I receive ESA

Ah. Was hoping you wouldn't say that - although I used to be an ESA processor, I left before the WP got involved. What I'll do, though, is send a message to one of our WP watchers asking if he knows. He checks in on this thread often anyhow.

I receive ESA

WRAG or Support Group ?

Do you have any full time carer responsibilities towards children under five, other ESA claimants, or elderly relatives ?

If the answers are WRAG and no carer responsibilities, then I'd suggest looking at Annex 3 of http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-pg-chapter-3a-22-october-2012.pdf - If the letter does not conform to the prescribed template and instead uses text intended for JSA claimants, you have grounds to challenge it.

As you have a sick note from your GP*, the standard advice would be to notify the JCP and the WP provider using a JSA28 form. But this is intended for claimants on JSA, not ESA - I would strongly suggest calling your local JCP office and asking what the equivalent ESA form is. If they can not provide the form, I'd suggest writing a short letter to both the WP provider and the DWP/JCP informing them of your inability to attend. This would come under the heading of "a change in circumstances" and fulfil the requirements set out in http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-pg-chapter-5.pdf .

*) Just a thought: Does the sick note just say "do not operate machinery or drive" or does it go further and confine you to the house ?

If the former and you find there is no way out, then you must be accompanied by an advocate to ensure that you are not subjected to undue pressure (and as always, record the meeting in full).

Much of the DWP guidance for Work Programme providers is geared towards JSA claimants, and it is often difficult to pick out which sections do not apply to ESA claimants - In these cases, it is worth getting written clarification from the DWP/JCP.

Well, one year at Ingeus done. I think over the past year I must have been called in about 6 times (im on ESA WRAG).

The last time I was there (last week) there was a whole group of young folks who must have been in their 20's... all lined up for some interview with some serious looking bloke in a suit.

I see my adviser one more time and then apparently i get moved to the "Second Stage" which involves me going to a group meeting with other folks on ESA and then getting a new adviser. Kinda will miss my old adviser

I think the Ingeus place I go to is empty most of the time...was usually only me, one person at a computer doing jobsearch and a whole bunch of staff sitting around chatting.

So I was put forward for a minimum wage admin role working for a company in partnership with Ingeus. My advisor told me I was perfect for the role and would breeze through any interview. It was an'easy win'.

Just recieved an email that I after careful consideration of my CV (Which has been rewritten by my advisor) Ingeus will not be pursuing my application any further and due to the high number of applicants, they can't give me any feedback.

You know, I am actually looking forward to my next appointment

A very interesting transcript of oral evidence taken before the work and pensions committee 'the role of JCP in the reformed welfare state' http://freepdfhosting.com/3494568f4b.pdf

Some edited highlights from the UM forum http://unemploymentmovement.com/forum/chat-a-rap/7230-oral-evidence-taken-before-the-work-and-pensions-committee#24991

So insiders are admitting that sanction targets do exist they are just called something else, ESA claimants that fall foul of mandatory revision who try to claim JSA will inevitably 'fall through the cracks' because they cannot comply with conditionality, and JCP actively 'frustrate' people off benefits.

On training, Colin Booth who was there representing the Association of colleges said

The DWP and Jobcentre Plus are a barrierto people doing longer skills courses to get them into work. Because they are focused on getting people off the unemployment register, they are very focused on referring people to short interventions to get people into work, but they are actually often a barrier.

This is not the Jobcentre Plus offices, although sometimes they are a bit inconsistent. This is the whole system.

We run a system that means that we frequently get adults who are very motivated, who sign up for courses, and they are then prevented from doing those courses and then we see them again when they are referred and often mandated into training later.

 

We run a system that creates barriers to people participating in longer skills courses and participating on their own terms and with their own motivation, only to refer them under conditionality back into the same system later sometimes.

Osdset, A very revealing set of documents, not just with the points you make but with JPC staff training, holes in the system that make it impossible for some people with medical condition to claim any benefit, the mind set of staff to make sanctions and the lack of disability advisers.

The whole Work Programme set up is a shambles, set up by people with no real life experience of what it is like to be on the dole, and should be scrapped as it has now been proven to be pretty useless (just my opinion).

I find that the whole system is grinding to a halt and will probably be privatised if the Conservatives win the next election.

So I was put forward for a minimum wage admin role working for a company in partnership with Ingeus. My advisor told me I was perfect for the role and would breeze through any interview. It was an'easy win'.

 

Just recieved an email that I after careful consideration of my CV (Which has been rewritten by my advisor) Ingeus will not be pursuing my application any further and due to the high number of applicants, they can't give me any feedback.

 

You know, I am actually looking forward to my next appointment

Would be a nice chance to report Ingeus to the DWP for losing you a possible job by their 'improvement' of your CV which was subsequently rejected. You could argue that had they submitted your untouched version it may have gotten through.

As Ingeus always woffle on about 'getting feedback from employers' I think it's only fair that you should pester them for some too - namely; why did your application not go through when you'd been assured it was a breeze?

If my experience of Ingeus' CV writing 'skills' are anything to go by, your CV would have ended up being bland, dull and littered with spelling mistakes once one of their advisors had finished with it.

Give 'em hell

The whole Work Programme set up is a shambles

No, it works perfectly. It moves money from the taxpayer to the private contractors. In other European countries this system is called 'mafia'.

The whole Work Programme set up is a shambles, set up by people with no real life experience of what it is like to be on the dole, and should be scrapped as it has now been proven to be pretty useless (just my opinion).

 

I find that the whole system is grinding to a halt and will probably be privatised if the Conservatives win the next election.

Conversely, if and when Labour return, the likelihood is that they will reintroduce something more insidious than the Work Programme which was conversely worse than the Flexible New Deal.

