Minimum Wage Complaint — Gig Worker Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to challenge pay that falls below minimum wage when all hours are considered, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong minimum wage complaint — gig worker should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Assert worker status
• Calculate average hourly rate including waiting and preparation time
• Identify the shortfall against the minimum wage for your age
• Claim repayment of arrears
• Reference the National Minimum Wage Act 1998

Why "per task" pay can fall below minimum wage

If you're paid per delivery, per job, or per task rather than by the hour, it's genuinely possible to earn below National Minimum Wage once all your actual working time is properly accounted for — including waiting time between jobs, if you're required to be available and can't use that time freely for other purposes.

What to include before you send it

• A calculation of your total hours worked (including qualifying waiting time) against total pay received
• The relevant minimum wage rate for your age band
• The shortfall you've calculated between what you were paid and what minimum wage requires
• A request for back payment of the difference

What counts as working time for this calculation

This is genuinely complex and has been the subject of significant legal disputes — broadly, if you're required to be logged in, available, and unable to freely do other things during waiting periods, that time may count as working time for minimum wage purposes, not just the time actively completing a task.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be classified as a "worker" for minimum wage rights to apply?
Yes — minimum wage entitlement applies to workers and employees, not to genuinely self-employed contractors, so establishing your status is often the key first step.

How do I prove how many hours I actually worked?
Platform app data, login and logout times, and your own records of shifts or availability periods can all help build an accurate picture of your actual working time.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Email Address]
[Your Phone Number]
[Name of Platform/Company]
[Company Address]
[Company Postcode]
[Date]

Dear [Name of Contact, or "Payroll Department"],

Subject: National Minimum Wage shortfall

I am writing to make a formal complaint about my pay. I work as a [Your Role, e.g. Courier / Driver] through your platform, and started on [Start Date].

I believe I am a "worker" under section 230(3)(b) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 [in Northern Ireland: the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996], because [e.g. I must do the work personally and you control the terms]. As a worker, I am entitled to the National Minimum Wage under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 for all my working time, including waiting time when I must be available and cannot use that time freely.

For [Start Date of Period] to [End Date of Period], my earnings divided by my working hours came to £[amount] an hour, which is below the minimum wage of £[rate for your age] an hour. I calculate the shortfall as £[Amount].

Please pay this shortfall within 14 days. If it is not resolved, I may report this to HMRC, which enforces the minimum wage on behalf of the Fair Work Agency, and contact Acas [in Northern Ireland: the Labour Relations Agency] about a tribunal claim.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]