While the vast majority of employers pay their employees at least the National Minimum Wage, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has today released some of the most absurd excuses used for not paying the legal minimum.

Last year (2020 to 2021) HMRC helped more than 155,000 workers across the UK recover more than £16 million in pay which was due to them, and also issued more than £14 million in penalties.

Some of the most ridiculous excuses for flouting the law included:

1. “She does not deserve the National Minimum Wage because she only makes the teas and sweeps the floors.”
2. “The employee was not a good worker, so I did not think they deserved to be paid the National Minimum Wage.”
3. “My accountant and I speak a different language – he does not understand me, and that is why he does not pay my workers the correct wages.”
4. “My employee is still learning so they are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage.”
5. “It is part of UK culture not to pay young workers for the first three months as they have to prove their ‘worth’ first.”
6. “The National Minimum Wage does not apply to my business.”
7. “I have got an agreement with my workers that I will not pay them the National Minimum Wage; they understand, and they even signed a contract to this effect.”
8. “I thought it was okay to pay young workers below the National Minimum Wage as they are not British and therefore do not have the right to be paid it.”
9. “My workers like to think of themselves as being self-employed and the National Minimum Wage does not apply to people who work for themselves.”
10. “My workers are often just on standby when there are no customers in the shop; I only pay them for when they are actually serving someone.”

Steve Timewell, Director Individuals and Small Business Compliance, HMRC, said:

“The majority of UK employers pay their workers at least the National Minimum Wage, but this list shows some of the excuses provided to our enforcement officers by less scrupulous businesses. Being underpaid is no joke for workers, so we always apply the law and take action. Workers cannot be asked or told to sign-away their rights.

“We are making sure that workers are being paid what they are entitled to and, as the economy reopens, reminding employers of the rules and the help that is available to them.

“HMRC reviews every complaint made about the minimum wage, so if you think you are being short-changed, or are a business that is unsure of the rules or needs help to get things right, get in touch and we will help you. But any employer deliberately or unapologetically underpaying their staff will face hefty fines and other enforcement action.”

The National Minimum Wage hourly rates are currently:

• £8.91 - Age 23 or over (National Living Wage)
• £8.36 - Age 21 to 22
• £6.56 - Age 18 to 20
• £4.62 - Age under 18
• £4.30 - Apprentice.

HMRC is reminding workers to check the hourly rate of pay they are actually getting, and to also check any deductions or unpaid working time, as part of the Government’s commitment to build back fairer from the pandemic.

Anyone not being paid what they are entitled to can complain online at https://www.gov.uk/minimum-wage-complaint. If they want to speak with someone, in confidence, they should phone the Acas Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0300 123 1100, who can transfer the call to HMRC.

Employers can also contact the Acas Helpline for free help and advice or visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/calculating-the-minimum-wage to find out more.

Further Information

1.  Further information about the National Minimum Wage, including who is eligible, is available on GOV.UK at:

• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/calculating-the-minimum-wage
• https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage/who-gets-the-minimum-wage
• https://checkyourpay.campaign.gov.uk/

And on the Acas website at: www.acas.org.uk/pay-and-wages.

2.  HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the enforcement of, and compliance with, the National Minimum Wage Act. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is responsible for National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) policy.

3.  National Minimum Wage hourly rates (from 1 April 2021) are:

• Age 23 or over (National Living Wage): £8.91
• Age 21 to 22: £8.36
• Age 18 to 20: £6.56
• Age under 18: £4.62
• Apprentice: £4.30.

4.  By law workers must be paid at least the minimum wage for their age. Information about how to complain or raise concerns can be found on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/minimum-wage-complaint

5.  Employers who do not pay the NMW can be publicly ‘named and shamed’. The most recent list was published by BEIS on 5 August 2021. Those who blatantly fail to comply can face criminal prosecution, but most employers pay up when they realise mistakes have been made.

6. You are entitled to the apprentice rate if you are an apprentice aged:

• under 19
• 19 or over and in the first year of your apprenticeship.

If you are 19 or over and have completed the first year of your current apprenticeship, you are entitled to the minimum wage for your age.

Find out more at: https://checkyourpay.campaign.gov.uk/#are_you_an_apprentice_

7.  The two most common causes of minimum wage underpayment are deductions and unpaid working time. Examples include:

• Expenses for tools or equipment needed for the job
• Cost of uniform or clothing connected with the job
• Travelling time between work locations
• Training time.

