Ruturning to work after maternity

[CraazyCatLady]

Hi there

I've been on maternity leave for 9 months, and am taking a full year off. Over two years ago I became a supervisor and had two pay increases, which made my salary nearly £2/hr more than I was previously on.
I have recently discussed returning to work, and am dropping my hours by two thirds. I have been told I can no longer be a supervisor, which is fine, and that I will need to go on the same rate as someone else in the team that is as experienced as me and not a supervisor.
A few days later I had confirmation of the hourly rate they want to put me on, which is supposedly the same as the other person. This rate is less than I was on over 2 years ago, before I became a supervisor.
I have asked them to look into this and make sure it's correct, as I was on more previously and would've had two cost of living increases since then and would be due another if I'd never stepped up and become a supervisor. This would've put me on a pound less than my current contract, rather than £2 less, that they're saying I'm to go on.
Where do I stand with this? Surely that's not at all fair to give me a pay cut because I'm reducing my hours after having a baby?

Thanks for any help.

Sorry for the typo in the title. I can't find how to edit it!

They probably can make you take a pay cut as you’re effectively changing your role within the company and with that comes a different pay.
Have you spoken to them about the discrepancy in pay. And highlighted that you’d be on less that when you did that role previously?

Yeah I've told them. They've not come back to me yet.
I totally accept that I need to go back to what I would've been on prior to being a supervisor, but I don't see how they could pay me less than I would've been on had I never been a supervisor.
They want me on the same as the other staff member, but it's not my fault she's on less than I was on a few years ago.

You need to look at their policies and whether returning to slower scale means going back to the start of the scale.

It is often the case although it doesn't make much sense.