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Original poster

Overpaid maternity leave

89 replies

Lola9 · 30/11/2022 11:34

Dear all,
I have a massive problem and I need support/ help and advise.
I went on mat leave the 2nd of Dec 2021 and
I had the baby one week after . I sent numerous emails to payroll talking about my maternity leave and other things.
In July 2022 I had a meeting with my manager to extend my maternity leave that payroll was copied into.
What is my surprise that at the end or my mat leave I got paid ( I was not supposed to) so basically sent an email to payroll requesting to review the payment. ( no answer from payroll)
Long story short payroll never recieved my documents as I was going on mat leave so they pay me my full salary during all this months.
I was not aware as I didn't know how much I was meant to get various reasons , I have never done this before, I removed my pension so I could have more cash, I did extra shifts during my mat leave to get more money and also this was a new possition)
Basically I recieved a letter with a debt of 25.000£ to be paid in one year, from next month! Basically they want me to work during one year without getting paid. I can't afford this, I have a 1yo child, mortgage and bills.
What can I do?
Is there any way I can escape from this ?
I understand was not my money, but I didn't know and I took like decisions based on what I was getting paid at the time.
Also I gor payslips every month and my money was taxed. Now tye company is requesting the total gross money therefore what happens with all the taxes I already paid ?
Im gonna loose my house, my assets and I am afraid of my baby.
Any ideas mamas?

OP posts:
upfucked · 30/11/2022 11:41

You need to contact ACAS and/or Pregnant and then Screwed. You say you knew you were being over paid so you should have put the money to one side. You will have to pay it back it’s a question now of how much is reasonable.

upfucked · 30/11/2022 11:41

As in how much per month is reasonable. You will have to pay it all back.

Justisme · 30/11/2022 11:46

Are you in the U.K.?

Snowingcatsaround · 30/11/2022 11:50

When you saw all this full wages paid to you monthly, why did you call them or send them registered letters/ emails to show this?
plus you should logically put the money on side especially you could see it must be an error on their side. Nothing is free in life….

Yesthatismychildsigh · 30/11/2022 11:52

You worked extra shifts during your maternity leave?

NadjaCravensworth · 30/11/2022 11:53

I was not aware as I didn't know how much I was meant to get various reasons , I have never done this before,

Surely you did calculations about how much money you would have to survive on before you went on mat leave?

Cuddlywuddlies · 30/11/2022 11:55

I don’t buy this fir a second…ppl are always quick to note when they have been underpaid but for some reason “never realise “ they have been overpaid!? I have seen it on here SEVERAL times (and heard ppl in real life talking about it too!) honestly @Lola9 either way you owe them the money.

Original poster
Lola9 · 30/11/2022 11:56

So to clarity, I put the money aside as soon as I realised this was wrong. But obviously we're already a few months down the line. Also the first 4 months I was heavily low and unwell.
Also I didn't know the amount of money I was meant to get due to all the above. I understand nothing is free . I don't want to do anything illegal and also I was in good faith. Payroll never ever answer my emails. Payroll knew I was on mat leave. I don't want to got someone's money, however I did decisions based on what I wss getting paid.
I have everything by emial.

OP posts:
DreamingofItaly2023 · 30/11/2022 11:56

You will have to pay it back but can usually agree a reasonable schedule for doing so. I can understand not realising a small overpayment but you must have realised that getting your full salary throughout your maternity leave was incorrect.

upfucked · 30/11/2022 11:56

You said you weren’t aware of how much you should be getting - so you knew it wasn’t your usual pay.

vestedinterests · 30/11/2022 11:57

Surely you must have suspected that you are being overpaid? In any event, you will need to repay it. Probably best to contact payroll and arrange a repayment plan over 24-36 months as you can't be left with nothing to live on for a year.

upfucked · 30/11/2022 11:58

Yesthatismychildsigh · 30/11/2022 11:52

You worked extra shifts during your maternity leave?

I noticed this too! You normally can’t work other than KIT days under maternity leave.

Ellessdee · 30/11/2022 11:58

From your post it sounds like you knew you were being overpaid and contacted them to query this. If this is the case though you won't have a leg to stand on as you have made them aware in writing that you were aware of the over payments.

littlemousebigcheese · 30/11/2022 11:58

have you spent the money? do you have any emails showing you contacted them about too much pay or to query the amount you were receiving?

Original poster
Lola9 · 30/11/2022 11:58

I did, however I worked half of my pregnancy in one company half in another one.
Was very complicated to know the right amount I sent an emial to payroll to know the calculations and they said they could not process it.
I took my pension out and also I did extra shifts. It's not that simple to understand.
The Mat leave policy in my company is not straight forward

OP posts:
Vinvertebrate · 30/11/2022 11:59

You will absolutely need to repay but they will likely agree a reasonable schedule based on your needs. I am also dubious as to how you didn't realise it was a mistake.

Get the HMRC app so you can predict tax and recover the amounts paid. Your employer will have aid the tax so they want to recover from you and then presumably you will get a refund from HMRC.

Ellessdee · 30/11/2022 12:00

I don't know anyone who has gone on mat leave who hasn't worked out how much their going to receive. Usually it is pretty simple? Full pay, half pay, statutory mat pay, or something along those lines...

Original poster
Lola9 · 30/11/2022 12:01

I spend the money in living! When I realised the money was wrong immediately put it aside. Also my payment was 2600£ month but they claim the gross money which is around 4000 £ a month

OP posts:
Snowingcatsaround · 30/11/2022 12:02

So they paid you full 12 month full wages? I would have call them daily from the first over payment in last January until they would acknowledged their error.
Now you are left to pay back 25k.
That must be 1500 -1700 per month?
A bit different to maternity pay surely you must knew how much maternity pay is..

Original poster
Lola9 · 30/11/2022 12:03

It was not that easy.... I work in 2 different places during my pregnancy.
I took my pension out, I put the money to be divided into 12 months instead of deducting each month and also did extra shifts to increased the maternity leave payments
It's not straight forward

OP posts:
Original poster
Lola9 · 30/11/2022 12:03

Yes uk

OP posts:
Original poster
Lola9 · 30/11/2022 12:05

My mistake, during my pregnancy between 16 and 25 weeks.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lola9 · 30/11/2022 12:06

How much maternity leave is ? Is not that simple.

OP posts:
Snowingcatsaround · 30/11/2022 12:09

It depends, mine was about £90 per week for few first weeks.. but this was years ago.. but no more than £450-500 per month..for me..

Saturdaydreamingway2355555 · 30/11/2022 12:09

I think you’ll have to go back to them with a reasonable amount of money you can pay per month. Ask for it over 3 years for example, is it private or public sector?

I was over paid by bout 2k in mat leave, paid it back over 6 months, was no issue for my job at all (public sector(