8.  Employers can get help and advice on paying the correct minimum wage from the Acas Helpline on 0300 123 1100 or from GOV.UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/calculating-the-minimum-wage

9.  The Acas Pay and Work Rights Helpline is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Calls are confidential, and the advice is free (0300 phone charges apply).

10.  Follow HMRC’s Press Office on Twitter @HMRCpressoffice

If you asked the average Kenyan to name the country’s leading sources of forex, you would hear mention of tourism, tea, or horticultural exports. Few would mention diaspora remittances, even though money sent back home by Kenyans living and working abroad has now become the biggest source of forex in Kenya, surpassing traditional export earners like tourism.

Data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) indicates that the total inflows in the 12 months leading to June 2021 totaled a record $3.38 billion (Sh365.6 billion), a 20.3 percent jump compared to $2.81 billion (Sh303.9) billion same period in 2020. Using CBK data from the first five months of 2021, we look at the top 10 countries that account for the lion’s share of money sent back home.

The U.S.

The number one spot goes to the U.S. The intimidating long queues of people seeking travel visas at the U.S. embassy in Gigiri show the strong lure of the American dream.

There are an estimated 120,000 Kenyans in the U.S. They sent back home $839 million (sh91 billion) in the first five months of the year.

An interesting fact is that Kenyan immigrants working in the US have in the past been ranked as the third most industrious foreigners. They scored 73.4 percent to emerge third in the list of the hard-working and most skilled immigrant groups in the US, according to a 2018 Bloomberg report. The research ranks Ghanaians and Bulgarians at positions one and two, with 75.2 percent and 74.2 percent, respectively.

The U.K.

Kenya has a shared heritage with the U.K., given the colonial legacy of the European power. Many of the oldest companies and institutions in the country have their roots in Britain and it is no surprise that the island nation hosts a sizeable Kenyan community. Kenyans mainly go to the U.K. for work and study. Cumulatively they sent home $142.5 million (Sh15.4 billion) in the first five months of the year.

Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia depends heavily on migrant workers to drive its economy. Many Kenyans have moved to the oil-rich state in search of greener pastures in recent years. The country also serves as an international religious site, hosting millions of Muslims each year for the annual Hajj celebrations at Mecca, which is considered a holy city in Islam.  Kenyans working in Saudi Arabia sent home $59.6 million (Sh6.4 billion) between January and May this year.

Germany

Germany is another important source of remittances for Kenya. Despite the language barrier, the European country hosts a significant number of Kenyans who immigrated to the country for work and study. As one of the most powerful countries in the European Union, Germany continues to lead Europe in terms of accommodative immigration policy, allowing many foreigners to leave and work without fear of deportation. Kenyans in Germany sent back $45.9 million (sh4.9 billion) in the first five months of 2021.

Australia

Australia, the country that is an island and a continent at the same time, has always been an attractive destination for Kenyans. Those that migrate there mostly do so for study and careers in respectable fields like medicine and engineering among others. Most Kenyans in Australia live in the urban areas of Sidney and Melbourne as most of the country is desert-land with harsh conditions. Kenyans in Australia sent home $43 million (sh4.6 billion) in the first five months of the year.

Canada

Canada enjoys the reputation of having one of the most relaxed and welcoming immigration policies among western countries. The Canadian government has been intentional about attracting skilled migrants and students given the country’s small and aging population – its citizens’ number 39 million in 2019, roughly the same size as the State of California. Notable Kenyans in Canada include firebrand lawyer Miguna Miguna. Kenyans in Canada sent back $40.4 million (Sh4.3 billion) between January and May this year.

Qatar

Another Gulf state with a sizeable migrant population in Qatar. Like Saudi Arabia, Qatar depends on migrant workers to drive its oil-rich economy, creating opportunities for people looking for opportunities to work abroad to move there. Kenyans living in Qatar sent home $29.5 million (sh3.2 billion) in the first five months of the year.

Switzerland

Fewer countries offer a higher quality of life for residents and migrants alike than Switzerland. Known for its fine watches, mountainous terrain, and long history of non-involvement in armed conflict, Switzerland offers one of the best lives abroad. Workers are guaranteed high wages, quality health insurance, and good pensions.  The few Kenyans living there were able to send home $20.3 million (sh2.2 billion) between January and May this year.

United Arab Emirates

Perhaps the most popular of the Gulf states owing to the profile of Dubai as an international holiday and business destination, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) hosts a sizeable Kenyan population. UAE is also considered more tolerant than other gulf states. Kenyans in the UAE sent home $19.8 million (Sh2.1 billion) in the first five months of the year.

