A REDDITCH firm has been named and shamed by the Government for underpaying its staff.

Airwright (Midlands) Ltd, on Shawbank Road, has been included in a list of nearly 240 employers across the country who underpaid the National Living and Minimum Wage.

The scaffolding firm owes £4,580.26 to eight staff members, which amounts to £572.53 per worker.

Business Minister Andrew Griffiths said: "Our priority is making sure workers know their rights and are getting the pay they worked hard for.

"Employers who don’t do the right thing face fines as well as being hit with the bill for backpay.

"The UK’s lowest paid workers have had the fastest wage growth in 20 years thanks to the introduction of the National Living Wage and today’s list serves as a reminder to all employers to check they are getting their workers’ pay right."

A total of £1.44 million in back pay has been identified for 22,400 workers across the country, with the employers fined additional £1.97m.

The back pay identified by HMRC was for more workers than in any previous single naming list.

Employers underpaid workers by taking deductions from wages for uniforms, underpaying apprentices and failing to pay travel time

The top five reasons for National Minimum and Living Wage underpayments in this round were taking deductions from wages for costs such as uniforms, underpaying apprentices, failing to pay travel time, misusing the accommodation offset, and using the wrong time periods for calculating pay.

Low Pay Commission Chairman Bryan Sanderson said: "It is crucial that employers understand their responsibilities and workers know their rights around the minimum wage. That is why active enforcement and effective communication from Government is so important."

A spokesman at Airwright declined to comment when contacted by the Advertiser.