I was on mat leave 2006-2007, cock-eyed employers did not submit my mat B1 form so Payroll kept paying my salary. I received three wage slips initially ( two had been opened, that was the least of it: don't get angry just yet ) Amount seemed in line with the fairly generous conditions of service, then no more payslips (had asked for them to be posted to me).
My first day back at work I was summoned to the boss's office and told I had been paid my (basic) salary for the past 12 months (I had sold my flat before mat leave and had profit in bank account, DH and I were signed up for Internet Banking - but no internet in rural area, and did not receive paper statements). Husband works away from home and is quite well paid so at that point in time unless we were burning £50 notes, we were okay financially.
In total I repaid @£9,000 - a lump sum of @£3,500 and while initially my wages were (without my agreement) arrested, a decision (again without my consent - local Unison were useless, I tried) was taken to subtract £550 per month from my salary until 'debt' was paid off.
My P60 for that Tax year 2006/2007 states that I was 'paid' @£27,000 - but in actual fact I only worked from April to August 2006 (nice salary for 5 months work but sadly not true!)
I was screamed at by a member of Payroll down the phone when I tried to sort out the mess on my return to work, and was 4 months pregnant (again!) by that point so was emotionally floored by their attitude that I put it to the back of my mind and there it stayed until I received a letter last month from employers saying I STILL owed @£900 of original debt. Currently repaying at £50 per month.
I think that I have until the end of March 2012 to claim back any taxed owed - and I think I have overpayed, not least paying tax twice over as far as I can see by being taxed on wrongly paid salary and then taxed on money I used to repay it?
I would be very grateful for any help, ideas, suggestions as to how I extricate some much needed funds back from HMRC.