employment – Page 49 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Apprenticeships: it’s a man’s world?

In Edinburgh, parents are twice as likely to advise boys to take on an apprenticeship compared to girls
Just over a quarter of parents in Edinburgh said they would offer differing career advice to their sons and daughters

New research from Scottish Gas has revealed that parents in Edinburgh are twice as likely to advise boys to take on an apprenticeship compared to girls. 15% of parents would encourage their son to take on an apprenticeship while only 8% of parents would give the same advice to their daughter.

Parents’ views have a big impact on the career choices young people make. When asked about what career their parents would like them to pursue, half (27%) of teenage boys in Glasgow said an apprenticeship; only 10% of teenage girls reported the same.

As part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week (18 – 22 May), an independent national survey* polling teens and parents found that just over a quarter (28%) of parents in Edinburgh admitted offering their children differing career advice depending on their gender.

Only 17% of teenage girls in Edinburgh view an apprenticeship as a viable career option. Yet more than a third of teenage boys (35%) are keen to go straight from school into an apprenticeship scheme.

Scottish Gas, which has trained 500 apprentices from across Scotland since opening the doors to its academy in Hamilton five years ago, is urging more girls to consider an apprenticeship. Explaining this rally to young women, the company said in 2014 only 3.3% of applicants for its competitive technical and engineering apprenticeship schemes were female.

John Lochrie, who is a former Scottish Gas apprentice and is now Operations Director for HomeCare Services at Scottish Gas, said: “It’s clear from this research that apprenticeships are still regarded as something of a man’s world among young people.

“Apprenticeships are a great way into an organisation. A Scottish Gas apprenticeship allows you to earn while you learn and encourages you to develop skills for life. I’d encourage all girls thinking about their future career, or looking for employment, to consider an apprenticeship.”

Scottish Gas’ survey also reveals concerns with careers advice for teenage girls and boys. Over two fifths (44%) of teenage girls polled in Edinburgh complained of receiving unhelpful advice and 47% of teenage boys shared the same complaint.

Poor careers advice has resulted in teenage girls limiting their own career choices. Six in ten (60%) teenage girls in Edinburgh surveyed said they had never considered a career in engineering. Meanwhile, young people in the city felt teenage girls were best suited to very stereotyped roles with their top three career choices including: nursing (67%), beauty & fashion (68%) and healthcare (67%).

Fifer Andrew Ness (above) joined the Scottish Gas apprenticeship scheme in November 2013. After studying for a BSc in Microbiology and then working in the finance sector, he decided to change direction completely.

Andrew, (35), explained: “I had started on the path to a career in IT, getting my A+ and Network+ qualifications. Then I worked in the finance sector for 10 years. At the time I was also volunteering on weekends repairing computers for charities. I wanted to move into computer repair as a career but I found there were a lot of people going after a limited number of jobs.”

Andrew heard about the apprenticeships scheme through his flatmate who works in the Scottish Gas contact centre. He said: “It seemed like a great chance to get all of the skills and knowledge that I needed to make a new career for myself. I was so excited when I found out I’d been accepted. My family were really pleased for me too, because Scottish Gas is such a well-known company.”

Andrew was looking for a career that was more hands-on than his previous office-based jobs. He said: “Learning practical skills was a real change for me, having never done anything like it before. But with the support and training I received from my instructors, and some hard work, I got better at these practical skills really quickly. I’m sure anyone else could do the same.”

Like many of Scottish Gas’ apprentices, Andrew is particularly enjoying the sociable nature of his job. He said: “It’s amazing how many times you arrive at someone’s house to do some work for them and it turns out to be someone you already know! It’s great for someone like me who enjoys meeting new people and being around others.”

Andrew is now looking forward to what the future holds. He added: “I would absolutely recommend an apprenticeship with Scottish Gas. There is a lot of work involved and it takes real commitment but it is definitely worthwhile and really shows that you are someone who can reach a goal.

“I think being engineer is a great career choice for both men and women. It’s definitely practical and you need an interest in fixing things but anyone can do it. It’s really positive that Scottish Gas is encouraging more women to join its apprenticeship scheme.”

