Accepted the wrong salary - what now?

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I was unexpectedly seconded into a promotion a few months ago and given a pay rise during this time. I then was given the promotion permanently more recently.

I had a complicated situation that I also had another job at the time and I worked both jobs part time totalling 42.5 hours a week. I explained this to the person who was calculating my offer (they knew and had access to all the information). They told me that I should not be financially worse off and the offer would reflect this. This person has now left. It was significantly less salary than the previous post holder as I have less experience.

The offer for my promotion was for slightly higher hourly rate at 37.5 hours a week. I had to give up my other job. I regularly work extra hours in my current job but do not claim overtime for them I take TOIL.

I very stupidly trusted this offer and accepted it because I was very busy and stressed with my new job. I accept it is entirely my fault for not calculating this correctly prior to accepting it.

It took a month or so for my salary to settle - ending my 2nd job, holiday pay from job 2 etc and tying up loose ends. I have now been able to properly compare my previous and current salaries and I am significantly worse off - well over £400 a month (£5k a year).

I have emailed the finance director explaining that there has been a miscalculation in my offer that has led to me facing financial difficulties and a loss of earnings.

I asked for one of 2 options:

1. to be contracted to work more hours per week which I will willing do
2. to get permission to seek further part time employment in my own time

To resolve this financially I either need to work hours more a week or be paid more per hour.

As I have accepted the rate, I am not sure I have any leg to stand on with asking for more money.

Does anyone have any advice?

If I cannot secure more income I will have to leave my job as I cannot manage on a reduced salary.

Is the £400 a month gross or net? Sometimes there's advantages to working 2 jobs to the net pay (student loans/pension)

If gross, I think it's fair to ask but if you never had anything in writing other than the amount you are getting paid then I would be surprised if they changed it. A more realistic approach would be to do the job well and then ask for a pay review after 6 months. If the budget was there for the previous post holder, there's an opportunity.

£400 gross but I’ve lost more net tbh, it’s more like £600 I’m down. Yes my student loan now kicked in

£5k a year is gross.

During this time when it was all going on my dog got very sick and I was very distracted by everything going on. I’ve really thrown myself into the role and they said there is room for pay progression but I don’t know what to do in the here and now.

I am willing to prepare that I will need a 2nd job or to leave, as I am struggling so much. I have about £300 left for petrol and food to feed 3 people a month. I can’t manage, it’s a 15 mile round trip so I have to drive and use my car. I’ve already spent a lot from my savings. I’ve cancelled every DD I can in my bank.

it’s a heavy job so taking on another job is something I would need them to agree to. I will probably have to do evening cleaning or something but then I will get taxed a lot of it and this might be counter productive

You’ll get taxed the same as if you had a pay rise

I get paid to work less hours now, so the pay rise was 20p and I lost 7.5 hours of work a week.

I don’t really understand the situation to be honest or what you needed to calculate. You previously had a job with companies A and B, company A gave you a promotion and you resigned from company B. So all you needed to compare was what you previously earned between A and B with your salary after promotion at A? Or am I missing something.

If you find you haven’t got enough money to live on, then yes you need to ask for more hours, seek permission to take a second job again or find a third job that has higher pay.

National insurance isn't

You are working 7.5 hours less a week (which is one full day) and won't have NI benefits.

Not sure why you think this is now their problem when they offered you 20p pay rise?

What's your salary now and before? Around £18ph?

I can't follow either

You used to work how many hours for how much in both previous jobs?

And then how many hours do you work in new role for how much

If you are toil then you're not working more hours??

When you have two jobs your NI restarts at each job. When I had two jobs I was £1k better of. Worked 20 hours at each and was earning £22k (pro rata) at each job.

You will be taxed at the normal rate for a second job.... this whole "I'm going to lose so much tax money" is rubbish. You get taxed the same amount as the other job until you reach the next tax bracket.

Sorry if it’s not clear.

I was working 2 jobs, 42.5 hours a week for £41k.

I got seconded into a promotion and earned £46k working 42.5 hours

I got fully promoted and put on a contract for just under £41k for 37.5 hours, stipulating I must leave the 2nd job.

I now can’t afford my own life (single parent)

The offer to me was never in annual salary and not calculated pro rata it was just an hourly rate which was 20p higher an hour than my then hourly rate, but as it was less hours, I am not earning what I used to. It’s my fault for not calculating it but I felt pushed into it and under a lot of pressure.

I work overtime all the time out of necessity but can’t claim to get paid for doing it officially so I end up either working it for free, or taking time back (which I don’t actually want to do).

I work overtime all the time out of necessity but can’t claim to get paid for doing it officially so I end up either working it for free, or taking time back (which I don’t actually want to do).

Well stop doing it, when your work time is up, you need to stop. They need to pay you more hours or get someone else in.

Why are you struggling on 41k? You should be taking home around 2369 a month?

I’m single parent I have no debts luckily (just car finance) but 1 income. My older DC is in adult education. They cannot ‘help’ me I ought to be helping them

-rent is £1200
-council tax is £220
-utilities - £250. my house is badly insulated and in winter is expensive to heat so I end up paying off winter in summer iyswim. I bought a lot of insulating tape in winter for all the doors and windows so hoping it helps this winter. I have a smart meter.
-car payment £200 (it’s not an expensive or flash car and I had to get a new one as my previous very very old ancient car died and I have to get to work in something and had no savings so had to get finance)

Bills, insurance etc my outgoings come to around £1800/£1900 and I have about £400 left over for absolutely all our food, fuel and this does not go very far, if I say drive 100 miles a week to work and back and child related stuff that’s a big chunk gone. Food is more expensive now.

This month I had extra outgoings as I have to wear something smart to work every day and my shoes had broken so I bought some very cheap shoes from a supermarket, some basic T-shirts and knickers. I have a cat that I obviously feed but it’s fairly cheap food. The kids need things. I have a phone, I have to have one for work but it’s on a cheap contract. I don’t go out I don’t eat takeaways I don’t smoke.

Previously I even had a little to save up in case of an emergency like broken washing machine or buy a new lawnmower but I am yes, earning £41k and struggling. I have cancelled all DD’s I don’t need like Netflix TV subscription but there wasn’t a lot to cancel. I skip dinner at night now and eat a lot of tinned things. I had a dog but his cancer/passing away wiped out all my savings and the pet insurance didn’t pay barely any of it back in the end, such a rip off. Cancelled the pet insurance as the dog is dead.

I don’t think I am bad with money I can budget it just feels super tight now and I blink and it’s gone somewhere on something. I know this is normal in cost of living crisis. I can’t move I can’t afford to, where I am is cheaper than other options. I have started feeling worried and desperate. I was better off and more stable on universal credit tbh when I earned £20k.

I haven’t heard back from my director so I doubt they are going to offer me any more hours so I am going to look for a 2nd job for now. I did look at remote working jobs but i only have a work laptop so I probably can’t do that.

I might try get an evening cleaning job just not in the town I work in in case I see someone from work. Does anyone have any ideas? I don’t have a hobby or skill specifically

It's ridiculous that someone earning a decent wage is struggling due to cost of living!

Do your older dc live at home? Can they get a part time job?

This just covers their own travel and expenses, they do buy food though