Five Bedfordshire businesses are on a Government list of employers named for failing to pay their staff the National Minimum Wage.

They include:

> Mrs Monaza Malik, trading as Marsh Bears Nursery, Luton, LU3, failed to pay £7,025.40 to 7 workers.

> Whitbread Group PLC, Dunstable, LU5, failed to pay £4,193.39 to 342 workers.

A general view of Caxton House, where Britain's Department for Work and Pensions is based. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

placeholder image — A general view of Caxton House, where Britain's Department for Work and Pensions is based. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

> Aristo-Tots Private Nursery School Limited, Bedford, MK40, failed to pay £3,642.53 to 11 workers.

> Tenpin Ltd, Bedford, MK43, failed to pay £1,660.07 to 67 workers.

> Universally Speaking Ltd, Wyboston, MK44, failed to pay £1,588.36 to 10 workers.

In total around 660 employers have been named in a list issued by the Government earlier this week.

Around £4 million has been returned to over 27,000 workers who had been denied the pay they were legally owed, with penalties totalling £7 million issued to the employers responsible.

The announcement is the latest step in the Government’s commitment to publish naming lists more regularly so that bosses are swiftly held to account and make improvements as soon as possible.

Since first launching in 2011, more than £100 million in penalties have been issued to over 5,200 employers, leading to over £66 million being repaid to 650,000 workers.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: "The best businesses know that looking after your workers isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do, building the stronger, more successful businesses that drive growth in every postcode.

“Most employers already understand this, and I want to work with them to ensure they have every piece of guidance and support available to help them follow the rules.

Short-changing your staff isn’t a shortcut to success and we are determined to stamp it out.”