Report Employer Wage & Sick Pay Breaches - London

Labor and Employment England 3 Minutes Read · published February 02, 2026 Flag of England

In London, England, employees who suspect an employer has underpaid wages or withheld statutory sick pay should act promptly to protect their rights and recover pay. This guide explains local reporting options, the roles of enforcing bodies, practical evidence to collect, and clear action steps to report breaches to the correct authorities and seek redress.

Penalties & Enforcement

Primary enforcement for National Minimum Wage and related pay complaints is handled by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC); statutory sick pay (SSP) disputes and unlawful deductions can also be resolved through Employment Tribunals after early conciliation with ACAS. The official HMRC complaints page explains HMRC powers and remedies but does not set out detailed fine amounts on that page, so specific penalty figures are not specified on the cited page. [1]

Keep payslips, contracts and hours records as soon as possible.
  • Orders and recovery: HMRC can seek repayment of underpayments and issue enforcement notices; the cited HMRC page describes recovery and enforcement actions but fine amounts are not specified on that page.[1]
  • Tribunals and remedies: Employment Tribunals can award unpaid wages, interest and compensation; time limits and awards are set out on GOV.UK tribunal guidance and require ACAS early conciliation before a claim.[3]
  • Escalation: HMRC investigation may lead to notices and potential civil or criminal action; escalation details and thresholds are not specified on the cited HMRC page.[1]
  • Non-monetary sanctions: employers may receive compliance orders, enforcement notices or be subject to publicity measures; specific sanctions are described in general terms on the cited pages but monetary caps are not specified there.[1]

Applications & Forms

To report underpayment of the National Minimum Wage use the HMRC online complaint tool linked on the HMRC complaints page; the page provides the reporting route and booklet links but does not name a single printable form on that page. For statutory sick pay queries refer to the SSP guidance on GOV.UK for entitlement rules and employer obligations.[1][2]

Inspection, investigation and complaint pathways: report suspected wage or SSP breaches to HMRC via their complaints service; for dispute resolution and to start a tribunal claim you must contact ACAS for early conciliation first. Contact pages are linked below in footnotes. Appeal and review: if HMRC issues a notice there are statutory routes for review or challenge—specific appeal time limits and procedures should be checked on the notice or the cited pages; if not shown on the official page, they are not specified on the cited page.[1][3]

You normally need to contact ACAS before making an Employment Tribunal claim.

Common violations and typical remedies

  • Unpaid hours or below-minimum wage: recovery of arrears and HMRC enforcement measures (penalty figures not specified on the cited page).[1]
  • Incorrect holiday or sick pay calculation: employer must correct and pay arrears; guidance on SSP eligibility is on GOV.UK.[2]
  • Unauthorized deductions: may be claimed at an Employment Tribunal after ACAS early conciliation.[3]

FAQ

How do I report unpaid wages or a National Minimum Wage breach?
Gather payslips and hours records and report to HMRC using their National Minimum Wage complaint route; HMRC investigates and can recover arrears.[1]
Who enforces statutory sick pay (SSP) disputes?
SSP entitlement and employer obligations are set out on GOV.UK; disputes about SSP may be resolved through ACAS early conciliation and Employment Tribunals if necessary.[2]
Do I have to use ACAS before going to a tribunal?
Yes, you must contact ACAS for early conciliation before submitting an Employment Tribunal claim; ACAS provides a free early conciliation service online and by phone.[3]

How-To

  1. Collect evidence: payslips, contracts, time sheets, messages and bank statements showing unpaid amounts.
  2. Raise the issue with your employer in writing and request a response and correction within a set timeframe.
  3. If unresolved, submit a report to HMRC for National Minimum Wage complaints or check GOV.UK guidance for SSP queries.[1][2]
  4. Contact ACAS for early conciliation to try to resolve the dispute before lodging an Employment Tribunal claim.[3]
  5. If conciliation fails, submit an Employment Tribunal claim within the time limit stated by GOV.UK and the ACAS process.

Key Takeaways

  • Report wage or SSP breaches to HMRC and use ACAS early conciliation before tribunal action.
  • Keep clear evidence: payslips, hours and bank records to support any complaint.
  • Use official guidance pages linked below to follow the correct reporting and appeal routes.

Help and Support / Resources

  1. [1] GOV.UK - Complain about the National Minimum Wage
  2. [2] GOV.UK - Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) guidance
  3. [3] ACAS - Early conciliation

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