

4

Definitely keep a track of your hours and challenge them. It could be carelessness or malicious but you won’t know til you ask.

Are they paying tax and national insurance for you?

Easiest thing would be to register for the HMRC app and see what is being declared for you

5

I’ve logged onto HMRC online and have the app to keep track however, nothing has been declared since the 26th July. Usually I don’t earn enough to pay NI or income tax.

6

I don’t earn enough to pay income tax and it’s still reported every month.

Sounds like either incompetence from your employer or they’re trying to save money by not putting you through the books properly

Try calling their bluff? Say HMRC have requested payslips for the last 6 weeks as they haven’t had any PAYE details through

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7

Thanks for your help, I might give this a go. My pay has always been reported too for the 2+ years I’ve worked there up until the 26th July when it suddenly stopped. I suppose more than the money it’s also the principle of it that I work so hard and consistently don’t get paid minimum wage.

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8

You might want to look and see about other jobs. They don’t sound the best to work for

…And then dob them in for not paying minimum wage or reporting properly

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9

I’ll continue my job hunt! I applied for a few jobs over summer (it’s hard to find hours to fit around my studies or jobs that don’t require you to be fully flexible 7 days a week). Most I’ve not heard back from or been rejected and most employers don’t give any feedback on applications so I’m a bit stuck at the moment but I’ll persevere! :smile:

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10

The Christmas jobs are being advertised now, a chance to get your foot in the door at least

Good luck :crossed_fingers:

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11

You could always have a look at https://checkyourpay.campaign.gov.uk/#is_your_employer_paying_you_properly_

But I would try to talk to them first.

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12

Try get some sort of proof of your hours beyond your personal notes if possible because otherwise it will be your word against theirs.

Ask for your payslips to be emailed to you because you’re looking to rent or something.

But it’s possible it’s someone incompetent adding up the hours and just a mistake if it started when you got a new owner.

If they aren’t reporting to HMRC then they are doing something wrong anyway.

You would be the best person to judge the situation and maybe the best thing is to say straight out that they need to be reporting to HMRC and that there’s been discrepancies in the wages and they should think about getting an accountant.

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13

To note that they are legally obligated to provide you with a payslip:

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