Copy payslip different from the original

MatildaAmaryllis

Hi all,

Few months ago I started a new job and since then, I've had issues with pay every month, but it's August's pay that affected me the most. My tax code is correct and based on my wages I should be paying around £10 tax a month. Last month I was, for some unknown reason, charged £170. I know they messed up my tax the first month, but I got it back the following month. But why are there still mistakes in the third month?

The guy dealing with payroll keeps saying he's very busy so takes forever getting back to me. He advised I call hmrc, but I don't believe I have reason to, because my tax code is correct, it's the employer's calculations that aren't.

Anyway, I've been asking for copy payslips, and received all 3, but my August one is different to my original August payslip, and the net amount paid shown on the copy is obviously different (higher) to what I've been paid. Why is that? How can they change the payslips? The copy is showing I got paid a lot more than I did, and that I paid a lot less tax than I did. Surely that's very wrong? I spoke to acas and hmrc but they weren't overly fussed when I told them and just said to take it up with my employer. Any advice greatly appreciated.

Comms69

MatildaAmaryllis wrote: »

Hi all,

Few months ago I started a new job and since then, I've had issues with pay every month, but it's August's pay that affected me the most. My tax code is correct and based on my wages I should be paying around £10 tax a month. Last month I was, for some unknown reason, charged £170. I know they messed up my tax the first month, but I got it back the following month. But why are there still mistakes in the third month?

The guy dealing with payroll keeps saying he's very busy so takes forever getting back to me. He advised I call hmrc, but I don't believe I have reason to, because my tax code is correct, it's the employer's calculations that aren't.

Anyway, I've been asking for copy payslips, and received all 3, but my August one is different to my original August payslip, and the net amount paid shown on the copy is obviously different (higher) to what I've been paid. Why is that? How can they change the payslips? The copy is showing I got paid a lot more than I did, and that I paid a lot less tax than I did. Surely that's very wrong? I spoke to acas and hmrc but they weren't overly fussed when I told them and just said to take it up with my employer. Any advice greatly appreciated.

I suspect because the tax was corrected? The totals are correct - as in add up the 3 payslips

MatildaAmaryllis

No, my first two payslips stayed the same, and surely they can't just change the figures on August payslip, as that won't match what I got paid. Surely they'd have to correct the tax in September?

sangie595

Nobody here can answer those questions. We don't do your payroll. The only person who can give you an answer is the person doing your payroll.

MatildaAmaryllis

Yes, I am in constant contact with my payroll department, but as I mentioned they're very inefficient, therefore I'm asking for advice and just what to know why the copy payslip might be different to the original. If you don't know the answer, that's fair enough, scroll by, I just hope someone else might as I'm clearly very concerned.

Comms69

MatildaAmaryllis wrote: »

Yes, I am in constant contact with my payroll department, but as I mentioned they're very inefficient, therefore I'm asking for advice and just what to know why the copy payslip might be different to the original. If you don't know the answer, that's fair enough, scroll by, I just hope someone else might as I'm clearly very concerned.

You're missing the point. There might be a perfectly good reason as to why it's different; and that is something no one here can answer.

sangie595

MatildaAmaryllis wrote: »

Yes, I am in constant contact with my payroll department, but as I mentioned they're very inefficient, therefore I'm asking for advice and just what to know why the copy payslip might be different to the original. If you don't know the answer, that's fair enough, scroll by, I just hope someone else might as I'm clearly very concerned.

You don't understand. No I don't know the answer. Neither does anybody else here. Because we didn't do your payroll. So them being inefficient is bad, but we can't answer for them. That's why ACAS and HMRC told you the same thing! It wasn't that they weren't "fussed". It was that they can't possibly know the answer.

MatildaAmaryllis

I understand what you're saying and I am fully aware that you cannot tell me for certain what the reason for this in my case is, but I'm asking a hypothetical question here, and having done accounting courses before, I cannot think of even one reason it might be different, because surely you can't tamper with records of what has been paid. So unless they were doing some calculations or corrections and just printed it out on a payslip template for some reason, I've no idea. But if that was the case, surely they should have said it's not my actual payslip. So yes, I will await responses from my payroll department, but I just wanted to get some ideas.

Comms69

MatildaAmaryllis wrote: »

I understand what you're saying and I am fully aware that you cannot tell me for certain what the reason for this in my case is, but I'm asking a hypothetical question here, and having done accounting courses before, I cannot think of even one reason it might be different, because surely you can't tamper with records of what has been paid. So unless they were doing some calculations or corrections and just printed it out on a payslip template for some reason, I've no idea. But if that was the case, surely they should have said it's not my actual payslip. So yes, I will await responses from my payroll department, but I just wanted to get some ideas.

What if they had miscalculated your pay and you were underpaid?

spadoosh

MatildaAmaryllis wrote: »

I understand what you're saying and I am fully aware that you cannot tell me for certain what the reason for this in my case is, but I'm asking a hypothetical question here, and having done accounting courses before, I cannot think of even one reason it might be different, because surely you can't tamper with records of what has been paid. So unless they were doing some calculations or corrections and just printed it out on a payslip template for some reason, I've no idea. But if that was the case, surely they should have said it's not my actual payslip. So yes, I will await responses from my payroll department, but I just wanted to get some ideas.

They're probably using a payroll software that will restrict there ability to do templates as such. I mean you can print out a paylsip that says anything, the main thing though is what is submitted to HMRC.

Best thing for you to do to get as much information as you can about this is to ring HMRC and ask for the RTI information (sorry i cant help it im a PIN number kind of person) the company has submitted for you. These records more than likely should match up with the latest bout of payslips youve received.

Theres quite a few reasons why it could happen, usually surrounding corrections, ie something like holiday pay being paid too early or late, overtime for the wrong period or many other mistakes or lack of information being present at the time.

But at this point your speculating about a lot of variables and inevitably i always find its something that i ultimately didnt think of that has caused the issue.

Id try and arrange a meeting with payroll to get it sorted and finalised. Im sure theyre as annoyed about having to deal with you as you are with them. So for everyones benefit it would just be better to sort it out over a meeting instead of dribs and drabs of conversation which inevitably leads to confusion.

chrisbur

One possible answer is that an error has been corrected and an additional payment has been made to your bank account for the extra net pay. Have you checked your bank account to see if this is the case.
If not to better understand this can you supply the following details from each payslip including the replacement payslip....
Taxable gross,tax paid,tax code/basis,week or month number,taxable pay to date,tax paid to date,previous pay and previous tax.