Many years ago I had an interview for a job with Scottish Power and they held the psychometric tests in the function room at the local rugby club. Utter waste of time really as all you have to do with psychometric tests is to give the answer the company want to hear, not the one you really want to give; show them that you're a 'dedicated team player who will go the extra mile, etc' and you're halfway there.

Jobcentres have always held interviews, I can recall them doing this in the 70's though it was probably a lot more innocent then - in today's 'sanctioned for any reason' climate I would be worried about the JC poking their noses in and asking the interviewer afterwards how you performed, hoping to catch you out for not trying hard enough or, if the employer said you weren't very confident during the interview, using it as an excuse to bung you on yet another course. They're not allowed to ask for feedback unless it's a notified vacancy but I bet the JC would assume that because the interview was held on their premises then that entitled them to obtain any info they want off the interviewer.

Given the choice, I'd much prefer the JC to be kept well out of the 'interview' loop.

Jasta11, Surely any interview between a prospective employer and yourself would be classed as private and confidential and

if the information you had given to the employer was given to the advisor's and that information used against you surely you

could have a go at them with a very serious complaint concerning breach of confidentiality.

Many years ago I had an interview for a job with Scottish Power and they held the psychometric tests in the function room at the local rugby club. Utter waste of time really as all you have to do with psychometric tests is to give the answer the company want to hear, not the one you really want to give; show them that you're a 'dedicated team player who will go the extra mile, etc' and you're halfway there.

 

Jobcentres have always held interviews, I can recall them doing this in the 70's though it was probably a lot more innocent then - in today's 'sanctioned for any reason' climate I would be worried about the JC poking their noses in and asking the interviewer afterwards how you performed, hoping to catch you out for not trying hard enough or, if the employer said you weren't very confident during the interview, using it as an excuse to bung you on yet another course. They're not allowed to ask for feedback unless it's a notified vacancy but I bet the JC would assume that because the interview was held on their premises then that entitled them to obtain any info they want off the interviewer.

 

Given the choice, I'd much prefer the JC to be kept well out of the 'interview' loop.

Yes that was what i was worried about - jobcentre staff askin for the ins an out of my interview an if they didnt like what they heard sanctioning me or making me go on pointless "confindence booster" courses

The interview went ok anyway i didnt get a job coz it was for high end tele sales with a lot of pressure to meet targets and i pointed out that the old glazing company i workd for i had workd in the show room for 5 years then coz of the credit crunch i was moved to cold calling due to lack of ppl entering the showroom and i struggled with the pressure an was eventually made redundant so the employer said he didnt think the job was for me -and best thing was no jobcentre staff were on that floor as it was 12.20 they were all at lunch appart frm 2 security staff

Jasta11, Surely any interview between a prospective employer and yourself would be classed as private and confidential and

if the information you had given to the employer was given to the advisor's and that information used against you surely you

could have a go at them with a very serious complaint concerning breach of confidentiality.

Definitely - it should be private, but as we all know the JC don't follow the rules and probably some employers don't either. I wouldn't be at all surprised if JC staff haven't tried to actually sit in on some interviews, especially with younger people who don't know the guidelines and are the most targeted for sanctions. I've heard of Work Program advisers who sat in on supposedly private interviews. Totally wrong.

The interview went ok anyway i didnt get a job coz it was for high end tele sales with a lot of pressure to meet targets and i pointed out that the old glazing company i workd for i had workd in the show room for 5 years then coz of the credit crunch i was moved to cold calling due to lack of ppl entering the showroom and i struggled with the pressure an was eventually made redundant so the employer said he didnt think the job was for me -and best thing was no jobcentre staff were on that floor as it was 12.20 they were all at lunch appart frm 2 security staff

With the best possible will in the world , and I admire your honesty, maybe you could do with some interview technique training. All sales is target driven and yes some people can deal with that better than others, I know I did not deal that well with it but there is pressure on every job . Do you have evidence that the reason you were chosen for redundancy was the pressure? If I were your employer and I wanted to get rid of a poor performer I would use the disciplinary route rather than redundancy, so much cheaper. Of course if you didn't want the job but were pushed into the interview by the job centre then well played

With the best possible will in the world , and I admire your honesty, maybe you could do with some interview technique training. All sales is target driven and yes some people can deal with that better than others, I know I did not deal that well with it but there is pressure on every job . Do you have evidence that the reason you were chosen for redundancy was the pressure? If I were your employer and I wanted to get rid of a poor performer I would use the disciplinary route rather than redundancy, so much cheaper. Of course if you didn't want the job but were pushed into the interview by the job centre then well played

Yes it was the jc who pushed me into the interview coz i had done tele sales before even tho i said i didnt want any job to do with meeting stressful sales targets as i had lost my job i had before when they moved from being in the showroom as it had gone quiet after the credit crunch to do tele sales cold calling where i didnt

Meet any of the targets after a year or so they let me go - i had worked in the showroom before that for nearly 5 years and did really well

Hello,

There is so much helpful information here, thank you.

