Extra Month Salary . potentially

melymay

I left my employer back in July, with approx 1 month salary to be paid on July payday - made up of a combination of wages and holiday pay. This payment was received and at the end of July I requested my P45. I have just received a statement from my bank and was once again paid a full months salary in August !!
I received my P45 this week dated as being issued by HMRC on 11/9/21 even though my leaving date was July.
There is a possibility that I worked my first month in arrears, but this was almost 10 years ago.

So question is - do I alert my ex-employer or just keep the money to one side and wait and see what happens ?? If they claim this payment back would they have to give me notice of their intention as I have moved the money from my daily account to a separate savings account ?

Many thanks for any advi

Marcon

melymay said:

I left my employer back in July, with approx 1 month salary to be paid on July payday - made up of a combination of wages and holiday pay. This payment was received and at the end of July I requested my P45. I have just received a statement from my bank and was once again paid a full months salary in August !!
I received my P45 this week dated as being issued by HMRC on 11/9/21 even though my leaving date was July.
There is a possibility that I worked my first month in arrears, but this was almost 10 years ago.

So question is - do I alert my ex-employer or just keep the money to one side and wait and see what happens ?? If they claim this payment back would they have to give me notice of their intention as I have moved the money from my daily account to a separate savings account ?

Many thanks for any advi

Why not ask your employer now? Seems the simplest thing to do.

melymay

I have contacted their employee helpline but do not have direct access to their services now that I am no longer emplyed by them. Have said they will be in contact but this was just a generic reply

74jax

Would you still have your contract at home or is it binned now?

Could you call your old manager or HR? 

melymay

thanks for the replies . . no answer from HR as yet, but they were centrally based and covered all areas of the business so suspect they are more busy with pay queries from current employees than leavers, I guess someone questioning an over payment is a novelty !! Have spoken to my bank who have advertised that if it were an overpayment they wold have to contact me in order to recover the payment.

74jax

Can you check your payments from when you first started?  You would know then if you are paid in arrears or not. 

Dr_Crypto

Most likely is that they didn’t update their records properly with your leaving date and you got paid August’s salary by mistake. See what they say. 

74jax

Your bank is right, they will write to you asking for it to be returned. They won't just attempt to take it.  Ask for a full breakdown of what you were paid and when. 

Pop it in a separate account and just have it to hand for when needed.

I'd definitely look back over your bank payments though (on Halifax you can do a search) to see what you first got. 

TELLIT01

Dr_Crypto said:

Most likely is that they didn’t update their records properly with your leaving date and you got paid August’s salary by mistake. See what they say. 

My brother-in-law is in a similar situation.  He worked for Royal Mail, paid weekly, retired approximately a month ago, and is still being paid every week.  He has informed them but has no plans to do any more than that.  The payments are being transferred into a separate pot for when/if they ask for it back.

He actually thought the first couple of payments were holiday pay so he will be telling RM that he can only repay that at £x per week as it's been spent in that belief.

Reginald74

It's when, not if. Just a case of when the successful audit takes place that highlights it. 

They are not allowed to just take it back, even if you are still working for them. They are entitled to it but have to consult on repayment.

TELLIT01

Reginald74 said:

It's when, not if. Just a case of when the successful audit takes place that highlights it. 

They are not allowed to just take it back, even if you are still working for them. They are entitled to it but have to consult on repayment.

Not necessarily 'when'.  I worked through an agency for a short time, and they paid my gross wage rather than wage minus tax & NI when I finished with them, despite the accompanying wage slip showing the correct deductions.  That was back in 1992 so I don't think they will come after me now.