A NEW Forest Hotel has been named and shamed for failing to pay staff a minimum wage.

Careys Manor Hotel in Brockenhurst failed to pay £1,706.13 to four workers.

More than 13,000 low paid workers will be handed around £2 million in back pay after government investigations pinpointed firms not offering a National Minimum Wage or a Living Wage.

The review identified 233 employers who had deprived staff of a full wage, with catalogue retailer Argos emerging as the worst offender.

Business minister Margot James said: "It is against the law to pay workers less than legal minimum wage rates, short-changing ordinary working people and undercutting honest employers.

"Today's naming round identifies a record £2 million of back pay for workers and sends the clear message to employers that the government will come down hard on those who break the law.

"Common errors made by employers in this round included deducting money from pay packets to pay for uniforms, failure to account for overtime hours, and wrongly paying apprentice rates to workers."

Retailers, hairdressers and hospitality firms were seen as the worst industries for under-paying staff.

James Hiley-Jones, managing director of Careys Manor, said the hotel had "inadvertently breached the minimum wage regulations" in calculating its inclusive staff accommodation package.

"As soon as we were notified we immediately corrected the error.

“We are under no illusion that our people are our greatest asset, and we pride ourselves on their commitment and talent. Naturally we immediately put right the miscalculation, reimbursed staff and apologised to those affected.”

The government has fined 1,200 employers around £4 million and forced them to pay out £6 million to staff since 2013.