I registered just to post in this topic.

 

I'm currently attempting to open my very own business (turning a hobby into self employment - selling comics) and it was Ingeus who gave me the inspiration to do this.

 

It's quite a task to set up your own business, especially if it's e-commerce which I think my adviser fails to understand. He's pressuring me right now with this statement.

 

"You need to put in the first order of comics and go self employed, because your adviser is going to change soon and you'll have to start attending group sessions"

 

This is just barbaric. I have a 6 month old daughter and wife to cater for and I'm on JSA. I'm an ex-senior web designer & video game designer. The reason for this is, is that the first issue of Comics has to be £300 and I get approximately £225 every two weeks from JSA. I'm under incredible strain from Ingeus pushing me into self employment when I have yet to test the waters with selling comics as a business (surely a trial basis is allowed?) and I worry going into self employment at the chance of it not making money I won't be able to provide for my daughter/wife's needs, I'm not bothered about mine.

 

So what I have been doing for the last 4-5 months is taking bits out of the money and buy the odd start up material and saving bits together for that initial £300 order (required by my comic wholesaler). My adviser wants to have a 'serious' talk this Thursday with me regarding everything so what I've opted to do is write up all my needs and current situations with everything (Need new passport for business account, which is also required etc) and then what could he possibly say?

 

My worry is these 'group sessions', I've been in one before - they're awful and I know pretty much everything they're about to tell me - I'm not an idiot and neither are the people in the rooms so I feel it would be nothing but a time waste and money drain (taxi fair) on my part which ultimately effects the self employment.

 

It's this constant nagging and not understanding from my adviser that bothers me I'm incredibly depressed and it's effecting my health with it. I was wondering what peoples thoughts are on my I guess 'problematic adviser'.

 

Regards,

Tell them you have changed your mind regarding self employment, if they don't offer any help, it's too much hassle, no funding, no capital etc they tried to push me back into it, then off your own back quietly test the water yourself if it's what you really want to do.

Once you register with the tax man and tell him that you are starting a business you are committed so be wary, although you wont lose anything in a bad year you may not make anything either so how will you live?

I have run my own business for a number of years, and yes it was hard at times but very satisfying being your own boss, the problem with any business is getting enough customers, get this right and you're laughing:-)

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Just an update of the problem we were having with A4E and DNCC regarding carers allowance, after more research we have found out that unless the main carer does less than 35 hours caring this benefit and my IS cannot be stopped by anyone, and the threats that "benefit will be at risk" (WILL BE!!!! not may be), is just that a threatener, grasping at straws, for an outcome payment.

They also threatened her with "you did sign the consent form" which was used against her, MY advise WITHDRAW YOUR CONSENT as soon as possible.

We are being told this on here all the time, do it now don't give them any more ammunition than they already have.

Yes my oh does have to continue with her sentence with A4E/DNCC as a volunteer!! but as stated it is these companies that still have the legal contractual obligation to TRY to keep in touch with her but she doesn't have to speak to them, and cannot be mandated.

I did ask a very nice lady to intervene from ICE and although we did get one more nasty insulting e-mail from DNCC, contact has ceased (for now) needless to say DNCC did get a nasty reply back to their e-mail.

I hope this may help anyone else in the same situation.

 

And that is true. If you are within 104 weeks of being referred to the provider then they have a contractual obligation to engage with you, no matter what your circumstances. But there is no doubt that the call will be a fishing expedition to assess whether your wife is, in reality, working so that they can claim an outcome payment.

 

However, just because they have a contractual obligation to engage with you does not necessarily imply that you have to engage with them as it will depend, as in your wife's case, on her particular circumstances. It seems to me that your wife's obligation, unlike the provider's, is voluntary.

 

By the way, I'm assuming your wife is claiming only carer's allowance. If she's also claiming a top up benefit that probably changes matters.

My thoughts exactly.

Not sure if it's classed as a top up benefit but she has claimed Income support for me, (we both do the caring but she is the CA claimant) meaning that I will have to have reviews every 6 months with the JC+, but Income Support is not on the DWP Provider Guidance Claimants group, so should not change anything,,, unless I have got it totally wrong.

It will be interesting to see how the next e-mail/letter is worded, because she will not be answering the phone to them, she'll be conveniently unavailable, let them do the running.

