On each appointment I attend at Ingeus, I refresh my "work attain's" memory of when the next date of my signing day at the Job Centre (every 2nd Monday at 9:00am - I inform them the day, time and date) yet she seems to send me appointments for Ingeus in the mail for the very same day as my Job Centre attendance but for times such as 3:00pm or 4:00pm. I rely on public transport so I'm having to get to my Job Centre signing appointment at 9:00am by bus then I come home on the bus, then have to get the bus back into the same town for the Ingeus appointment again at 3:00pm or 4:00pm, and then back home again after the Ingeus appointment. I do that or I will have to hang around the town in the cold, wet, damp weather for six and seven hours at a time to be able to attend the Ingeus appointment without coming all the way home from my Job Centre appointment and then having to returning all the way back to the same town for my Ingeus appointment again. I've also been hit with three appointments for 5th, 9th & 13th January (three appointments in a one week period) - the 5th January is my signing day at 9:00am but they have given me a 9:30am appointment this time. I know people who are only going once a fortnight and some who are going once a week (I've been once a week or a fortnight since beginning) but I'm guessing my three appointments in a week are as "punishment" for having a go at the "work attain" for lying over the appointment letters being sent out registered by Royal Mail when they aren't? Is there a limit to attending Ingeus or can they call you in five days in every week if they so choose?

Well, as you will probably have guessed, I still haven't received any letter from Ingeus for the 5th December appointment that I was somehow telepathically supposed to know about without any notification. This is just one recent example in a long ever building list of grievances I'm compiling of Ingeus, I'm still sitting on the serious Data Protection Act breach of my personal information that they still appear to be doing. My guess is that when I ask for the "mandatory reconsideration" that it's the Ingeus "work attain's" word of posting the letter against my word of never receiving it? Basically what we have here is that an Ingeus "work attain" can miss sending out an appointment letter to you (by mistake or on purpose) and you can be sanctioned then a few weeks down the line they can do the very same with another appointment letter and you can be hit with further sanctions. I just don't understand why Ingeus can't email appointment details to you as well as send a letter out as an assurance of you getting the information so you don't miss an appointment or is that the whole idea of doing it the one way via letter? So you end up being sanctioned. I'd hold my hands up and accept it was my fault had I missed the appointment through something I did myself, but this was out of my hands. I never received an appointment letter that Ingeus said had sent me out and therefor through no fault of my own I could be sanctioned benefits.

Hi Mr. P, unfortunately I never got the comment in writing nor did I record it. I did ask them for proof of the proof of registration for sending it but they knew it was a lie and never said anything, oh and funnily enough as of today I still have not received that previous appointment letter from Ingeus (the appointment was on 5th December) The problem is, I may now be sanctioned over the Christmas and New Year period for non-attendance of an Ingeus appointment that I didn't even know about as I hadn't been informed I had said appointment in any capacity. Oh and I forgot to mention in my original post that the appointment I was informed by Ingeus that I had missed through no fault of my own was for 4:00pm on Monday 5th December, I signed on that same day (which I also told them in the infamous "all letters are registered" appointment)....at 9:00am. I've already told them on previous occasions about my next signing date and time so they don't make an appointment that over-laps my signing time and day.

