More than 90 employers who owed workers over £1.8 million by failing to pay the national minimum wage have been "named and shamed" by the Government.
The companies are in sectors including hairdressing, social care, hospitality and security, with most of the total, £1.7 million, owed by Total Security Services of London.
It was the biggest single amount of money for a company discovered since the Government started naming and shaming firms in 2013 for refusing to pay the statutory rate.
Almost 500 firms have now been publicly named by the Government, with total arrears of over £3 million and total penalties of £1.1 million.
Business Minister Nick Boles said: "There is no excuse for not paying staff the wages they're entitled to.
"Our policy of naming and shaming employers who ignore the law means there are consequences for their reputation as well as their wallets.
"In April we will introduce a new National Living Wage which will mean a pay rise of over £900 a year for someone working full time on the minimum wage and we will enforce this equally robustly."
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Ministers are right to name and shame these companies. Today's list contains many well-known household names and the level of underpayment in some cases is truly eye-watering.
"Now is not the time for complacency, however. We know that thousands more rogue employers are cheating their staff and getting away with it. It is essential that HMRC catches up with them too.
"Bosses who try to duck the minimum wage must have nowhere to hide. Strong unions are needed in every workplace to stop these abuses from happening."
Tim Roache, GMB general secretary elect, said: "If unions were allowed to make complaints and if local councils had powers to investigate them, far more employers would join the list of those named and shamed. Abusing the apprentice rate of £3.30 per hour by using fake training schemes could be rooted out."