Three UK football clubs found to be illegally underpaying staff

Martin Macdonald

• 24 Mar 2026 11:30 CDT
• 2 min read

News

Three football clubs in the United Kingdom have been found to be illegally underpaying their staff as part of an investigation by the Department of Business and Trade (DBT).

Last week, the government announced that 389 employers across the country have been ordered to pay £12.6 million in penalties after it was discovered that £7.3m worth of wages were not paid to employees working below the minimum wage.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said:

"The vast majority of businesses in this country do the right thing by paying their staff properly and playing by the rules. It’s not fair on them when others are able to get ahead by not paying the wages their workers are owed.

"A good employer doesn’t build their business on the back of unpaid wages, and I look forward to working with the new Fair Work Agency to ensure its powers are used to crack down on those who think the rules don’t apply to them."

The three football clubs involved are Championship sides Norwich City and Charlton Athletic and Northern Premier League outfit Bedworth United.

The DBT discovered that Bedworth had failed to pay £6,365.29 to seven workers, while Charlton Athletic failed to pay £17,983.18 to 45 workers and Norwich City failed to pay £99,021.76 to 1,152 workers.

Bryan Simpson, lead organiser from Unite Hospitality said: “It’s deeply concerning to see workers in football clubs as well as the wider service industry being underpaid, with giants like Costa alone owing nearly £150,000 to over 2,700 workers.

“This reflects a wider problem in hospitality and service sectors, where too many staff are still being short-changed. Employers must act quickly to repay what’s owed and ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

This marks the first ‘naming round’ since the Chancellor’s Budget commitment to publish results more frequently. It increases pressure on employers to keep their payroll accurate and up to date, while giving workers greater confidence that if they are treated unfairly, action will be taken quickly.

Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden said:

"Nobody should finish a week’s work and find they’ve been paid less than they’ve earned. I believe in a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.

"That’s why we’re cracking down on employers who underpay. We’re making sure workers get the hard earned pay they deserve.

"I encourage every employer to check their payroll to ensure they don’t get caught out."

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