Hundreds of employers have been fined for failing to pay staff the legal minimum wage, with one Oldham firm among those named by the government.

Hopwood Gear Limited, of Oldham, OL2, failed to pay £545.52 to 4 workers, according to the latest list published by the Department for Business and Trade.

Across the country, 389 employers have been handed penalties totalling around £12.6 million, on top of the wages they were ordered to repay. Those repayments come to more than £7.3 million, and around 60,000 workers were found to have been underpaid.

The businesses named span sectors including social care, sports and retail, and include well-known brands. The list covers failures to comply with National Minimum Wage law, which applies across all parts of the UK.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the majority of firms pay staff properly and play by the rules. "A good employer doesn't build their business on the back of unpaid wages, and I look forward to working with the new Fair Work Agency to ensure its powers are used to crack down on those who think the rules don't apply to them," he said.

Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden said nobody should finish a week's work and find they have been paid less than they earned. "I encourage every employer to check their payroll to ensure they don't get caught out," she said.

This is the first naming round since the Chancellor's Budget commitment to publish more often, and the last before the Fair Work Agency starts work on 7 April. The new body, created through the Employment Rights Act, will bring workers' rights enforcement under one roof. As well as minimum wage enforcement, it is set to take on cases involving holiday and sick pay.

The government also said further minimum wage increases are coming, with the lowest earners aged over 21 set to receive an annual boost of £900 for those working full time. From April 2026, the rate for workers aged 21 and over is due to rise from £12.21 to £12.71 an hour, with the 18 to 20 rate going from £10 to £10.85 and the under 18 and apprentice rates going from £7.55 to £8.

Workers who think they are being underpaid can check their pay at gov.uk/checkyourpay, get free and confidential advice from Acas, or complain to HM Revenue and Customs.