AIBU to query payslip using new part-time salary for February?

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Posting in AIBU as I honestly don’t know where to post this and I need lots of advice before I spiral!

At my workplace our salaries are backdated to the month before, so for example
hours worked in Feb are paid end of march. In February my monthly salary was £1200 after deductions, five days a week. Sadly I had to take time off for stress to look after my disabled daughter, which I received a fit note for. HR informed me that as this took me over the yearly sick pay allowance, I would just receive SSP. So my salary minus £500 OSP plus SSP. Hope you’re still following!

On the 6th march I signed a new contract to work two days per week to have more time to care for my daughter.

I have just received my payslip for this month and it is £160. They have used my new salary of £540, minus £700 OSP, plus £350 SSP.

My question is - since my new contract was not signed until 6th march and the pay is for February, should it not be based on my old salary of £1200 which I was contracted to in February?

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

Are you sure it’s two months in arrears - that’s very unusual? Did you work a month and not get paid at the start?

Before querying it, check you’re not comparing apples with oranges. You’re comparing net pays, which may be misleading.

Work out your gross daily rate in February. Add up your normal days at the gross daily rate, then the sick days at SSP. How does that compare with the gross monthly figure you’ve received in March (for the February period).

If it’s out, enquire with your payroll team.

Are you absolutely sure salary is in arrears? It would normally be March salary minus feb sickness.

Like a PP said, did you work a full month there before your first pay?

Thankyou, I think you’re sadly right, it was march pay minus Feb sickness. I have no idea how I am going to live on £160!

Ask if you can split the sickness deduction over a few months? My workplace does this. Or can you be paid some annual leave instead of sickness?

You can ask payroll how they work it out, then go from there. Not as a complaint, just a query. My pay was wrongly calculated whilst off sick recently and it took me 3 months to get it right. Polite persistence (being annoying) paid off.

Thankyou both, I will ask HR tomorrow about the possibility of splitting the sickness deduction but I don’t get annual leave, I work in education, so monthly salary and school
holidays!
I may just grin and bear it, I am paid DLA on the 6th so would at least have the £160 just to last 11 days x