To be annoyed that I have been paid too much?

[FrameyMcFrame]

We have NO money today, will run out of petrol soon and milk/bread by the end of the day.
My work has been paying me too much for 4 months and has reclaimed the extra from this months paypacket which has left us with not enough to make it through the month. :(
It'sd my own fault, I knew they were paying me too much but I just accepted it. I wish they could just pay me the right amount though.
I'm also owed self employed earnings of £400 so I will ring and ask my self employed boss to pay me, but she is not very nice and will resent being told to pay me.

It's gutting to have to work 6 days a week in 2 jobs and have only £1.80 to my name.

Yabu.you knew you were being overpaid, why did you spend it and not tell your employer?!

I thought they could only take it back in amounts that wouldn't leave you in financial hardship?

Ah that's horrid. Yes shouldn't have spent the extra pay but we're all only human and I can understand why you did. Is it not possible to speak to your employer and ask for assistance? I was a vaguely similar position some years ago - hadn't been paying enough tax (who checks their tax??) and just before Christmas the tax office whipped it all out of my pay, leaving me precisely £0 for the month. I spoke to my employer and they advanced some of my following months pay to help out - meant I had to budget very carefully for a couple of months but better than having nothing? Is this an option?

Could you negotiate with them to take the money out over 4 months?

I suggest you ask rather than tell your self employed boss to pay you and speak to the employer that have been overpaying you about deducting it over a longer period. My company failed to deduct the money for my child are vouchers one month and neither I nor they noticed for 6 months but they agreed to deduct it over two months so worth asking.

If dh gets over paid they are only allowed to reclaim it in small amounts each month - worth investigating to see if they are actually allowed to take it all back in one go.

Poor you, YANBU, I would have done what you did as would most people on a tight budget.

I'm rubbish with money. The first month I think it was right because it was the first month in the job and HR had said I would be paid more because I'd started later in the month so I would get extra. But the next month the pay was the same as the first, so I did know it was too much but I just spent it anyway, not on frivolous things, just new clothes for the kids etc.
I can't ring and ask them because I feel guilty for taking the extra money.
I will ring my self employed boss now though.
I know I have been unreasonable, but I just wish they had payed me appropriately then I wouldn't be in this mess.

I can also borrow money from my Mum if the worst comes to the worst :(
What an idiot.

How long til next payday? Or benefit payment?

Why on earth did you spend it if you knew they would ask for it back?

Just talked to Mum and she will make us lunch and will lend me money if I can't get my self employed money by this evening.
I am doing some extra work on Thursday for which I will be paid cash. I don't get any benefits, I earn too much but it's all coming in at different times in the month.
If I was a really efficient and organised person it would be fine but I'm crap.

I guess I hoped they wouldn't notice.

Thanks Ladyintheradiator

So you didn't tell them because you ate crap with money or because you hoped they wouldn't notice?
They are partially responsible for putting you in this position but the majority of the blame lies with you.
I got over paid once, £4000 dropped in my account one morning. I rang and told them, they insisted it was correct so I put in my savings account loe and behold a few days later I was informed it was incorrect and I let them take it the next month and some the month after. But it didn't make a difference as I had the money in my savings account. So I didn't end up getting screwed.
I am sorry you are in this position, but may e next time you will be more honest and think further than a few weeks in front.

To be honest its your own fault, but they're a bit questionable taking it all back at once.

Thanks for the messages, I have got my self employed wage now so we should be ok.
I will know better in future.

They are supposed to take it back over the same period they overpaid it, so over four months. And as far as I know they are supposed to get your agreement (signature) on the repayments before they do it.