Advice on asking for payrise after maternity leave

[scratchandsniff]

I'm returning to work in a few weeks after nearly 11mths mat leave, going in tomorrow for a general return to work chat. I'm going back in a slightly different role with a different pay structure. My basic salary is lower than other people in the role I am going back to. Someone with comparable experience as me has just left and I will essentially be replacing them. I know they were on about £1500 more than me. I have also just found out that they have taken on another person in the same role I'm going back to with no industry experience on approx £500 more than me. I also know everyone got a cost of living payrise a few months ago. Whilst I wouldn't expect them to discuss pay with me when I'm on mat leave, there was no mention of my salary before leaving. I get the feeling they expect to pay me my basic salary as it was, maybe with a small cost of living increase. I will not be happy with this knowing what I know. However, not sure if it's bad form to ask for a payrise straight after mat leave? But then I think I've had a baby not a lobotomy. Why do I feel awkward/guilty about asking for a payrise? How can I word it?

Oh and I'm going back part-time so would be pro-rata, so not actually going to cost them any more.

How do you know very personal information? Are you sure of sources?

The person I am replacing is a friend, they have absolutely no reason to make it up and the new starters role was advertised at that. I know I chose to change roles but that doesn't mean I expect to be paid less than someone else already/coming into that role.

The unfortunate thing is its based on job description. I bet it's changed just enough to be arguable. It's really fine lines....

Flowery is excellent. She will have better knowledge.

Natasha - you are the voice of reason. I know I need to be careful what I say and can't just demand a payrise. Just hard not to feel wound up about it. I feel like I'm going to suffer financially because I chose to have a baby. I definitely need to give it more thought before the meeting.

You need to remove maternity leave from this entirely. It's not relevant. Approach this discussion as you would if you had been at work in your previous job rather than happening to be on leave.

You are starting a new job and it was advertised on a higher salary than you have been offered.

Assuming you meet all the criteria they asked for in the ad for new people, you are perfectly justified in asking for that to be reflected. I would leave your friends salary out of this and focus on the publicly available new starter ad.

£500 could be the cost of living increase? Bearing in mind that is only about £40 a month!