Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints HM Revenue and Customs have received on non-payment of the national minimum wage by all care providers in (a) 2011, (b) 2012, (c) 2013 and (d) 2014; and how many such complaints subsequently led to formal investigations by HM Revenue and Customs.

The Government takes the enforcement of National Minimum Wage very seriously. Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should make a complaint to the Pay & Work Rights Helpline (PWRH) on 0800 917 2368.

HMRC review every complaint referred to them by the PWRH and, in addition, collate and analyse data from various sources to identify employers more likely not to be paying National Minimum Wage and undertake targeted enforcement against those employers.

However, some complaints may not lead to the commencement of an investigation. This might be due to incomplete information being provided, or the worker subsequently wishing to withdraw their complaint. Similarly, multiple complaints about the same employer would only be recorded under one investigation. HMRC do not record statistics by complaints received, but by investigations completed.

As stated above, HMRC review every complaint they receive from the PWRH. I refer the honorable member to the response given to UIN 220731 for details of HMRC’s current proactive work.