AN EDUCATION initiative based in Reading has been 'named and shamed' by government for paying some of its staff below the minimum wage, it was announced recently.

On Thursday, August 5, 191 businesses were put on blast by government officials for breaking the national minimum wage law, and a total of £2.1 million was found to be owed to various members of staff nationwide, according to an investigation undergone by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

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Of the company names listed, the Education Development Trust, a Reading-based charity seeking to improve education internationally, was revealed to have underpaid two members of staff by a total of £575.35.

A spokesman for the Education Development Trust said: “This is a legacy issue dating back to 2017, due to an error in how we initially assigned some training costs, and it was fully resolved at the time.”

Other businesses in Berkshire were also named including Wash and Go, based in Slough, which failed to pay four workers a total of £2,169.80, and Jungs Eton Ltd, based in Windsor and Maidenhead, which failed to pay one member of staff a total of £2,6856.57.

Business Minister Paul Scully MP, who formerly attended the University of Reading, said: "Our minimum wage laws are there to ensure a fair day’s work gets a fair day’s pay – it is unacceptable for any company to come up short.

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"All employers, including those on this list, need to pay workers properly.

"This government will continue to protect workers’ rights vigilantly, and employers that short-change workers won’t get off lightly."

For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/employers-named-and-shamed-for-paying-less-than-minimum-wage.