The naming and shaming of five employers who breached minimum wage laws is a good start but more needs to be done, the TUC said yesterday.

The government said the naming of the individuals was a "clear warning" to employers, but the trade union group said more action was needed in terms of enforcement.

Five employers from Macclesfield, Manchester, Edinburgh, Middlesbrough and Carmarthen "neglected" to pay workers sums ranging from £225 to £1,700.

Peter Oakes of Peter Oakes Ltd, Macclesfield, neglected to pay £3,619.70 to two workers.

Lisa Maria Cathcart of Salon Sienna, Manchester, failed to pay a worker £1,760.48.

Mohammed Yamin of Minto Guest House, Edinburgh, "missed" a worker's £808.56.

Anne Henderson of Chambers Hairdressers, Middlesbrough, did not pay £452.22 to a worker.

And Ruzi Ruzyyev, a car-wash operator in Carmarthen, left £225.38 unpaid.

Speaking yesterday Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "Paying less than the minimum wage is illegal. If employers break the law they need to know that they will face tough consequences.

"We know that people are put off using a business service if it is found guilty of not paying its workers the minimum wage. This is a clear warning to employers: you will damage your reputation and face a stiff penalty if you don't pay the minimum wage."

And he added: "If anyone suspects they are not being paid the wage they are legally entitled to they should call the pay and work rights helpline."

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "It's good to see the government naming and shaming these minimum wage dodgers. This should provide a strong disincentive to other rogue companies contemplating breaking the law.

"However, all of those named so far have been small businesses who have underpaid a couple of members of staff. There are companies out there who are cheating hundreds of staff out of a legal minimum wage. These are the biggest offenders and their pay crimes must be made public too.

"This is a welcome start towards a more transparent enforcement of the legal minimum wage and we urge ministers to expose many more dishonest employers in the coming months."