Last week I received a letter from Ingeus informing me I hadn't attended one of their appointments and it could affect my benefits. The thing is I've been attending every appointment I've been told to and I've been on time and punctual for each and every one of them. The letter read :- "IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR BENEFIT PAYMENTS As you did not attend your last appointment, we have arranged a new time and date.It is very important that you attend the appointment or contact us as soon as possible if you cannot make it." The usual information on the back of the letter about failing to attend, benefits being stopped etc. This letter also had a date for another appointment on there, to which I attended. When I attended that appointment I informed them that the previous appointment letter didn't reach my front door so how could I have attended an appointment if I wasn't aware there even was one? The Ingeus "work consultant attain" made the usual excuse that I've heard a few people in my Ingeus building being flogged off with all so often when they've failed to be notified of an appointment - "Do you have problems receiving your mail? If so then contact your post office. Once the letters leave this office we are not responsible for them." Problem is, I've lived at the same address for over 40 years and I've never had any problems receiving my mail nor any problems with the post office or the people delivering my mail. I informed them that it's actually Christmas time and there's a high volume of mail across the country, maybe that could be the problem to which I was told that "all appointment letters sent from Ingeus are sent registered" - Ehhhhh sorry but no they aren't, in-factual information straight off from my Ingeus "work consultant attain" I produced the envelope from my pocket that my letter for that current appointment was enclosed within and asked them to point towards a "register code or mark" on the envelope, of course I was met with silence as she tapped away at the computer. I asked if they have all their appointment letters delivered by Royal Mail registered and of so there should be proof of posting my particular letter and if it's been registered then I'd like to see the proof that Ingeus had in fact posted it. She shrugged her shoulders and continued to bang away at the computer keyboard. I asked if they have any system in place to know which letters are being sent out from their office and asked if they had any kind of proof of posting appointment letters to which of course I never received an answer. I then said I wanted to have all my future Ingeus appointments relayed to me by the usual post AND by email so I know the dates and times of them as they have my email details on their file and was told "we can't do that it's letter confirmation only." I then asked the procedure for informing the job centre of my "non-attendance" to the appointment which I wasn't even aware I had. The "work consultant attain" replied that she had sent confirmation to the job centre of "non-attendance" and that my benefits "could be stopped for four weeks." So basically my cash could be stopped for a period of time now through no fault of my own. The bigger problem caused by Ingeus is that on my last signing on appointment at the job centre (on 8th December) I received a letter stating I don't sign on again until the 5th January because of the holiday period and my money is supposed to be in my account on the 23rd so I'm now going to be left without cash over the Christmas and New Year period all though no fault of my own. And, of course it wasn't finished there. Before leaving my appointment I was told to sit tight and they'd print off my next appointment there and then while I was in their office, I was then handed three sheets of A4 paper with three separate appointments on them for 5th January, 9th January and 13th January. I've been "rewarded" for asking questions on the non-delivery of an appointment letter from them with three attendances to Ingeus in one week period. So, what happens when Ingeus send off a "non-attendance" report to the job centre? Through n fault of my own I now face having no money over the Christmas and New Year period.

The letter I received in full is as below - Dear X X, Important information - your next appointment This letter contains the details of your next appointment. We look forward to seeing you again and continuing to support you to find the right job. Your next appointment will be: On: xx/xx/xx At: xx Location: xx With: xx It is very important that you attend all appointments. If you cannot attend, you must contact us as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made for a new appointment. Out telephone number is XXXXX XXX XXX. Your activities for your next appointment are: Please attend appointment to review your work related activity, alongside providing evidence of job application. During your appointment you will undertake job application activity providing documentary evidence of vacancies applied for during this time. We will refund your travel costs for appointments - please retain proof of purchase. Yours sincerely, X X Work Consultant Attain

Thanks for the feedback. The letter in question doesn't have the usual "mandatory" threat at the bottom. That's why i thought they were just trying their best to root around for information of job activity I had in my own time away from their offices so they can claim credit and cash if I was successful in any of them.

No, it's no big deal to print off application emails but what I am saying is that I already provide my evidence to my job centre adviser each fortnight when I sign for my JSA, technically that satisfies my proof of looking for work so I shouldn't need to do the same with Ingeus as they don't pay my JSA while I am looking for work. I'm assuming they want to see evidence of the jobs I apply for so they can claim credit and the cash when I do find work? Perhaps someone can enlighten me if perhaps Ingeus would inform the job centre if I don't agree to provide them with "documentary evidence" and the job centre can sanction me for failing to provide Ingeus with "documentary evidence" which I already provide to the job centre each fortnight! Basically - 1. Am I under obligation to provide Ingeus with said "documentary evidence", the very same documentary evidence that I provide my job centre adviser each fortnight? 2. If I refrain from providing Ingeus with said "documentary evidence", the very same documentary evidence that I provide my job centre adviser each fortnight can the job centre actually sanction me for "not providing Ingeus with documentary evidence" that they themselves already see on a fortnightly basis?

I've received an appointment letter from Ingeus which gives the usual date and time of appointment but underneath has the following:- "Your activities for your next appointment are: Please attend appointment to review your work related activity, alongside providing evidence of job application. During your appointment you will undertake job application activity providing documentary evidence of vacancies applied for during this time." I am aware I am under obligation to provide my job centre adviser with said documentary evidence of job applications each fortnight to be paid my JSA, which I do, but do Ingeus have a right to ask me for the same "documentary evidence" that I provide my job centre adviser each fortnight? Am I under any obligation to provide this "documentary evidence" to Ingeus? Also, at a previous appointment with Ingeus I had a face to face interview with an Ingeus adviser who spent their time typing up what I was saying on the computer, I could see her typing notes into boxes on screen under my name and I was wondering if I have a right to see what is being typed into these boxes?

