Thanks Bazooka Boo

Hello I was moved to the esa support group in August/September this year, but I received a letter from DWP this morning telling me to go and meet my job coach on the 11th January 2017. The letter says that I must take steps to prepare for a return to work when I am able and says that I must also tell them about work-related activities that I've done. They also give a warning about my payments, saying that they know how important the payments are to me! They say that they want to help me keep them, but in return I must do work-related activities. Its all very confusing to me, so can anyone help me with some advice? Thanks.

Thanks for your comments One of the advisers that I got on well with told me broadly the same thing, and warned me that my adviser couldn't force me into anything. Apparently there have also been a lot of redundancies in companies running the WP, so the screws are being tightened even more.

Hello Mr.P, Thanks a lot for the advice and the links. I have more of an idea now of how the WP/Ingeus works.

Thanks for your reply, I'm not surprised that they are hardly ever aware of the guidance - after having a brief look at it, it is a lot of stuff to remember. Like I said, in my first appointment with her she seemed OK - I could of said "abrupt" instead of "a bit aggressive". I thought they had similar meanings. She certainly wasn't shouting or threatening towards me! It wasn't my intention if I gave that impression. If you do record conversations, and they caught you doing it, wouldn't they sanction you for that?

Thanks antone

Many thanks for the advice Mr.P, I will read through the WP guidance. Do you have to have their permission to record conversations?

Many thanks for your reply. When I went to Atos in 2013 they accepted what I was saying and told me that I didn't need to be physically examined. I was only in there ten minutes. The decision that I got from DWP said that they'd placed me in the wrag group, and an advisor told me that I should attend the WP. You make a lot of very good points that I wasn't aware of and I am very grateful for the advice. I will definitely ask Ingeus about being reassessed. I'll ask to see the manager as well. As you say, all I was doing was following the correct procedures!

Thanks for replying No, the appointment time was written on a small card.

Hello I've been on the Work Programme with Ingeus since October 2013 and up to now most of the people there have been OK with me. Some of them have been really helpful. Earlier this year, arthritis in my neck and shoulders started to get worse and I am currently getting physiotherapy for it. I have other problems with chronic back, leg and groin pain, so some days I am as stiff as a board and find it very difficult to move about. I am on a lot of pain medication. Ingeus know about this. About a month ago they changed my advisor. In my first appointment with her she seemed OK, but was a bit aggressive in her manner. She booked another appointment with me for two weeks later, but on that day I woke up and was in a lot of pain and could hardly move. I called her about four hours before the appointment time to ask if she could rearrange the appointment because I was in a lot of pain. She said “well, anyone could say that couldn't they?” and “I've only got your word for it”. She went on to say that I may get sanctioned because of this, and booked another appointment. I am worried now because this seems to me like Ingeus want to punish me for being in pain. My GP has told me that these health problems will probably get worse, so its even more worrying. I’d be very grateful for any comments or advice on what to say to Ingeus, because I don't know the rules of the WP and I'm scared to say anything that may cause them to sanction me.

Sorry for the VERY long delay in replying - due to ill-health. To cut a long story short after asking Direct TV's again (twice) for the original delivery charge to be refunded, a few weeks later they refunded it with a very short apology. So there was no need to apply for a chargeback. Many thanks to rebel11 for all of the advice.

OK rebel11, I'll do that as soon as possible. Thanks.

Hello rebel11 Many thanks for that information, I'll do that. Like I said in a previous post, I've read stories of Direct TV's doing the same thing to other customers. Thanks again.

Visa debit card

Hello rebel11 No they haven't charged for the return. They haven't refunded the original delivery charge - just the price of the TV.