At least two million workers in Britain are losing over £3 billion in unpaid holiday pay and wages a year, says a November 2017 report (pdf) from Middlesex University London.
This report looks at several data sources to determine the frequency with which wages are unpaid, who might be affected, how much is involved, what form the non-payment takes, and why it has happened.
Particular attention has been paid to unpaid wages in the London labour market.
The report finds:
- The one party most likely to be able to trace underpaid workers is HMRC, through their National Insurance numbers
- Removing the individual’s risk of retribution and blacklisting would encourage greater use of legal routes to deter business model breaches
- The paucity of free legal advice on employment matters leaves many workers with nowhere to go to help decide on a strategy to recover unpaid wages.