Tips for teens interested in an apprenticeship at Scottish Gas:

Head over to www.gov.uk/further-education-skills the official apprenticeship website to discover more about apprenticeships
Keep a close eye on : http://po.st/BGNAW2015 for information on apprenticeship schemes
Attend Scottish Gas’ open day during Scottish Apprenticeship Week. You can register your interest by visiting: http://po.st/BGNAW2015

Thirty organisations to attend Jobs Fair today

Attending todays’ Jobs & Employment Fair are:

Adecco
Airport Recruitment Centre
Army recruitment
Bluebird Care
Blueprint training
Care Uk
Freespace
NHS recruitment
Urban Union
Scottish Gas
Home Instead

Support/providers

Community Renewal

Cre8te/Digital Skills Academy

Forth Sector

Freshstart

Income maximisation/Welfare reform

Making it Work

North Edinburgh Childcare

Smartworks

Volunteer Centre

Intowork

Barnardo’s Works East

CITB

Community Jobs Scotland

Cyrenians

Edin College

Edinburgh Guarantee/IYP

SDS

Tomorrow’s People – Working it Out (North Edinburgh)

RUTS

Now all we need are the punters … !

Community employability event PosterV4

North Edinburgh Jobs & Information Fair today

THURSDAY 14 MAY

10.30am – 1.30pm

Are you looking for a new job? A change of direction? looking to get some new skills or start a course … need some help?

Find out more about real jobs, training and learning opportunities near you!

Meet representatives from a range of organisations that can advise and support you with applications, updating your skills, volunteering, caring and more. City council Welfare Refrom officers will also be available to provide advice on benefits and housing.

It’s all available today at Muirhouse Library and Pennywell Shopping Centre – check it out!

Jobs Fair in Muirhouse

Muirhouse Library and Shopping Centre will host an Employment and Learning Fair between 10.30am and 1.30pm this Thursday (14 May).

The event is aimed at both adult jobseekers and young people looking for advice and support to get into work or learning in North Edinburgh. Organisations attending the event will include employability providers from the local area as well as employers with vacancies to fill.

Community Renewal is one of the organisations involved in the jobs fair, and emplyment adviser Diana said: “Previous events have resulted in jobseekers securing interviews on the spot so jobseekers are advised to come prepared with CVs and dressed to impress!”

Street League comes to North Edinburgh

Street League, who use football to work with 16-24 year olds and help progress them into employment, run free employability courses for unemployed young people and a new Certificate Of Work Readiness Course starts in North Edinburgh today.

These courses are for 16-24 year olds, last for 12 weeks and offer:

• An opportunity to gain a recognised SQA qualification

• An 8 week work trial

• 1-1 employability support

• Improve personal development

• Develop fitness and football skills

The local course, which is running from Spartans Football Academy and Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, will be run by Danny Munro & Stuart Inglis. For further info or to make a referral contact Stuart on 07788312856, email stuart.inglis@streetleague.co.uk

Ministers mark National Apprentice Week

National Apprenticeship Week 2015 activity got off to a flying start on Monday when apprentices from across London met Secretary of State for Business, Vince Cable, at the London Eye, marking the official launch event of the week.

The event took place in the wake of research from economists at the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), showing that millions of consumers would prefer to do business with apprentice employers.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “The benefits of apprenticeships are clear – they make a vital contribution to the economy, boost business productivity and give people the skills they need to get on in the world of work.

“As this research shows, there has been an important shift in the attitudes towards apprenticeships with businesses, consumers, and young people recognising the significant opportunities they can offer.

On Tuesday Jason Holt CBE hosted an event at the House of Commons showcasing the products and services made by apprentices at small to medium-sized enterprises and featuring speeches from political and business leaders. Jason also officially launched ApprenticeMakers, a peer support service for small businesses interested in taking on apprentices.

The event featured exhibitions from SMEs, including: Heartplus, John O’Conner Ltd, The Bridal Gallery, Mike Rowland and Son, Blue Moon Creative Ltd, Michael Taite, Jonny’s Sister Ltd, K&M McLoughlin Decorating Ltd, Promo 2 U Limited, Holition and Optimity.

On Wednesday evening, the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg (top), welcomed employers and apprentices from the finance, legal and insurance services sectors at a reception in Whitehall. Skills Funding Agency executive director, Keith Smith, was accompanied to the event by an SFA apprentice who works in the legal team.

A catwalk-themed reception for Trailblazer employers was held yesterday at Elstree film studios, in partnership with the British Fashion Council, as a ‘thank you’ for the employers’ work in designing and implementing new apprenticeship standards.