Have a look at this document: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/work-programme-faqs.pdf

 

Participant changes in circumstances during the Work

Programme

 

10.For example: a claimant joins the Work Programme as an ESA participant

in the Work-Related Activity Group (WRAG). You help them find a

suitable job that lasts for six months. They have to leave their job as their

family circumstances change and they become a full-time carer. You

support them in finding another job which fits their new caring

responsibilities and they stay in that job. This participant had joined the

Work Programme as an ESA WRAG participant and their participation was

mandatory. Once they became a full-time carer and returned to benefit their participation was no longer mandatory. All the outcomes you claim continue to be paid at the original claimant group rates.

 

Not exactly your situation but it might be helpful.

Hi JustInterested,

thanks for this info, but I did find this quote myself, I have asked directly where the note was from (chapter and page no.) but I'm being given the runaround and she is evading the question, she even told me that it was in bright blue, (presumably because we are too thick to understand it in black), and to let her know if I didn't understand it:???:

So I re-sent her my e-mail and picked it out in red so that she would hopefully understand the question, a second time:???:, like the colour of lettering makes a difference.

It seems that this quote has been doctored to suit their own aims to me.

After further correspondance they say that my OH still has to speak to them when they call, and that she has not signed off, I am waiting to see how they can make her answer a phone call review when she is supposed to be a voluntary participant and they cannot mandate her to do anything now.

thanks again for your input.

Hi moderators, since when has calling wp advisors pimps been personal abuse? if you think this is abuse you should read the rest of the comments that refer to wp advisors.

Hi all,

Still having trouble with A4Greed, can anyone find this note that my wife has been sent, in the WP guidance, I have looked and can't find any mention regarding carers, and have been threatened by DNCC/A4E, that failure to speak to the advisor when he calls WILL put her benefit at risk.

These are quotes from the e-mail, bear in mind she is now claiming carers allowance and has been for the last 3 months.

8 months would have been remaining on the WP if she was still claiming JSA.

"DWP still consider you to be a claimant even though you have moved your claim to the Carers Allowance. This doesn’t mean you signed off."?????

"It is imperative that you speak with the advisor when he calls and discuss your current situation at the time of the call. Failure to do this will put your benefit at risk."

Head of Training

Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, who apparently work along side A4E.

Note from the DWP Work Programme Guidance:

Light Touch Customers

Even if a customer moves out of the Contract Package Area, Signs off benefits but is not working, moves to a different benefit, becomes a carer on carers allowance, they will remain attached to A4e Provision and therefore on your caseload.

These are not inactive customers and you have to maintain contact with the customer. This can be ‘light-touch support’ or “remote support” i.e. keep in touch review phone calls rather than face to face appointments.

Light touch support may be considered in the following customer circumstances: Claiming pension credits,

Customer has no live claim,

A Joint Claim – where the partners of a participant is automatically referred to Work Programme due to them having a joint claim

Full time education (university or college)

Army Pension

Carers Allowance

You are to note in communications the customer’s circumstances and then schedule a Review. This can be a telephone appointment rather than a face to face review.

To meet our Minimum Service Levels the customer’s Employment Plan should be reviewed every 4 weeks, however in some circumstances where the customer is considered for light-touch or remote support, this could be every less often for example every 12 weeks but you must consider the customer's circumstances in deciding the time between calls and document clearly in the Communication the reason for this.

It is important you schedule these appointments so that we do not loose contact with the customer as their circumstances may change in the future.

Or are they just coming a quick one to secure outcome payments?

This is now become a battle between them and us regarding "No contact by any means", which A4E and DNCC are totally ignoring.

just thought that I'd point out their deliberate mistakes:oops:

Hi jasta11,

Perhaps I over reacted with the arm grabbing, he actually put his hand over her arm as they passed each other causing her to turn to face him, had I known who he was would have perhaps said something to him, she brushed off his question and carried on walking out of the building, but yes he shouldn't have touched her.

I'm sure the building would have had cctv should we want to take this further.

Mr.P,

I think a short letter to A4E head office as advised by yourself and jasta11 is the way to go stating that he did grab her arm, and of course reminding them that they have no hold over her now that we are not claiming JSA.

And tell them that I am going to report them to the Police and DWP for harrassment if the letters do not stop, see how they like to be threatened.

By the way I also like your defence strategy, I'll remember this if it ever happens again.

