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Original poster

Work have overpaid me ( nhs) am totally gutted ! Do I HAVE to pay it back all in one lump ?

25 replies

Fakeblondie · 03/11/2011 23:42

I feel sick :-(
I got a really good salary this month after working lots of overtime.
driving home today I was doing some figures in my head and thought maybe they had actually overpaid me and better check.
believe it or not my salary an easily be up and down by hundreds depending on shifts and overtime. Also will likely get some tax back at some point as not long back from math leave.
Anyway my 27 hours overtime has been doubled to 54 and my sat and sun enhancements the same.
basially they have overpaid me by around 500 quid net.
To say i' m gutted is an understatement.
I thought how nice to go into Christmas well stocked . I put a deposit down on centreparcs AND a bloody London show trip for my daughter and I which I would NEVER have done.
I can't not say anything it would be wrong, but I can't just cough up 500 quid. It's their mistake what are my chances of paying back half now and half next month ?
I know I'll find out when I call them tomorrow but just want to SHOUT ! Grrrrr . could be worse things I know but it's like I was all pleased with myself and now I'm well pissed off !
Sorry x

OP posts:

witchyhills · 03/11/2011 23:44

Personally, I wouldn't say anything
Shoot me

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 03/11/2011 23:47

Oooooh how annoying.

So you had more in your paycheque than you thought and splashed out, but now realise that you were wrong. And you're going to phone them tomorrow to fess up?

I don't know who you work for but I'd be seriously about any employer which didn't accept your proposal to pay back in two monthly installments. Hell, most people would keep quiet and whistle nonchalantly! In fact, I'd try and negotiate something more generous, if you're planning on coming clean with them.

Grumpla · 03/11/2011 23:49

You will have to pay it back, when they find out and ask for it back.

You could however save up the £500 until they ask for it back (or notify them once you have the £500 ready)

If they ask for it before you've finished saving the £500 you can reasonably ask for an instalment type scheme since it was their error. That's what I'd do - it wouldn't be right to keep the money but at the same time it was not your fault and you don't deserve a crap Xmas worrying about it as a result.

JustRedbin · 03/11/2011 23:51

Agree with Grumpla, keep it until they ask for it. After the end of the next financial year the chances are it will never be missed.

Geordieminx · 03/11/2011 23:55

Mary I think the clue to who the OP works for may be in the title

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 03/11/2011 23:56

Sorry, you do say who you work for.

Tempting to keep quiet and hope for the best but depends on how you feel about honesty, tbh.

(I also would, sensibly, put the money aside and then hope for the best.... Quietly...)

Grumpla · 03/11/2011 23:57

Just to clarify I do think you should give it back! Just on a timescale that doesn't cause you stress.

Original poster

Fakeblondie · 04/11/2011 00:31

hmmm. . . Tempting !
no I have to own up my self confidence is awful anyways without feeling like a criminal too ! I'd imagine everyone really knows and is waiting to handoff me ! Bloody NHS

OP posts:

Original poster

Fakeblondie · 04/11/2011 00:31

That's hand cuff sorry !

OP posts:

twinklytoes · 04/11/2011 06:41

mention it asap, there has been a lot of problems with the payroll provider at our place (one month everyone got the enhancements they needed, plus the month before again). This might be the case here and you won't be the only one.

You should be able to agree a repayment plan over a few months. however, in the example I've given we realised on payday when the whole team opened their payslips and everyone was 200-400 better off. As it was noted straight away they were informed everything would be adjusted the following month so it was suggested they put to one side the difference.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 04/11/2011 06:50

It is a pain but they will realise at some point. When I went back after maternity leave having dropped my hours so being pretty skint, I went back to a letter from hr telling me I had underpaid a season ticket loan (their fault) 5 years previously. Still had to pay it back.

MoaningMinnieWhingesAgain · 04/11/2011 11:20

You will have to pay it back. But they are generally willing to spread it over a few months, especially if you mention it would cause you financial hardship to PAY IT BACK IN ONE GO (AS YOU HAD SPENT IT IN GOOD FAITH) Oops caps.

whostolemyname · 04/11/2011 12:40

I was paid someones elses overtime once - nhs - and knew straight away as hadn't done any. I told them and even though i hadn't spent anything at all yet (only just got pay slip) they offered chance to pay back in stages so i wouldn't worry!

