THREE Gwent businesses have been named on a list by the UK government for “underpaying” minimum-wage workers.

Mr Akbor Miah – trading name Dil Indian Cuisine – in Usk, A1 Care Services Limited in Torfaen and Rainbow Brite Cleaning Services Limited in Newport were named on the list.

Mr Miah is listed as underpaying two workers a total of £7,937 for a period from January 1, 2015, to November 26 of the same year.

A1 Care Services underpaid 66 workers by a total of £4,653 from August 7, 2011, to December 17, 2016.

Rainbow Brite Cleaning Services underpaid nine workers by £586 from July 29, 2011, to November 24, 2016.

Rainbow Brite Cleaning Services said the figure related to an administration charge and says it has always paid at least the national minimum wage rate.

Across the UK, 182 employers were named on the list – including the 10 in Wales – for underpaying more than 9,000 minimum-wage workers by £1.11 million.

In Wales 10 employers were named for underpaying 159 workers a total of £76,659.

They were fined a total of £87,396.

As well as recovering backpay for 9,200 workers, the government also fined the employers a total of £1.3 million in penalties for breaking national minimum wage laws.

The most prolific offending sectors were retailers, hospitality businesses and hairdressers.

This comes ahead of the next rate rise on April 1, when the national living wage will go up from £7.50 to £7.83 per hour.

Secretary of state for Wales Alun Cairns said: “Every worker in the UK is entitled to at least the national minimum or living wage and the UK government will ensure they get it.

“That is why we have named and shamed these employers who failed to pay the legal minimum, sending the clear message to employers that minimum wage abuses will not go unpunished.”

Later this month the department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will launch a campaign to raise awareness of the new rates and encourage workers to speak to their employer if they think they are being underpaid.

Bryan Sanderson, chairman of the Low Pay Commission, said: “The Low Pay Commission is pleased to see the government maintaining the momentum of its minimum-wage enforcement.”

Michael Limbrick, managing director at Rainbow Brite, said they have always paid the national minimum wage rate and higher to all employees.

He said: “The notice of underpayment that we received related to a deduction of an administration charge for an attachment of earnings order. The order clearly stated that we could make a deduction for operating this, although we did not realise that this contravenes NMW regulations on administration charges, as there was no information in the order to direct us to another clause. “

Mr Limbrick said any monies deducted in error were paid back to employees’ as soon as they were made aware of this.

Mr Miah, of Dil Indian Cuisine, said the employees were working from 6pm to 10pm, but claimed they were working from 4pm to midnight.

He said: “My shop is open from 6pm to 10pm.

“I can’t prove that, but they believed the workers. I have been in business for 30 years and I pay tax.”

A1 Care Services Limited declined to comment.