Cheers for the information. The reason I asked is at my last meeting with my adviser I had shown him the emails on my phone by simply turning the screen towards him and shown him the list of emails of the job applications showing the employers email address or the jobsite in which i'd completed the application on but he insisted that i must open all emails and he must read them not just look at the the headers. When I refused this the advisers words were along the lines of "I have the authority to look through your emails on your phone and you do realise you could be sanctioned for not co-operating fully." but never went any further with his apparent threat when i told him "no you can't" before he put the pen on the desk to sign for my JSA. I've already stated on a previous visit I do not have a printer to print these emails off and bring along. These emails are just part of the proof I produce at each signing day. The proof I take along is stated as being widely taken as conclusive proof on the "Claimant Commitment for Work Programme customers" letter to which I was made sign for a few weeks back when they gave me it on previous signing day. I never had any trouble whatsoever with various other advisers when signing normally and they were all happy at the evidence I produced but ever since I've been on the Ingeus Work Programme the adviser I have now seems to be determined to sanction A, B and C.

What is the procedure for job centre advisers to check your private email account on your phone to see if you've actually applied for jobs and have proof of it? I currently have proof on my email account of jobs which i've applied for which I can retrieve on my phone but what is the actual procedure for job centre advisers to physically see these emails which counts as my proof in looking for work? Can the adviser demand I hand over my phone then open each email to read them or do I just need to turn the phone screen to the adviser and show them the emails listed without actually going into them and showing them every single email. The reason I ask is because I was informed by an adviser this week while signing for my JSA that they have the authority to ask me to hand over my phone so they can check through my emails themselves otherwise I may well be sanctioned. I know there will be a data protection breach in that somewhere and know they can't force you to hand over your phone so they can rake through the emails but I'm just asking around for a little clarification before next signing day.

Fourth appointment with Ingeus today. A 50 minute job-search on the computer then handed two A4 sheets of paper with two jobs with pretty vague details and hardly any information (a full-time cleaners job & a part-time 16hr job with a dry cleaners) and told to "read and think hard about applying for both these positions." I reminded my "breakthrough assessor" of the qualifications and experience I have in the actual field of work I had been in and I am currently looking for. So i'm now getting the "offer any old job laying around" approach so they can cross another person off their list and claim the government cheque and bonus. Overall, another hours waste of time. Oh and the previous serious data protection breaches are still being breached.

I've just sat here chuckling to myself for the last few minutes in the knowledge that while we're all accused of being "keyboard warriors" and "scroungers" and had a stern "naughty step" lecture on "freedom of speech" by someone who admits to, under their own forward "keyboard warrior" approach that somehow we're operating under a different version of "freedom of speech" than they are and that they were once a "scrounger" too.

Personally speaking I'm neither a "scrounger" nor "a keyboard warrior" I'm afraid to say. I had worked and paid my fair share of tax and National Insurance into the system until my mother took seriously ill and I had to leave a good job to care for her as the "state" to which you seem to be on the side of said that a number of factors and situations regarding looking after my mother would cost them too much. To me, my family came before "the state" so me leaving my employment to care for my mother saved the state a fair whack of cash in the long run. When my mother passed away last year I had no option but to go onto JSA and abide by it's rules and regulations as I look for work. My previous employment had been willing to take me back on my position and salary when I was ready to return to work but unfortunately that very same company no longer exists. The JSA cash I receive is not "free money" nor do I expect "money for nothing" but since I've paid a fair amount into the system through tax and national insurance for many a year myself I'd like to think that I'm somewhat entitled to a little of it back now that I'm currently looking for employment myself. I've paid into the same system for many a year aren't people like me entitled to some of it back now? Likewise, I've never "suffered from anxiety & depression" I've never claimed ESA and I've never had a doctor write any letter to "screw the system" What I have written about above is my objection to is having my personal details (and many other people in my particular Ingeus office) subject to Data Protection breaches which after contacting the relevant department who deals with Data Protection breaches, I have a serious case to go forward with. What I have written about is a private company claiming to "help people back into work" when I've had three appointments so far and haven't even spoken to my "Breakthrough Assessor" apart from perhaps an all in 4/5 minute period over three hours and that was to tell me to change my CV, completely change my career path after 20 odd years of working in my particular field to offer me a completely different, and quite frankly an insulting career path that my "Breakthrough Assessor" just happened to have been sent in an email to her that particular morning. Perhaps "Cdaylight" should take a look at how Ingeus treats it's own staff by pressuring them for targets and quotas each month. They then turn the fearing for their own jobs and take it out on the people they're there to supposedly help. All "Cdaylight" needs to do is go to the website glassdoor and put Ingeus into the search bar. You'll be able to read what previous employees have written on Ingeus you'll find these people aren't even properly qualified to guide us in the right direction let alone sit there looking up Pandora jewellery and perfume websites the whole time they are supposed to be helping people back into work while breaching the Data Protection Act on a daily basis.

