Grand Theft Auto Vi studio listed by HMRC for underpaying staff, government orders repayment
HMRC has placed Rockstar Games UK Limited on its wage-debtor list after finding staff tied to grand theft auto vi development were underpaid; the agency ordered the company to repay the shortfall. The entry shows five employees at Rockstar North’s Edinburgh office were owed £1, 396. 73 in total, and HMRC’s wider probe into wage violations named hundreds of employers. The action follows recent labour disputes and layoffs at the studio, and HMRC has assessed penalties as part of a larger enforcement package.
Grand Theft Auto Vi studio named on HMRC list
HMRC published a list that included 389 employers who failed to meet wage rules, placing Rockstar Games UK Limited at number 235. The list identifies a total unpaid sum of £1, 396. 73 for five staff members linked to the company’s Edinburgh office at Holyrood Road; that averages roughly £279. 34 per affected worker on this specific entry. HMRC has ordered Rockstar to pay the full amount to those employees and has issued penalties across all named employers as part of enforcement action into wage violations.
Immediate reactions from officials and unions
Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, issued a public condemnation of the practice and said, “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. ” Tracy Gilbert, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, described the situation in parliamentary remarks as a “Grand Theft Tax. ”
The HMRC enforcement encompassed broader figures beyond the single Rockstar entry: the agency assessed penalties totaling £12. 6M alongside £7. 3M in unpaid wages across the employers it named. The enforcement action stemmed from an HMRC probe into wage violations tied to failure to meet National Minimum Wage requirements for affected workers.
What happens next
HMRC has ordered the repayment for the five workers named in the Rockstar entry; wider enforcement and penalties have been levied against multiple employers under the probe. The studio has faced recent labour disputes, including layoffs and legal action from the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain, and political attention that has escalated scrutiny of its payroll and workplace practices. The studio has not issued a statement yet.
Officials and unions will likely monitor repayments and any further HMRC action closely; investigators and regulators retain the ability to pursue additional compliance measures as the wider enforcement program proceeds. The situation remains under official review, and affected workers are listed for restitution as HMRC continues its wage-enforcement work involving employers named on the list tied to grand theft auto vi development.