 

If my experience of Ingeus' CV writing 'skills' are anything to go by, your CV would have ended up being bland, dull and littered with spelling mistakes once one of their advisors had finished with it.

 

Give 'em hell

When Ingeus altered my cv it came back with 22 spelling mistakes i kid you not

It was also very dull to read etc.....i dont use the one they have altered i use the orginal which i am more than happy with

 

The last time I was there (last week) there was a whole group of young folks who must have been in their 20's... all lined up for some interview with some serious looking bloke in a suit.

 

Its always the young ones, who get put forward for interviews at ingeus.

As this is where they see a potential bonus if the person gets the job!

When Ingeus altered my cv it came back with 22 spelling mistakes i kid you not

 

It was also very dull to read etc.....i dont use the one they have altered i use the orginal which i am more than happy with

S got me in for it with m but m just sat at his desk, he claimed its best that I do it myself, his only 'help' was to remove dates, he was useless and he claimed this help was my idea and when I said it wasn't he virtually called me a liar and was too lazy to call s to confirm that I was telling the truth

Its always the young ones, who get put forward for interviews at ingeus.

As this is where they see a potential bonus if the person gets the job!

Do they get more bonus for a younger person than an older person?

Do they get more bonus for a younger person than an older person?

No i dont think so, its just they see more chance of a young person getting a job than us older folk lol

S got me in for it with m but m just sat at his desk, he claimed its best that I do it myself, his only 'help' was to remove dates, he was useless and he claimed this help was my idea and when I said it wasn't he virtually called me a liar and was too lazy to call s to confirm that I was telling the truth

Sounds about right for Ingeus, i have 2 cv's one Ingeus think i use and one i do use....Ingeus are useless at cv's

Sounds about right for Ingeus, i have 2 cv's one Ingeus think i use and one i do use....Ingeus are useless at cv's

First cv was better from them as a manipulative fakedone it with bulletpoints

My friend corrected their spelling and grammar (they kept changing tenses within the same paragraph!) on the re-write of her CV. I have done similar.

I really think their CV writing is appalling, I can do a lot better (my re-write got me a short term job and I am in line for another job with the same CV).

There are so many older people being left out of the job market now because of the PM's laudable attempt to instill a 'solid work ethic' into the younger generation.

The trouble is that a section of that generation have been given to believe that they can walk into a job earning a lot of money just because they have a degree. They don't have the 'life skills' they need to cope on their own, let alone be told what to do by somebody 'lesser' than themselves.

The turnover of staff within the WP is such that they are virtually pulling people off the street willy nilly to take jobs as 'advisors' hence the deplorable standards. Anyone with any training within the WP industry left long ago and turned the lights off on the way out.

First cv was better from them as a manipulative fakedone it with bulletpoints

I've never used a ingeus CV as they are rubbish to say the least.

The turnover of staff within the WP is such that they are virtually pulling people off the street willy nilly to take jobs as 'advisors' hence the deplorable standards. Anyone with any training within the WP industry left long ago and turned the lights off on the way out.

Have you ever applied for a job at ingeus? its not as easy as you think.....................As you get a long questionaire to fill in......

Do they get more bonus for a younger person than an older person?

They get more money for "difficult" clients - sick, disabled and so on. I don't think merely being over 50 qualifies a person as "difficult", but I'm not sure.

I have finished with Ingeus months ago when I found a job they said I wouldn't need to come to any more appointments even though I then didn't end up taking the job as found out it was only commission based.

I have signed back on on new claim and everything since then but I keep receiving constant phone calls from Ingeus departments and texts asking 'Justasking how you are getting on in work'. Every few months the advisor I had calls my phone and I don't answer it, he then emails me and says something like 'Please send me your new number I can't get through to you'. Up till now I have got so fed up of the constant phone calls I just answered and told him I am now self-employed. He then says 'That's fine, we'll speak again in a few weeks'

Why do they keep phoning me every few months? I have told them I am not in that job anymore but have gone self-employed thinking that would get rid of them but they still continue to pester me. If it's not phone calls it's emails.

Don't really want to change my number, and even if I do they still know my email.

Anyone know if an Ingeus advisor can contact you through a personal site like Facebook because he has my email or is that a breach of their policy?

Have you ever applied for a job at ingeus? its not as easy as you think....

Did look at their recruitment site - To search and apply for vacancies, you have to register. Registration takes place when you first apply for a vacancy.... Brain dead F.W.

Would I actually want to work there - Not unless there is a significant change in temperature in Hell.

I have finished with Ingeus months ago when I found a job they said I wouldn't need to come to any more appointments even though I then didn't end up taking the job as found out it was only commission based.

 

Anyone know if an Ingeus advisor can contact you through a personal site like Facebook because he has my email or is that a breach of their policy?

Has 104 weeks passed since your very first appointment with them ?

If not, you are still in their grubby little grasp whilst claiming JSA/ESA. If the 104 week period is past, you can write a cease and desist letter threatening to report them for harassment and breaches of the telecoms regulations.

Most work places have a policy on the use of facebook during company time - I don't have access from work (nor do I use it at home). If you do get any attempt at contact via facebook, record it in your diary and at it to the list of harassment.

 

Don't really want to change my number, and even if I do they still know my

email

It really cannot be said too often - if you don't want to be hassled and harassed do not provide them with a phone number or e-mail address. New consignees please note!

You are perfectly within your rights to tell them that your preferred and only means of communication is by post. They won't like this but will just have to lump it provided you stick politely to your policy. This also means not telling the JCP this information (it will be passed to the WP on your attachment). Ask the JCP to remove the info from their records if they already have it. They did this for me and I survived 2 years at A4greed without one phone call or e-mail.