The TUC estimates hundreds of thousands of workers are taking less money home than the law says they should be because of corrupt and dishonest employers.
The National Minimum Wage came into effect on 1 April 1999 and currently stands at £5.73 for workers aged 22, £4.77 for workers over 18 and £3.53 for those younger than 18. But the TUC has cited examples of a 32-year-old migrant employees being paid £4.10 per hour and a home worker earning between £1 and £3 per hour.
The TUC report shows hairdressing employees are most likely to make a minimum wage complaint with more than three employees in every 1,000 claiming underpayment.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "There must be no hiding place for rogue bosses. Our research suggests there are at least 1.5 million workers across the UK still losing out."
1.5 million paid less than minimum wage says TUC
One and a half million employees are still being 'cheated' out of a fair minimum wage, according to the TUC.
