Businesses in York have been advised to check payroll records to make sure they are compliant with National Minimum Wage (NMW) requirements, in light of what Leeds-based accountancy firm Azets, which has offices in York, describes as an "uptick in enforcement action by the tax authorities."

Statistics are taken from a new report from the Department for Business and Trade, which reviews government evidence on enforcement and compliance around NMW in 2022 to 2023, and which is available to view at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670698b2e84ae1fd8592f0a9/2022-to-2023-national-minimum-wage-enforcement-and-compliance-report.pdf

The current Labour government has since shared plans to recruit 5,000 more tax officers over the next five years.

Kyle Newton is head of national minimum wage at Azets, which employs 137 people in its York office in Monks Cross Drive.

He said of the Department for Business and Trade report: "My key takeaway from this report is the sheer scale of HMRC enforcement.

"Since 1999, 90,000 investigations have been completed and 1.5 million workers have received NMW arrears."

The NMW rate has been £11.44 since last April, but this report covered the 2022 to 2023 financial year when the rate was between £9.50 and £10.42.

New NMW rates are to be announced in the Autumn Statement at the end of this month.