Equal pay query?

[winkletwinkletoes]

Looking for advice, not sure if I have anything of substance.

Left my old job about 5 weeks ago due to a number of reasons stress and financial.

They have employed a male to do the role and so I've heard through others he's on a lot more money than I was.
Also, my job was advertised with the salary I was on but they've took him on through redeployment and changed the title of he job and given him potentially more money.

He is under the impression we had different roles but we didn't. They are identical. The only difference is change of job title.

Could I look at taking my old employer further or is this only if I was dismissed?

You can't use your successor as a comparator in an equal pay claim I'm afraid.

He’ll have his salary based on experience/how much they wanted him and his negotiating skills rather than whether he has a penis or not.

I get paid more than the person who did my job before me.

The reason being i was paid slightly more before, as i negotiated a better pay. Then i negotiated a pay rise to step into that role. It was a sideways move but i wouldnt have done it for the same pay as it was different responsibilities.

Not my fault or discrimination, that I was paid more.