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Original poster

Work overpaid me by 20k, can’t pay back

156 replies

WhatsMyUsername89 · 13/02/2023 23:00

My work has overpaid me by £20,000.

I recieved a 5k bonus. Then for the next 4 months I got the 5k every month.

I rang my boss after I realised & she said I need to contact HR. Called HR, they said put it in an email.

Emailed HR saying think I’ve been overpaid let me know exact amount and how to pay it back. I CC’ed my manager

I also called another manager and she said the same thing as my manager and told me to email it.

I travel a lot for work, and when I saw our HR member in Singapore I did say “have you looked at my pay issue.” She said she’ll get back to me.

I’ve heard nothing. It’s been 10 months.

what do I do? They haven’t asked for it back. It’s just sat in a separate account, I haven’t spent it.

Wondering if someone is trying to hide it to not admit their mistake? Potentially thinking could it be picked up at end of financial year?

OP posts:
SeasonFinale · 14/02/2023 02:09

If they do want it back you may well have made student loan payments that you can't get back. If that is the case then ask them to reimburse you.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 14/02/2023 02:36

Keep it in a separate account and DO NOT TOUCH IT.

Don't put it in Premium Bonds (ridiculous advice, it means you are taking ownership of it).

Just keep reminding them and wait.

Lachimolala · 14/02/2023 03:23

I wouldn’t put it in premium bonds either, just leave it in the separate account and keep chasing them.

I’m stressed for you! Hope you get it sorted.

ensayers · 14/02/2023 03:45

You've clearly not done anything wrong and havent tried to hide it. Print all the emails,the ball is now in their court, but if you don't get a reply, I wouldn't mention it again and hopefully you can hold onto it for 6 years.
I like the idea of premium bonds, means you can pay it back anytime,but maybe you'll win a prize in the meanwhile :)

sjpkgp1 · 14/02/2023 03:55

Print and keep every email where you have tried to tell they have overpaid you. Don't do anything with the money.

I had this when I worked for a Big 4 accountancy firm, but I did not realise, same sort of value but over a much longer time (4 years). My OH dealt with all of the finances in our house, stay at home Dad. I just earned it, and because of bonuses, expenses for staying away and my working pattern varying etc. my incomings from the firm were really random and many times every month. We were genuinely surprised when they came upon the discrepancy (it was their mistake - they had not altered my earnings for being PT for a period), and I thought "oh dear, not what I have wanted but, well we can just pay it back" I wish it could have been that simple, I was completely hauled over the coals to prove that I never knew I was being overpaid. Luckily I had never opened ever a sealed payslip posted to me in 10 years (which i posted them a picture of, and said I would send the lot, still sealed) luckily their salary and bonus schemes were so complex that no month was a "normal month" for my OH to decipher, Also, we had so much coming in and out of our current account it was deemed "sufficiently complex" for me or anyone else to have noticed. It is actually a different case for you@WhatsMyUsername89 you have noticed, you have tried on multiple times to bring it to their attention, you have not spent the money. Get your evidence, don't spend the money, and rest happy that you have done your best. xx

SpookyBlackCat · 14/02/2023 04:07

I would also really worry about the implications of the money. So many things are means tested. For example, the OP could lose child benefits, it could take her up a tax band, lose tax credits, etc.

I would phone them up and tell them that it needs sorting out asap.

SpookyBlackCat · 14/02/2023 04:09

What I mean is that the OP could end up out of pocket if she has to pay the money back after a year. i'm not sure her work would agree to cover everything she may have lost in the meantime.

Bansheed · 14/02/2023 05:10

It depends where you are and the local rules. I work in Financial transformation. For instance,in Canada we have no redress but to ask for it. US we have power to chase it legally.

JuneOsborne · 14/02/2023 05:17

I was overpaid once. It was a complete nightmare. It took the best part of a year to get the company to give me the exact amount. I had a rough idea and put it in a separate account. They did not want me to pay it back, they want to take it from my salary. So be careful of putting it somewhere you don't have immediate access to it. Because I wasn't 'paid' for a couple of months as they recouped it. But I had to email and call repeatedly to get it sorted. And I was treated like a criminal! Despite calling them on payday and alerting them to the mistake and offering the money back that very day.