Thank you both for your replies.

signmaker

Hi, off topic I know, my wife and I signed off JSA (3 months ago now) because she has become a full time carer for my mother and is claiming Income support for me, untill I can find a suitable job, I have had my phone call from my Ingeus [personal abuse removed] asking what I'm doing and I told him that I wasn't going to tell him, although he had most of the info from the JC anyway, and it was left at that. Now my wife has had a letter from her (A4E) work party [personal abuse removed], she ignored the first mandated appointment letter he sent her, then she ignored a voice mail that he also sent, now this second letter MANDATING her to a phone call review, (yes I know this BS as we are not claiming JSA, nor are we attending the WP's) he doesn't know how clued up we are on the subject thanks to the info on this site.

It's the usual threatening letter, appointment is mandatory, failure to attend, benefits could be affected etc,etc.

He also grabbed her arm as we were leaving another building as he happened to be entering, and asked if she had received his voice mail message!!! she had told him Not to send voicemails over a year ago previously.

Now my question is this, as he has not helped one jot, in the 18 months that she attended A4E, does she bother to speak to this WP [personal abuse removed] and tell him where to shove his mandated phone call, or should she ignore him and keep him guessing so he can't get his outcome fee?

My main gripe with this particular scheme is the whole mandatory work for free fiasco. Now, don't get me wrong. If you've been out of work for X amount of time then readjusting back to a working environment is a pretty fair and good idea. However, not being paid at least minimum wage whilst the provider and employer prosper aswell as the government then being able to use this 4 week period to dupe employment stats sits ill with me.

 

It's called lying. It's called slave labor. The only ones to benefit from all this are not the unemployed but the providers and the government themselves.

 

If any thing, they have helped to decrease available jobs. Certain companies such as those that take on people on these "4 week trials" ( which rarely, if ever, offer full time employment after said period) sign up with a provider. They don't need to advertise for vacancies or pay any wage at all. They have a round robin of WP victims to come in all year round. Look at if from their point of view. Why pay someone when they are forced to do it for free? And yes they are forced.

Well said, I too, do not agree with this work for free fiasco, if these companies really wanted to help the unemployed then why not give them the wage for the job that they are being forced to do, or even topping up their JSA, to minimum wage, surely this would be an incentive alone for the slave to look more vigorously for work.

Having a proper income for 4 weeks would be really letting the slave know what it is like to be properly employed, instead of working along side another employee who is getting paid for the same job, whilst they are working for their dole money.

Who really wants to work for nothing? definately not Ingeus personel and definately not higher managment.

Just ask someone in full time employment if they would work for nothing.

Can't Poundland get volunteers? the drones are slacking.

I want to tell everyone of my experience with this e-company THE UK ELECTORAL ROLL, and warn of their unsatisfactory customer care / service they give, or don't give, and advise you NOT to subscribe to this companies service unless you want to waste your money.

It wasn't a lot of money but the principal is that you do not get what you are paying for.

I registered with this company for a one month period to search the names and addresses of relatives for my family history.

This company (THE UK ELECTORAL ROLL) is offering up to date information from the electoral role, I did one search (the 1st) for a relative and the address that was sent to me was one that I know to be years out of date, so I did as they say in their ad and asked for assistance, they came up with the correct address, and said that they would do a system test and advise further. OK I tried another name and again it came back with out of date information, I e-mailed yet again, NO REPLY, it seems that they didn't want to help anymore, and I didn't get a reply to further e-mails sent, it said in their ad "no quibble refund" so I asked for one, but they have got around giving refunds in their T&Cs.

I tried yet again with my own name, you guessed, not recognised If they cannot recognise my name and address (192.com another electoral register came up with my name straight away), surely they are selling a service that is not fit for purpose acording to the sale of goods act 1979, here is a quote

• fit for the purpose, that is as well as being fit for the purpose for which they are generally sold, goods should also be fit for any specific or particular purpose made known at the time of the agreement. For example, if a consumer asks for a food mixer that beats, whisks, and kneads dough then the one the seller gives them should do all of those things,
  
• as described, that is the goods should correspond with any description applied to them whether this be verbally, through words and pictures on a sign, on packaging, or on an advertisement.
  

Now this company has not responded to my e-mails to them and I do not expect them to now, so I have lost my money with THE UK ELECTORAL ROLL, and will have to put this down to experience and spend out yet again with another company to get the information that I need.

