A CREWKERNE company has been “named and shamed” in the largest list of employers failing to pay the minimum wage.

McKinlays Lettings Crewkerne Ltd was among 198 companies who owed a total of £466,219.

The firms included football clubs, hotels, care homes and hairdressers. McKinlays owed £713.18 to one worker.

The list of employers was published on Thursday, August 11 by business minister Margot James.

She said: “This Government is determined to build an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

“That means making sure everyone gets paid the wages they are owed – including our new, higher, national living wage. It is not acceptable that some employers fail to pay at least the minimum wage their workers are entitled to.

“So we’ll continue to crack down on those who ignore the law, including by naming and shaming them.”

A spokesman for the department of business, energy and industrial strategy said: “The national living wage for workers aged 25 and over was introduced in April this year, which has meant a pay rise of more than £900 per year for someone previously working full time on the national minimum wage. For workers under the age of 25, the national minimum wage still applies.

“It is an employer’s responsibility to be aware of the different minimum wage rates depending on the circumstances of their workers – and to make sure all eligible workers are paid at least the minimum rate they are entitled to.

“The national living wage will be enforced equally robustly alongside the national minimum wage.”

Since the scheme was introduced in October 2013, 688 employers have been named and shamed, with total unpaid sums of more than £3.5 million.

All of the money owed to the workers has been paid.