Skills and Equalities Minister, Nick Boles, MP (above) said: This week is a time to celebrate the employers, young people and adults from across the country that are making apprenticeships such a success.”

Welfare powers: get a move on!

Scottish government says swift action is needed on welfare

Scottish ministers have urged the UK government to deliver Lord Smith’s recommendations for new powers on welfare almost four months after the report’s publication .

The call comes ahead of the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare in Edinburgh later today (March 11) that will be attended by Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil and Fair Work Secretary Roseanna Cunningham, and which will focus on future delivery of welfare and employment support services in Scotland .

Mr Neil said: “It has been over a month since the Working Group met for the first time and weeks since the Smith Commission delivered its recommendations. Over that period of time there has been a frustrating lack of progress from the UK government in recognising that its current proposals do not meet Lord Smith’s recommendations.

“We want to see early progress on flexibilities around Universal Credit as well as assurances that the UK Government will deliver the Smith report in full. It’s really frustrating that the UK has refused to make early progress on those flexibilities, although these are technically feasible now. And they have refused to change their draft clauses which fall short of the Smith proposals.

“Just last week both the Welfare Reform Committee and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation highlighted the scale of the damage inflicted by Westminster’s austerity agenda on people across Scotland.

“With more powers in our own we hands we could build a system better suited to our needs. The Scottish Parliament is best placed to make decisions about welfare policies that affect the people of Scotland.”

Ms Cunningham added: “This Government’s commitment to Fair Work means we believe people should be supported into work, instead of being punished for being unable to secure employment. The UK Government’s current conditionality and sanctions regime isn’t working and the UK Government needs to adopt a positive and proportionate approach to support people, rather than cutting their incomes and having to deal with misguided policies such as the ‘bedroom tax’.

“We await vital information on employment services, such as the Work Programme, to enable the Scottish Government to move forward quickly in re-designing this type of support for Scotland. We are determined to use these powers to deliver seamless, effective support in Scotland that helps unemployed people in Scotland into work and delivers sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

“As we move towards the UK pre-election period, we call upon the UK government to act swiftly on the Smith recommendations to ensure we can bring forward a Bill that is fit for purpose and allows us to take a new approach to tackling inequality.”

Making the most of apprenticeships

UK businesses could gain additional £18bn revenue from apprenticeships

A new report from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has revealed that consumers prefer to do business with businesses employing apprentices.

The report, launched to mark the start of National Apprenticeship Week, is part of a national drive to promote the benefits of apprenticeships. Events across the country will celebrate the success of apprenticeships that have been transformed over recent years so they are more responsive to the needs of employers and learners.

The Benefits of Apprenticeships to Businesses study finds that offering apprenticeships were perceived by two-thirds of the public as contributing to society and providing opportunities for young people, with 5 million consumers more likely to make a purchase from an apprentice employer.

One in four consumers say they would go as far as even paying more for goods and services offered by companies that employ apprentices. Aggregated across key sectors in the economy, this price-premium would equate to an additional £18 billion a year in consumer spending.

National Apprenticeship Week will also see the launch of a new mentoring service for small businesses interested in taking on apprentices will be launched by small business champion Jason Holt CBE.

Today’s research also highlights a number of other financial benefits firms employing apprentices can enjoy, such as increased long-term productivity. A typical apprentice delivers productivity gains of over £10,000 per annum, rising to almost double that in the construction and planning, and engineering and manufacturing sectors.

Moreover, the research demonstrates that even before an apprentice is fully qualified, many businesses will see economic benefits of offering apprenticeships. The figures show that while training, each apprentice in England is estimated to deliver an average positive net gain of £1,670 per annum to their employers.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “In launching National Apprenticeship Week we are celebrating the 2.1 million apprenticeship starts since 2010 and the positive impact they are having on businesses around the country.

“The benefits of apprenticeships are clear – they make a vital contribution to the economy, boost business productivity and give people the skills they need to get on in the world of work.

Skills Minister Nick Boles said: “This research is further proof that apprenticeships deliver for businesses as well as providing life changing opportunities for young people.

“National Apprenticeship Week gives us the opportunity to raise the profile of apprenticeships and traineeships, and to celebrate the important role they play in our economy. I encourage people of all ages and employers of all shapes and sizes to find out more about apprenticeships and how they can deliver for them.”

