Are you underpaid?

If you believe you are being underpaid, you should raise a complaint with HM Revenue and Customs HMRC).

It is your legal right to be paid the National Living or Minimum Wage and if you have been paid less you will be entitled to back pay.

Last year HMRC identified over £15 million of pay arrears for over 200,000 workers.

Rates of pay

£3.70 – Apprentice

£4.20 – Under 18

£5.90 – 18 to 20

£7.38 – 21 to 24

£7.83 – 25 and over

What are the signs to look out for is you are underpaid?

Tips

If you receive tips at work, they cannot legally count towards your National Living or Minimum Wage. If tips are counted as part of your pay and you rely on them to bring your pay up to the National Living or Minimum Wage, then you could be not receiving what you are legally owed.

Overtime

If you get a higher hourly rate for overtime or working anti-social hours and paid below the National Living or Minimum Wage for your regular shifts, then you could be underpaid.

Work wear or tools

If your employer has deducted your wages to cover the cost of items connected with your job such as uniform, safety clothing, specified work wear or tools then you may have been underpaid. Deductions for items connected with the job must not take you below the National Living or Minimum Wage for any given pay period.

Travel

If your work involves travel between different assignments and your employer doesn’t pay you for that time, you might not be getting all that you’re owed. Additionally, if your work does not cover the cost of travelling between different assignments, then you could be underpaid and not receiving what you are legally owed.

Starting early and ending late

If you work a little unpaid extra time on a regular basis, such as helping to open up shop or having to wait in the workplace before you can go home after your shift, then you could be underpaid. Also, if you have not been paid for time spent training or whilst on a trial period you may also have been underpaid. If you do this regularly, this unpaid time can quickly add up and you might find that you are missing out on your National Living or Minimum Wage.

Birthday

Your age affects the rate you should be paid on the National Living or Minimum Wage. If your employer didn’t review your pay on your birthday and was slow to make any adjustments, you might not have got all the pay that you’re owed.

To make a complaint you can call ACAS for confidential advice on 0300 123 1100 or register a complaint online with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).