Tanzania

Among African countries, Tanzania tops the list of top sources of remittances, having displaced South Africa which for a long time accounted for most money sent into Kenya. Our neighbors to the South sent back $18.4 million (Sh1.9 billion) in the first five months of the year.

While this list may change for the remainder of the year, it is unlikely that the U.S. will lose its top spot. Industry experts also observe that technology and affordability are set to accelerate remittances, which defied the effects of Covid-19 in 2020. The uses of remittances are also expected to remain unchanged, with education and healthcare taking the lion’s share.

“Affordability and convenience remain the top priorities for most people sending and receiving money across borders. Over the past year, we’ve focused on meeting these priorities and ensuring an affordable service for our customers,” said Sharon Kinyanjui, Director Europe, Middle East, and Africa Receive Markets at WorldRemit.”  “Education is likely to remain a key use of remittances, and this will only increase with the packed school calendar post-covid,” she added. Soko Directory Team

In this image made from video, Rwandan soldiers gather at the airport in Mocimboa da Praia, Cabo Delgado province, Mozambique, Monday, Aug. 9, 2021. Fresh from recapturing the strategic northern Mozambican port of Mocimboa da Praia held by Islamic extremist rebels for a year, Rwandan and Mozambican troops say they are pursuing the insurgents into the surrounding areas. Photo AP/Marc Hoogsteyns

MOCIMBOA DA PRAIA, Mozambique -- Fresh from recapturing a strategic northern Mozambican port held by Islamic extremist rebels for a year, Rwandan and Mozambican troops say they are pursuing the insurgents into the surrounding areas.

After retaking Mocimboa da Praia earlier this week, leaders of the joint force of Mozambican military and 1,000 Rwandan army troops say they will be chasing the insurgents and seeking to establish peace and stability in the northern Cabo Delgado province.

“Our actions talk more than words. As you can see, today we are free. We have Mocimboa da Praia freed from terrorists but this is the first stage,” Mozambican army commander Christorao Artur Chume told The Associated Press.

"The next stage is to move forward, to go to their big stronghold to defeat them so that this part of Cabo Delgado can be free from terrorists,” he said Monday.

The commander of the Rwandan Defence Force mission in Mozambique, Innocent Kabandana, said the retaking of Mocimboa da Praia is the first step in restoring stability to the province.

“We believe that this is a process. It is a gradual thing, so fighting is the initial part, destroying those strongholds is the initial part,” Kabandana said.

“But the stabilization phase is also another phase. We believe we want to play a part as we progress toward (establishing) the whole peaceful area of Cabo Delgado,” he said. It's not certain how long the Rwandan troops would be in Mozambique, he said.

The retaking of Mocimboa da Praia is the most notable success of the Rwandan troops since they arrived last month and rapidly helped Mozambique’s armed forces achieve victories against the insurgents. Before the deployment of the Rwandan forces, Mozambique’s military and police had not succeeded in stemming the rebels’ offensives.

In their four-year insurgency the extremist rebels, loosely allied to the Islamic State group, extended their influence over a large area and created a humanitarian emergency in Cabo Delgado province. More than 3,000 Mozambicans have been killed and 800,000 people displaced by the rebellion. Nearly 1 million people need urgent food aid as a result of the conflict, according to the U.N. World Food Program.

Earlier this year the insurgents forced the French energy firm Total to pull out of its $20 billion liquified natural gas project near Palma, further north on the Indian Ocean coastline. Mozambican media report that the financing for the Rwandan troops’ mission in Mozambique is coming from France.

The joint Mozambican and Rwandan force is visibly in control of Mocimboa da Praia, patrolling public and private buildings, the port, the airport, the hospital, markets and restaurants. Mocimboa da Praia port is key to transporting supplies to other parts of Cabo Delgado province, including the liquified natural gas project.

Local residents said they hope that daily life will return to normal in Mocimboa da Praia.

"We have peace now. We were instructed to leave the forests as soldiers were advancing on the ground and in airplanes. We then gathered together and left the forest,” said Joao da Silva, a father of four and resident of the nearby Mute village.

“Ever since the soldiers came here, we can afford a good night’s sleep.” said da Silva. "We are very thankful to them. Before they came, we were being chased around like goats. Children would suffer in the forest. Nowadays we are back to civilization. We are thankful.” - MARC HOOGSTEYNS, Associated Press/ABC News