VivaLeBeaver · 04/11/2011 12:46

My trust did this to me. They said I could choose how many months I paid it back over. So we reached an agreement and as far as I know they still haven't taken anything back.....I think they've forgotten.

shouldibeaband7 · 04/11/2011 19:45

Same happened to me when I was on Mat leave (also NHS).

Told them as it was quite a large sum and they just asked me how long I needed to pay it back. I said twelve months, no query or problem.

Definately not advisable to say nothing as apart from your worrying about it, it could be contrued as fraud if they can reasonable say you would have notice the over payment but didn't alert them (don't know about your trust but ours it really hot on anything 'fraudulent these days).

plus3 · 04/11/2011 19:53

Fairly sure that the money cannot be automatically taken back from your next pay - I would own up though with a solution to pay back which is to your credit.

Saying that though, my friend got overpaid by £12K whilst on mat leave - it was 6yrs ago and they never discovered it. She waited for them to find out (whilst having the money in a bank account) Think she has put it towards their loft conversion now.

Dillydollydaydream · 05/11/2011 08:44

Overpaid by NHS here too!
I left my job in August and am still getting paid 2 months later.
Luckily I haven't spent it as I knew it was a mistake but having spoken to 3 different people I still haven't been asked about paying the ££s back!
I wouldn't be surprised if I get paid again this month too

PavlovtheCat · 05/11/2011 08:51

£500 could be paid back over several months, as you can genuinely demonstrate that there was good reason for you not to know the overpayment had occured (irregular payments) and you are financially out of pocket as a result, spending money in good faith that it was yours to spend, as a result of their error.

There are legal points that give you that right to pay it back over a period of time under those circs. It is called Mistake in Fact/Mistake in law - can't remember which one it is.

tiredgranny · 05/11/2011 12:28

i was overpaid by nhs they took out in lump sum i worked in 2 different depts within nhs i left one job they sent p45 although still working for nhs so in may june got 100 pound both months they told me would take in instalments but took the lot if sbs are doing u payroll they are crap so many mistakes and you can never get through to them they wrote me a letter last week about paying overpayment back even though have paid it they will find out and just take it

KellyKettle · 05/11/2011 12:46

I used to be an NHS accountant - this is surprisingly common.

Based on my experience of working for several trusts, you will certainly have to pay it back. If your directorate finance team are on the ball it should be spotted this month or in the next meeting with the budget holder. They will allow you to pay it back over more than 2 months if that is easier for you - it is their error.

I had dealt with an overpayment covering 6 months. The person had reduced their hours from full time to part time but the budget holder didn't tell anyone. So she continued to get full pay for 6 months and said nothing. She said she never looked at her pay slips or bank balance. Possible I suppose. She paid it back over about 10 months I think.

Enjoy centre parcs and the London trip, this will all be fine

planetpotty · 05/11/2011 13:18

I'm in the RAF and it's a complete nightmare if you get overpaid by lots as it buggers up the tax anyway for us it can't be all taken at once think it's something like no more than 4 working days pay - might be the same for NHS?

Yommy · 02/02/2018 02:03

Hi,

I was working as IT analyst for Nhs trust for 5 yrs. I resigned when I got another job. All due process were followed.... leaving form etc filled HR notified by line manager.
I was surprised after 5-6 of leaving the trust

I got a letter that I was overpaid twice
On going through my account i saw that I got paid. This was total negligence of my previous employer.
I don’t even have the money to pay now and the case is now with debt collector. I need advice please....!!!

Tumbleweed101 · 02/02/2018 21:23

Had a pay error which I told my employer about as soon as I had my payslip. They said I had a chose of it being taken out of the next months pay or owing them back the hours so I earned the extra. I hadn’t spent any though so think I chose just to have it taken from the next month.

Knittedfairies · 02/02/2018 21:52

Yet another ancient thread...

prh47bridge · 02/02/2018 23:16

It is an ancient thread. However, Yommy has asked about her case.

If you have been overpaid you will have to pay it back. The fact it was their mistake is irrelevant. You were not entitled to that money. If it has gone to a debt collector I can only assume you've been burying your head in the sand and hoping this would go away. It won't. If you cannot afford to pay it all back in one go you will need to see if they will accept payment in instalments.

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