I was wondering if you can help. I have been unemployed for a while, claiming JSA and now in work programme with Ingeus. They have not help at all as people already know.

I have now gotten a job offer to start work mid February. When should I let the Job Centre know so that they don't stop my JSA until I start work? Do I have to tell them where I am going to work?

How do I get rid of Ingeus? I don't want them contacting my new employer (and I stated that clearly when I started with them, but don't trust them basically) or to have to keep going to them. Can I just tell them I have a job, refuse to give them the employer's name and address and stop going?

When would you suggest I tell them I have a job starting mid February? I have to go to my next appointment next week.

Thanks a lot

You don't have to tell the job centre where you're working. In fact, you can just sig off JSA without telling them you actually have a job.

As Nystagmite says, you don't have to tell the JC anything, merely complete the signing-off form they'll give you and omit any employer details - however, if you want to claim any allowances like Working Tax Credit or other financial help which the DWP offer when people get a job then they would need to know your employer, if only to verify you're actually working and entitled to any allowances. You can also get a run-on period with your housing benefit for a few weeks, if you're getting it, which is well worth having. They too would also need to know from the DWP that you're working.

Regarding Ingeus however..tell them nothing! I'd wait till you actually start the job and have signed off benefits, then you can tell them where to go and to never contact you again. Once you're off benefits they have no power over you whatsover, though they'll want you to 'stay in touch' for the remainder of your 2 years, even if you're working. Ignore any future 'demands' off them. If you tell them now that you have a job and will be leaving soon they'll spend your last few weeks pestering the hell out of you trying to find out your employer.

You need to be very forceful and tell them never to contact you again or you'll file a complaint of harrassment - quite a few here have done just that. I myself told them very firmly never to contact me again and to my surprise they didn't They'll try all tricks, saying 'we need your employer details for our records' or 'the DWP say we must have them'. All rubbish. As you probably already know, they really want your employer details so they can claim all the payments for finding you a job; doesn't matter if you found the job yourself, they'll still try and take credit - and money - for it.

Also be aware that if you tell the JC now that you have a job in a few weeks time they could pass this info along to Ingeus and then the pestering starts. I'd wait until your last day of unemployment, then tell the JC you're signing off. By the time Ingeus hear of it, you'll be working and out of their clutches.

It's HMRC who pay tax credits and I don't think they'd tell DWP anything regarding about you working?

Yes, I thought that too when I had Tax Credits many years ago, but that's the problem these days - we don't know for sure who can tell what to whom I'd imagine a lot of cross-referencing goes on between government departments and local authorities which we don't know about. I always assume 'tell one department and they all know'.

This country and government is turning us all paranoid.

You can apply for Working Tax Credit independently without the Jobcentre finding out- they do NOT 'fast-track' your claim or control whether you get money from the WTC people. They would need to know what you 'earned' in benefits but if you go to the website the details are there (some benefits aren't deemed 'income' so check the paperwork as you could do yourself out of some money.

Good luck with the new job and hope you don't end up having to 're-engage' with the almost useless 'work provider'.

Out of the blue this morning I had an email from Ingeus from my 'adviser' even though I am on ESA at the moment:

Dear XXXX

I hope that you are well. It is now approaching 6 months since you were with us before unfortunately moving to ESA from JSA. This is just a courtesy email to see how you are and to offer any support that we can give should you need it whiklst on ESA.

Please do drop me an email if you would like to book anappointment.

Warm regards

XXXX

Apart from this I also had a missed call from the general Ingeus number (I ignored it) I also plan to ignore the email. I have nothing to say to them and they won't be getting a life story from me - especially after my recent diagnosis.

You can apply for Working Tax Credit independently without the Jobcentre finding out- they do NOT 'fast-track' your claim or control whether you get money from the WTC people. They would need to know what you 'earned' in benefits but if you go to the website the details are there (some benefits aren't deemed 'income' so check the paperwork as you could do yourself out of some money.

 

Good luck with the new job and hope you don't end up having to 're-engage' with the almost useless 'work provider'.

Almost? Let's be honest - it is not almost, it IS ....TOTALLY USELESS WASTE OF SPACE PROVIDER

Out of the blue this morning I had an email from Ingeus from my 'adviser' even though I am on ESA at the moment:

 

Dear XXXX

 

I hope that you are well. It is now approaching 6 months since you were with us before unfortunately moving to ESA from JSA. This is just a courtesy email to see how you are and to offer any support that we can give should you need it whiklst on ESA.

 

Please do drop me an email if you would like to book anappointment.

 

Warm regards

XXXX

 

Apart from this I also had a missed call from the general Ingeus number (I ignored it) I also plan to ignore the email. I have nothing to say to them and they won't be getting a life story from me - especially after my recent diagnosis.

