New job- first wage slip today, salary lower scale than advertised...

[MoreCrackThanHarlem]

I eagerly awaited my first wage slip today in my new role (same employer), but was disappointed to find I have been paid at a lower scale than advertised.
I have not yet received or signed a contract.

Can my employer pay me on a lower scale than they advertised without discussing this with me when I was offered the post? Very disheartening as was expecting to see a real difference in salary, but instead find that the slightly higher pay has almost been wiped out by the increase in tax paid

Can you just clarify if your pay before tax is what you were expecting or if it is less that you were expecting. I'm not entirely clear from your post if it is less or if you just hadn't expected to be taxed so much.

Why have you not received a contract yet? Have you completed a full month in the new role or only part of a month? Is it possible that next month's payslip will show the full month at a new salary? Is it possible that the extra pay has taken you into a different tax bracket? Otherwise, if the salary is only "slightly" different, it could well be that the increase is less than you expected when tax is deducted. However, an online tax calculator shoud show you pretty quickly what your net pay should be.

Thanks for your replies.
I was expecting the tax increase as I am in a new tax bracket.

My actual salary is on a different scale. It states B3 on my payslip, the job was advertised at C1-C3 (public sector).
Apparently the lack of contract is par for the course in the local council.

I have worked 2 weeks in my new role but am paid 2 weeks in arrears, 2 in advance, so this is a full months wage st my new rate.

Just ask HR about it. If you've accepted the role on the basis that its a certain grade then that's what it should be,

it wouldnt be unknown form them to make a mistake sends back contract to be corrected for the 5th time

I wouldn't assume this is deliberate. Speak to your manager and say there seems to be an error with your pay as they have the wrong scale on your payslip and could he/she please sort it out.