I've had three appointments with Ingeus so far. All three appointments it's had stated on the bottom of the letter "Your activities for your next appointment are....." and it goes on to say on each "to discuss your jobsearch activity along with agreed actions to date and confirming further agreed actions" Yet in all three appointments I've yet to have any kind of "discussion" with the person named on each of the letters. First appointment I was rushed through paperwork and told to wait for the person my appointment was with "to become available" as it appeared there were three people booked in for the 10:30am appointment with the same person. I sat like a lemon until 11:15am when I was informed to do "job search" on the computer to which I would usually have done at home anyway and do a benefit calculation on the government website. At 11:30am the person I was due to see appeared and said to come back tomorrow at 10:30am and she'd have the "discussion" with me that we were supposed to have today. Second appointment, I arrived in time next day and was told at 10:30am by the the person I'd supposed to be having this "discussion" with today that had carried over from yesterday that she was busy with someone else and to do a "job search" on the computer. I spent the next hour going through job websites (again which I'd have done at home anyway) at 11:25am I was told to fill out paperwork which was to record the jobs I'd applied for, which on the day was zero. Just before I left I was informed I would need to change my CV. I flatly said no way, as it had already been changed recently and the version I had now was getting more results with employers. Grudgingly the person I still hadn't had the interview with accepted this. I was printed off a new appointment for the following week. So day two and still no "discussion" Third appointment, I arrived on time to have this "discussion" only to be directed by another person working there to do... yep you guessed it....a job search on the computer! 40 minutes later the person I was due this "discussion" with appeared and said out the blue that there was "cash made available for training" and then proceeded to rattle off information on the training that "had come up just that morning". I sat and listened to what she had to say but asked why I'd be interested in going on a course which had nothing to do with the field I was looking for work on. I declined as the training was for another field of work which I have absolutely no interest in getting into. I was then told "Well, I think it's time to change your career path and get into something else" to which I replied "I don't think so. I am not changing my career path to suit the government cash carrot dangling in front of Ingeus eyes." I was then told they'd send out a new appointment for me and was handed an A4 photocopied piece of paper to be completed and handed in next appointment headed and I jest you not!..... "Tell me a little bit about you so when your not here I can submit you for a job I may feel suitable for you " It goes onto ask a series of questions such as if i have a driving licence / access to a car / current benefit / sectors I will work in / won't work in. I am flatly declining to fill out this paperwork as I am not having someone else "submit" me for jobs which I have no control over. Especially someone who can't even get the your / you're context correct in the laughable titled piece of photocopied A4 paper! So to summarise my ongoing early Ingeus experience that's three appointments with Ingeus and a total of three hours. Already I am being told :- 1. To change my CV to the way THEY want it to appear 2. Change my career path to suit whatever THEY have lying around available 3. To fill in a form which gives them the right to submit me for jobs THEY feel is suitable for me. The thing is, in between these Ingeus appointments I've signed on at the Job Centre and mentioned to my adviser there that it seems to be a complete waste of time as all I've done in three hourly appointments is three hours of job searches which I already do at home anyway, that they've told me to change three different things (CV, career path etc.) for their own benefit of collecting their cash from the Government and more alarmingly I've encountered two serious Date Protection breaches that I'd found Ingeus had breached with my (and other peoples) information already. My Job centre adviser said that they have had a high number of complaints from people on Ingeus and that their hands are tied on doing anything as the contract is between the Government and the private company themselves but I was advised to buy a diary and write down every detail of everything that happens on each appointment and request that Ingeus photocopy every single piece of paperwork that I've signed so I have a copy too. I'm sitting tight on the two serious breaches of Data Protection presently but it'll be in the open via a complaint to another body and not to Ingeus themselves when I get the first threat of a sanction. Overall a waste of time, a waste of tax-payers cash and an organisation comically run. Helping nobody but their own business profit accounts.