The CEBR report examines the benefits that apprentices offer businesses both while they are training and long after they have completed their apprenticeships:

A quarter (25%) of consumers said that they would be more likely to pay more for goods and services offered by businesses employing apprentices, with the most popular services to pay a premium on being a plumbers’ visit, a meal or a haircut
Consumers are prepared to pay between 1.2% and 2.0% extra as a price premium –the aggregate gain in consumer spending if these premiums are realised is £18 billion per annum
The benefit to an employer of hiring an apprentice is the value of the economic output produced by an apprentice, plus any subsidies received, less wage and training costs. This equates to an average of £1,670 per annum for the average apprentice in England but can rise as high as £13,824 and £9,721 for team leadership and management, and business administration apprentices respectively
Productivity gains from employing an apprentice long-term average at £214 per week, ranging from £83 in the retail sector and £114 in health, public services and care, up to £401 in construction and planning, and £414 per in engineering and manufacturing

Scott Corfe, co-author of the report The Benefits of Apprenticeships to Businesses, said: “Previous Cebr research has demonstrated the impact of apprenticeships to the economy and the country as a whole, but this report proves that hiring apprentices has a hugely positive impact on employers themselves. Not only do apprentices contribute to the productivity of a company from day one, but consumers are more likely to switch to brands and firms that employ apprentices.”

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, employers are being encouraged to share their reasons for employing apprentices on social media, with #100reasonswhy.

HR and Training Manager, Steve Starling from Suffolk based JEB Engineering Design has already taken part and commented: “We’ve been recruiting apprentices for over 35 years. Many staff members in senior positions here started out as apprentices, including our Managing Director. We believe our future success is dependent on a strong, sustainable apprenticeship programme.”

To find out more about National Apprenticeship Week go to

www.gov.uk/naw2015.

£6.5 million to support youth employment

‘additional resource to tailor to activity to local need as we progress work to ensure all of Scotland’s young people have the best possible chance of success.’ – Roseanna Cunningham

Scotland’s 32 local authorities will split £6.5 million from the Scottish Government to take forward a variety of programmes to support young people to find work. Edinburgh’s share of the fund is £463,000.

The funding has been put in place to support the implementation of the recommendations from the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce which outlined a new blueprint for work-based training last year.

The funding will go towards initiatives to develop vocational and employment pathways for young people, strengthen links between schools and employers and help vulnerable groups become work ready.

Local authorities have now been informed of how much they will receive for 2014/15. Edinburgh’s share of the fund is topped only by Glasgow City, which will receive £692,850.

Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham said: “The latest trends on youth employment have been hugely encouraging but there is no room for complacency. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting more young women and men into jobs and published a new youth employment strategy in December.

“At the heart of our strategy is the report by the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce. We will continue to work closely with our partners in local government and Scotland’s business community on its implementation as part of a seven year plan to create a new world-class system of work-based training that will work for both the economy and the job prospects of our young people.

“I am very pleased to be able to confirm funding for all of our local authorities that will give them additional resource to tailor activity to local need as we progress work to ensure all of Scotland’s young people have the best possible chance of success.”

Latest Minimum Wage cheats named and shamed

Businesses named in the care, retail and hospitality sectors

A further 70 employers who failed to pay their workers the National Minimum Wage (NMW) have been named today by Business Minister Jo Swinson, bringing the overall total named and shamed to 162. None of the latest batch are Scottish companies.

Between them, these 70 employers owed workers a total of over £157,000 in arrears and have been charged financial penalties totalling over £70,000.

The government has already named 92 employers since the new naming regime came into force in October 2013. They had total arrears of over £316,000 and total penalties of over £111,000.

To support the minimum wage crackdown, the government will also be increasing HMRC’s £9.2 million enforcement budget by a further £3 million, helping to fund more than 70 extra compliance officers.

Business Minister Jo Swinson said:

Paying less than the minimum wage is illegal, immoral and completely unacceptable. Naming and shaming gives a clear warning to employers who ignore the rules, that they will face reputational consequences as well as financial penalties of up to £20,000 if they don’t pay the minimum wage.

We’re working hard in areas where we know there are particular problems, like the care sector, to make sure staff are paid fairly for the hard work they do.

