A care home in Powys has been named among a list of Welsh companies reprimanded for failing to pay all their staff the minimum wage.

St Nicholas House Care Home, in Churchstoke, was listed as one of four Welsh companies named by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs for not paying their entire staff the minimum wage during an investigation carried out between 2019 and 2019.

The group failed to pay £1,178.53 to two employees during this time, the government list said.

St Nicholas House, along with all other businesses named in the government issued list, have since paid back what they owe to their staff and have also faced financial penalties.

Several Welsh businesses were named in the list, ranging from hotels to recruitment firms, in what the government hopes will show that no employer is exempt from paying the statutory minimum wage.

Other businesses included The Lion hotel in Criccieth, who failed to pay over £20,000 to 9 workers and Twenty Four Seven Recruitment Services Ltd in Wrexham, who failed to adequately pay 213 workers a total of more than £17,000. Forza GB Ltd in Caldicot were also included failing to pay £721 to two workers. 

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Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business Kevin Hollinrake said: “Paying the legal minimum wage is non-negotiable and all businesses, whatever their size, should know better than to short-change hard-working staff.

"Most businesses do the right thing and look after their employees, but we're sending a clear message to the minority who ignore the law: pay your staff properly or you'll face the consequences."

In total, 202 employers across the UK were ordered to repay workers and face penalties of nearly £7 million after breaches left 63,000 workers out of pocket.

Since 2015, the budget for minimum wage enforcement has doubled with the government having ordered employers to repay over £100 million to one million workers.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said: “The UK Government is doing everything it can to help people with the cost of living. We have consistently raised the minimum wage and from April this year the rate was increased to £10.42.

“It’s vital that employers in Wales ensure their workers are properly and fairly paid and it’s right that those who do not do so face the consequences.

“Whilst not all minimum wage underpayments are intentional, there is no excuse for underpaying workers.”

The government is also encouraging employers to carry out the necessary checks to ensure no one on their staff is being underpaid, while workers are being reminded to check their pay with advice available through the Check your pay website.

The care home was approached for comment.