Any payroll, employers that can help me please?

[Wheresmymoneygone]

Already posted in AIBU hoping to get more responses but didn't get any answers

Recently started a new job with a smallish company. I’m on a salary and paid the same amount every month. Another woman that works for the company told me that the director is terrible with payroll, always forgetting to pay people their mileage/expenses along with their salary, doesn’t always give payslips or when he’s asked for them will say he’ll sort it but never does - you get the picture!

Anyway, the first month I’d been paid he forgot to pay me my mileage/expenses. I mentioned it to him the same day and he apologised and it was in my bank account the following day, fine no problem. When I asked for my payslip he told me that he didn’t have one for me this month because I hadn’t been put on the payroll yet. I want my payslips as I want to see how much I’m contributing to my pension (workplace pension auto enrolment).

Now as not to drip feed - I was on universal credit for two months before I started this job and the the first month I wasn’t entitled to any money because my last pay day (from old job) had fallen in the assessment period (not an issue just info for you). When I started this job I was told to leave my account open, report that I’d started work and then universal credit would see I’d been paid from my new job in a months time and they’d close my account for me, except this didn’t happen. Instead I received an email from them stating that “they’d put my account on hold because I’d reported that I’d started work but no earnings had been reported”. I was told to phone up as I had to prove I hadn’t received any wages (which obviously I didn’t do because I knew that I had been paid but my employer must not have reported it to HMRC. I’d also have to pay the money back if I took it so there really wasn’t any point in doing so).

I’ve even had a look on my government account which shows my national Insurance contributions and previous employers who are all listed but under my current employer the company isn’t on there. Why would that be? I’ve definitely had money taken off my salary for last months pay as I worked it out myself, around £250 so if he’s not reported my earnings to HMRC where the hell has that money gone? I was also expecting to receive an email in regards to being enrolled into the pension scheme like I did with my previous job but haven’t. It’s obviously harder to know what’s been paid/what hasn’t without a payslip. Is there anyway I can get one from somewhere else, HMRC themselves?
I want to make sure that everything is above board and that I’m paying towards my pension especially. The next pay day isn’t far away now so I’m waiting to see what happens and what his response is when I ask for my payslip.

I know that there is another lady (told me herself) who receives her payslip every month as she always emails him and asks for it so I’m unsure as to why he can’t do the same with me. The job itself is great and I work with a really nice bunch of people but I just can’t get rid of this little niggle. Am I right to be worried? Does this sound dodgy to you or could there be another explanation for all of this? I also suspect that I'll pay more tax this month (if he hasn't put me on the payroll last month) so my salary will go through as two payments next payday. Am I right?

Thank you for your help

I run payroll for my company and the only possibility I could think of is that maybe he didn't add you to the actual payroll and forgot so he paid you manually and deducted his best guess for tax etc Then your next pay will show your backdated months pay less the amount he paid you, it's not the correct way but it is a little like having a sub which is done sometimes when employees start after the payroll has been run for the month. Then on the next months payroll it goes through as backdated pay and a corresponding deduction for how much they manually paid you if that makes sense.
You should be able to ask him now reached the pay he did and if he is adding it to your payroll on the next pay run.
with everything you've said about him it does sound plausible he ran the payroll forgot to tell you and had to work it our manually as his pay run had already gone through the system to HMRC. It would also explain why you've had no paperwork from the pension provider either although it is normal for companies to have a 3 month period before the auto enrolment kicks in. This is what we do our employees are only enrolled after their 3rd month onto the pension so maybe check if that is the case too.

And yes if he back pays you you will pay more tax but it should even back out through the year when they realise your normal pay each month.

Thank you so much @Nottsangel2015 for your helpful response You've confirmed what I was thinking. Slightly annoyed at the fact I might pay more tax this month because of the error though (even though I know I'll get it back eventually). Can't really afford it but hey ho, just wish employers would be more considerate about things like this. I was offered the job at the beginning of November as well so he knew I would be paid in December with everyone else but never mind. Thanks again for your time

Your welcome! I hope he confirms and all is ok :-)

I don't suppose you would know this @Nottsangel2015 with being in payroll, but what would happen if an employee is left short because of an error made by the employer? (Like this one) ..... obviously I won't know until I'm paid but if indeed this is the case and I pay more tax is there anything I can do about that? I would imagine I'll pay a lot more in tax and I will struggle with my bills/rent because of the short fall.

If that is the case It will leave me in a really hard position so I'm worrying now!

I'm a chartered accountant. It is a legal requirement for your employer to enrol you as an employee BEFORE you are paid for the first time under the government's RTI legislation. You would have received a tax coding notice from HMRC almost immediately. The most likely scenario is that your employer has not enrolled you as an employee, has deducted Nic, pension and PAYE from your wages by estimating the amount due (very easy to do) and has not paid them across to the relevant authorities is is keeping them himself. I assume this is a small owner managed business. Legally you must receive abpayslip. I would have serious concerns given the warning your colleague has given you.