Blowyourowntrumpet · 14/02/2023 05:25

I had this once. It was a nightmare to sort out. I emailed payroll and my manager twice a month for 6 months, asking how to pay the money back and they totally ignored me. I then got an email from them saying that if I didn't pay it back within a month they'd prosecute me! It eventually got sorted out but it was very stressful.

Userusing1 · 14/02/2023 05:52

It sounds like you have done as much as you can, put it in an easy access savings account so you can get to it instantly if needed but when they eventually do ask for it back you will need to be compensated for any extra tax, NI, etc out of it. Is it like to affect stuff like child benefit or other benefits, this would make it more urgent.

puppacup · 14/02/2023 06:29

It's really weird that payroll haven't even responded to you

puppacup · 14/02/2023 06:33

I'm also surprised they can demand it back. I was under the impression they can ask for it back, make you think you have to give it back but really you are not obliged too.

Oblomov23 · 14/02/2023 07:03

That is not correct. You are obliged to. Even if it's their fault.

Sunriseinwonderland · 14/02/2023 07:04

Thank God you didn't spend it. I thought that's what this was about initially.

FudgeJudy · 14/02/2023 07:11

At my last job a number of people were overpaid for months without realising it for working overtime (it was a series of relatively small and irregular payments so wasn’t obvious).

The organisation decided they should pay it back in hours, so if they’d been paid for say 50 extra hours they’d work 50 hours unpaid, which they were originally going to agree to, until someone pointed out that they’d all had pay rises since the overpayment and paying it back an hour for an hour would actually cost them money!

In the end they had to work off the overpayment, but paid it back pound for pound, so if they owed, for example £2000, they’d work the equivalent of £2000 in hours without payment.

The overpayments had gone unnoticed for a few years if I recall so people were stuck working overtime for nothing for a very long time.

puppacup · 14/02/2023 07:16

Here's the Acas advice

www.acas.org.uk/check-if-your-employer-can-make-deductions-from-your-wages

puppacup · 14/02/2023 07:16

I'm still very surprised they have not attempted to address it all.

puppacup · 14/02/2023 07:19

@Oblomov23 and if you have left the employment?

Everydayitsgettingcloser · 14/02/2023 07:20

This happened to me a few years ago - they messed up my maternity pay - I told them several times by phone, email and to cover myself completely posted a physical letter - they were in the process of moving to a new finance system at the time and just couldn't be bothered to take it back.

It's been 5 years so I don't think they will now.

Brefugee · 14/02/2023 07:20

keep mailing them make a paper trail. You might also want to send them an actual letter on paper, recorded signed delivery. Make them give you corrected payslips, otherwise you may have a tax issue too.

I would also put it in premium bonds or some short term interest bearing account that you can instantly access. Tell them that you will make arrangements to make the payment to them when they tell you how to do it. I would also deduct bank charges and the costs of your time for chasing them on this.

(am relieved that you have put it aside, from the title i thought you'd spent it al)

Blessedwithsunshine · 14/02/2023 07:22

I would escalate this today op.
If you don’t, it could look like you were colluding and could be linked with fraud. It’s a hell of a lot of money - there is no way I would want to ‘keep it’ or put it in bloody premium bonds - that is terrible advice!

I would seriously contact the MD or CEO if I had to. This might not be incompetence, how do you know it is? And let’s assume it is for a moment, that won’t stand up in court as a reasonable excuse to end up keeping and benefitting from so much money you have acknowledged isn’t yours. Nor will a few emails that you have sent, but haven’t made any effort to follow up. Sort this out today is my best advice.

LadyHarmby · 14/02/2023 07:24

You need to keep reminding them. Do it regularly. Don’t start to think if you stay quiet you’ll be able to keep it.

puppacup · 14/02/2023 07:29

If you don’t, it could look like you were colluding and could be linked with fraud. It’s a hell of a lot of money - there is no way I would want to ‘keep it’ or put it in bloody premium bonds - that is terrible advice!

She has spoken to a few people in HR & management. How can she be colluding?

And let’s assume it is for a moment, that won’t stand up in court as a reasonable excuse to end up keeping and benefitting from so much money you have acknowledged isn’t yours.

How do you suggest she pays it back then?

Bertha21 · 14/02/2023 07:34

This happened to someone I know. Not as large amount, but it took months to sort. Apparently she was within her rights to pay it back in instalments so that’s what she did! I think she actually booked a nice holiday…
Personally I would put it in a separate account so you can’t use it. Maybe ask a solicitor for advice.