We are legislating through the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill so that this penalty can be applied to each underpaid worker rather than per employer.

We are helping workers recover the hundreds of thousands of pounds in pay owed to them as well as raising awareness to make sure workers are paid fairly in the first place.

The government examines non-compliance in a number of ways and takes action where it identifies particular problems or challenges. Around 100 care sector cases are currently being investigated and 3 employers have been publically named, for failing to pay the minimum wage. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has also launched 6 proactive investigations into the largest employers in the care sector.

Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb said:

We want a fairer society where everyone gets the care they deserve – to do this we need a skilled, valued and fairly paid workforce. There is absolutely no excuse for employers that fail to pay the minimum wage.

We know the 100 care companies being investigated are just the tip of the iceberg in the care sector and are absolutely committed to getting back the wages people have worked so hard for. We will continue to name, shame and fine these employers until every care provider gets the message.

HMRC is working with the Department of Health, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the care sector to understand more about the causes of non-compliance with the national minimum wage in the care sector and to raise awareness of the minimum wage with employers and care workers. This includes making sure that employees know how to complain if they believe they are not being paid the national minimum wage.

The 70 employers named today are:

East Midlands Crossroads – Caring for Carers, Nottingham, neglected to pay £37,592.56 to 184 workers
Delcom Systems Ltd, Salisbury neglected to pay £11,731.52 to a worker
S Hanns LLP, Chatham neglected to pay £8,448.84 to a worker
The Apostolic Church trading as James Kane Nursery, London, neglected to pay £8,347.71 to 2 workers
Young Friends Nursery Ltd, Hove, neglected to pay £6,789.71 to a worker
Station Garage (Little Weighton) Ltd, Little Weighton neglected to pay £5,440.77 to 2 workers
KRCS (Digital Solutions) Ltd, Nottingham, neglected to pay £5,161.85 to 5 workers
Mrs Shirley Elvin trading as Seaton Garage & Engineering Co, Hull, neglected to pay £4,840.31 to a worker
Pontcanna Hair Studio Ltd, Cardiff, neglected to pay £4,784.34 to a worker
Carol Ann Daker trading as Swan Hill House Residential Home, Shropshire, neglected to pay £4,395.78 to 27 workers
Hobby Horse Ltd, Plymouth, neglected to pay £4,049.31 to a worker
Fylde Coast Pizza Ltd trading as Papa Johns, Blackpool, neglected to pay £3,949.62 to 14 workers
Manleys Ltd, Belfast, neglected to pay £3,797.83 to 3 workers
J B Howard and Son Ltd, Leyland, neglected to pay £3,469.96 to 7 workers
Mr L Tolman & Mr S Blanchard trading as Mardi Gras Hotel, Blackpool, neglected to pay £3,206.76 to 3 workers
Stafforce Personnel Ltd, Rotherham, neglected to pay £3,044.79 to 63 workers
Best Start Ltd trading as Tiny Treasures Day Care Nursery, Birmingham, neglected to pay £2,928.95 to 2 workers
Maybury Automotive Ltd, Woking, neglected to pay £2,670.88 to 2 workers
C&R Tyres Ltd, Kelso, neglected to pay £2,261.60 to 3 workers
SSE PLC, Perth neglected to pay £2,233.95 to 5 workers
Encore Envelopes Ltd, Washington, neglected to pay £2,060.09 to a worker
SmileyWorld Ltd, London, neglected to pay £1,729.00 to a worker
Mancroft Ltd, Leeds, neglected to pay £1,172.97 to 3 workers
Kevin & Bernadette Farrell trading as Derrygonnelly Autos, Enniskillen, neglected to pay £1,690.35 to a worker
Delves Food & Wine Stop Ltd trading as Loco, Walsall, neglected to pay £1,152.48 to a worker
Webe (Chelmsford) Ltd, Chelmsford, neglected to pay £1,521.98 to 4 workers
Gregson Lane Garage Ltd, Preston, neglected to pay £1,431.57 to 2 workers
Ms Julie Ann Wright trading as The Worx, Portadown, neglected to pay £1,110.60 to a worker