They called me after 6 months to see what "help" they could offer me. It was a bit difficult not to laugh. Considering that when I was with them, their "help" largely consisted of ignoring reasonable requests and generally making my life a misery.

They called me after 6 months to see what "help" they could offer me. It was a bit difficult not to laugh. Considering that when I was with them, their "help" largely consisted of ignoring reasonable requests and generally making my life a misery.

That is what I wanted to say but I have bigger battles without worrying about these 'people' at the moment. Rather than get in to a slanging match I ignored the call (and vlocked number on mobile) and have also blocked emails from the email address as well. They have nothing to 'offer' me and were no help in the 6 months I was there so as far as I am concerned I am done with them. Well, maybe not as I started in Feb-14 so officially with them until Feb-16 but as on ESA for now they have no power over me.

I agree wholeheartedly with Pat18's comment that the information here is so helpful!

I posted here last week that I had been sanctioned for not turning up for a mandatory appointment with Ingeus that they had neglected to tell me about. I called the DWP to say I disagreed with the decision and would be appealing against it, and to my surprise they immediately said my benefits would be reinstated and no sanctions applied! I was stunned to say the least ... I have been twice sanctioned before because of Ingeus errors and on both occasions the sanction has been overturned. I wonder if the DWP are just as wary of Ingeus as we all are? Who knows?

I now have a job, starting early February, so was going to ask here for any tips re telling JCP and Ingeus and I found all the information here without even having to ask! Amazing. I can't tell you how much posters here have got me through some very dark days during this last week. Thank you!

I now have a job, starting early February, so was going to ask here for any tips re telling JCP and Ingeus

Congratulations on a) getting the benefit doubt overturned at the first hurdle and b) finding a job.

You do not have to tell Ingeus or the JCP about the new job, just close your claim "for personal reasons". Due to the way the Work Programme contract is arranged, the DWP/JCP can share information with the provider if you tell them. On that basis, say nothing to either and ignore any further contact from Ingeus once you have started work.

 

You do not have to tell Ingeus or the JCP about the new job, just close your claim "for personal reasons".

Perfect! I was going to say I had a job but not give them any details, but 'personal reasons' is a far better option and I will do that instead. I'm moving house to take up the new job, so they won't have my new address or phone number so I can escape their clutches completely

Congratulations LynnJC on the new job and well done on having the sanction threat lifted. Good to hear too that you are taking steps to sever all links with those who persecuted you. There is no good reason why they should benefit from your good luck.

You are quite right too to acknowledge the assistance, good advice and support given you by the contributors on this site. Between them, their experience and their willingness to impart it for the benefit of others is invaluable. They were there for me when I needed them.

Hope you keep in touch. There are still others out there who need support. Your experience and how you overcame your difficulties could very well prove to be invaluable for them.

Congratulations! I was going to say that if you mentioned a new job, they'd just keep asking you until you gave in and gave them the details they want. But seeing as you're moving house, I doubt you'll have that problem!

Hi guys,

Just recently applied for ESA again after being on JSA for 6 months because of stress ingues playing a large part in that,

Constant harassment lying to get my benefit sanctioned. because i gave them the document

Refuted.

"Withdraw consent from Work Programme Providers"

Just to let anyone know you DO NOT have to provide them details of your job search as long as you provide it to the job center that's one of the reasons they tried to sanction me, i gave the decision maker the FOI request

Whatdotheyknow.

"A Work Programme provider may ask you to provide evidence of your job search as part of their support they give you but they cannot mandate you to provide it and you will not be sanctioned if you do not provide it".

Which they accepted he said the other reasons to sanction me "Were a joke" in his words.

In the last 2 months Ingeus has got back on my case harassing me again sending letters to attend the first three letters did not have sanction threat on the back so i ignored them, then i got a letter on 24th asking me to attend on the 30th this one does have a sanction threat.

I remember reading somewhere that stated if you are still being accessed for ESA work providers cannot sanction or threaten sanctions. Does anyone know the link for that? or know what the rules are.

(My new claim for ESA has not been fully processed and i have not heard back from them regarding the main form they asked me to fill out but still get some money.)

Also if anyone knows the rules regarding how much time they are supposed to give you for appointments as 6 days seems to short.

much appreciated.

If you're on ESA assessment phase, (not been assessed for a group yet / been found fit for work) they can't get you sanctioned. They can try. But it won't work.

They have to give you at least 72 hours notice for an appointment. If you're on ESA assessment phase, you don't have to attend.

Thanks for the quick reply Nystagmite.

Do you have a link for the rules about assessment phase as i would like to email them a copy.

I live day by day and cannot afford to have any disruption to my benefits like i did last time.

As far as i gather just them flagging you means an automatic stop on benefits whether its wrong or not.

Cheers.