Mr S Partridge & Ms M Shead trading as Cobblers Fine Sandwiches & Pastries, Wakefield, neglected to pay £1,003.83 to a worker
Mr Phillip Campbell & Mrs Lorraine Campbell trading as Supervalu Kells, Ballymena, neglected to pay £905.86 to 2 workers
Mr C Pask trading as Pask Hair & Beauty, Derby, neglected to pay £900.00 to 2 workers
J&G Salon Ltd trading as Jealousi & Garlands, Tamworth, neglected to pay £881.28 to a worker
Faster Fit Tyres Ltd, Scunthorpe, neglected to pay £719.30 to a worker
Mrs Karen Aitken trading as Angel Hair Design, Darlington, neglected to pay £703.33 to a worker
Clearshot Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £684.94 to a worker
Everest Express Ltd, Lincoln, neglected to pay £657.03 to a worker
Leisure Emporium Ltd trading as Brown’s Cafe Bar & Bistro, Nottingham, neglected to pay £643.86 to a worker
Mrs S Walker trading as Alleyways Fish & Chips, Scarborough, neglected to pay £601.59 to a worker
Gary & Toni Valentine trading as The Harbour Inn, Seaton, neglected to pay £584.42 to a worker
Shreeji Barnsley Ltd trading as Coffee Delight, Buxton, neglected to pay £555.70 to a worker
Rowe Sparkes Solicitors Ltd, Southsea, neglected to pay £530.96 to a worker
Fish Hairdressing Company Ltd, trading as Fish Hairdressing, Maidstone neglected to pay £521.82 to 3 workers
Mrs Deborah Adcock trading as LJ Beauty & Hair, Seaham, neglected to pay £463.60 to a worker
D&D Dies Ltd, Nottingham, neglected to pay £446.37 to a worker
G Joynson, D Joynson and C Joynson trading as Headquarters, Withernsea, neglected to pay £430.07 to a worker
Matchesfashion Ltd, London, neglected to pay £375.61 to 2 workers
Colin Saich trading as Lindcoly Kennels, Bury St. Edmunds, neglected to pay £338.41 to 9 workers
Inn2inns Ltd, Middlesbrough, neglected to pay £323.10 to 2 workers
99p Land Ltd, Swindon, neglected to pay £315.26 to a worker
General Tarleton Ltd, Knaresborough, neglected to pay £300.62 to 6 workers
Western Computer Group Ltd, Bristol, neglected to pay £287.54 to a worker
Matrix Electrical Engineering Ltd, Harlow neglected to pay £286.60 to a worker
Honeybees Childcare Ltd, Preston, neglected to pay £276.30 to a worker
Mr G J Pearce trading as Sheppards Wood Service Station, Nottingham, neglected to pay £268.56 to a worker
The Mirrors Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £262.87 to a worker
A1 Techsol Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £233.47 to a worker
Mrs J Cole trading as Rayleigh Retreat, Rayleigh £231.73 to a worker
Hamlet Homes Properties Ltd, Westcliff-on-Sea neglected to pay £226.40 to a worker
Smartmove Property Specialists Ltd, Aldershot, neglected to pay £206.36 to a worker
EYFS Ltd trading as Oak Tree Day Nursery, London, neglected to pay £181.41 to a worker
Mr & Mrs P Munn trading as Merry Maids of the Weald, Tonbridge, neglected to pay £169.56 to a worker
Mr H Singleton trading as Willowbank Builders, Huddersfield, neglected to pay £163.89 to a worker
Professional Referral Services Ltd, Wigan, neglected to pay £156.93 to 2 workers
Amtec Computer Corporation Ltd, Ferndown, neglected to pay £149.64 to a worker
Lychgate Coffee Ltd, Wolverhampton, neglected to pay £124.39 to a worker
Finite International Logistics Ltd, Penarth, neglected to pay £119.92 to a worker
Drummonds Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £113.58 to a worker
Grove Mechanical Services Ltd, Magherafelt, neglected to pay £107.00 to 2 workers
Lin Chinese Takeaway Ltd, Stoke-on-Trent, neglected to pay £103.00 to a worker
Mr Assad Madani trading as Donapapa Pizza, Durham, neglected to pay £101.64 a worker

The 70 cases named today were thoroughly investigated by HM Revenue and Customs.

The scheme was revised in October 2013 to make it simpler to name and shame employers that do not comply with minimum wage rules.

Employers who are unsure of National Minimum Wage rules, and employees who would like advice or to complain that they are not receiving the National Minimum Wage, can get free advice via the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368 or by visiting GOV.UK.