So anyone looking for information from the electoral role DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY.

If anyone can tell me where to go from here it would be appreciated, I do not want companies like THE UK ELECTORAL ROLL ripping off other unsuspecting customers like me.

regards

Anne

I think I would inform British Gas otherwise

 

Impecunious!

Fed up of British Gas sending me estimated bills and asking me to read their meter and send it back to them, I wrote and informed them that as I do not work for British Gas therfore not getting paid to do their job, I would charge them £10.00 to read the meter for them, guess what they sent 2 meter readers in the same week to read the meter. Result:whoo:

There are many many charities that are ran as a business and recieve a profit giving directors bonuses. This whole no profit thing is a nonsense.

In the Arthritis shop where my OH helps out "volunteering" the manager of the shop gets paid, so not all profit made goes to the charity.

Someone somewhere at the top is getting paid well, and I'll take some persuading otherwise.

Wish I couldh've got free labour when I was running my shop!!

I was gonna say similar about omitting it from the one you let the drones view

I would say the same, only tell these people what you want them to know, as for working in your friends shop, perhaps you should have mentioned it to JC but say it's voluntary which it was, or better still say that you have found someone to take you on to give you some unpaid work experience.

If the likes of Tesco,Poundland etc can get away with hiring but no paying why shouldnt other business.

There again you do not have to leave a hard copy of your CV with Ingeus.

Hello All,

 

I wonder if someone can help! After being placed on the work programme recently, my signing on location has now been changed (now 9 miles away - rather than walking distance). I have advised the Jobcentre that I am unable to afford to travel to the new office - and also the work programme which is in the same town. They (Jobcentre) have basically said that its hard luck - and if i dont attend either then my claim will be stopped! I intend to write to both the Jobcentre and Ingeus about this - but has anyone got any thoughts? Thanks for your help:)

If I have read your thread correctly,,, I thought that you could sign on at the JC+ office of your choice, I'm sure I was asked which office I wanted to sign at when I first signed on. I cannot see why they should move you to an office that is inconvenient for you, unless they are being awkward, I know of jobseekers that have changed themselves, to different offices.

As Flumps has said you should be refunded fuel/bus fares for interviews at your Ingeus office.

Looks like good and bad on both sides, but mostly bad, I suppose that you are very lucky if you have an understanding receptionist instead of someone who's just there for the monthly paycheck.

Madamfluff, well done you, more people should speak out in this country, we don't for fear of embarassment, a lot of old people will not complain, and put up with anything thats thrown at them, easy targets aren't they, my mother gets very upset when I speak out for her, sorry mum it has to be done.

I suppose that I have got to the age where I am fed up of being s**t on all of the time, and it's time I stood up for myself, and if that means putting in a complaint against someone who I think is not doing their job properly, then so be it.

After all what have I got to lose?

Hi Bakatcha,

I received my information a few months back, I'm pretty certain that Ingeus did not send everything that I asked for, does anyone know how often can we request these details, because they are collecting more info about us on each visit to them.

signmaker, you could and probably should make a complaint to the Practice Manager.

 

Most people find it difficult to explain to their GPs what is wrong with them because it might be of a personal nature. Having to explain to a receptionist what is wrong before they can even get to a GP might well prevent people from even attempting to make an appointment.

Good advice thank you, and I'm sure you have a point about getting past the receptionist first, less patients to see, less work, more money saved.

Freebee_71,

If I could afford to pay for my treatment, I would expect the receptionist to be nice to me wether they were genuine people or not, I would be paying their wages, but even so, it should be part of a receptionists job to be freindly, polite and helpful at all times, surely.

If the staff are as nice as you say they are, you are among the few lucky ones.

I do hope that you are praising them on their website if they have one, for all to see.

Praise is earnt, it's not given out easily in my book, and all I said was that I'm sick of being grilled by medically untrained people as to what my ailment is, and yes wouldn't it be nice to have the perfect set up. again inhouse training maybe.

By what I've read on here receptionists need lessons in how to be people persons, is that the right way to put it? some of these people have been in the job that long that they become complacent, then tend to forget their basic manners when speaking to you.

As for them answering the telephones when you try to make an appointment, well I'll not even go there.

Many GP receptionists have worked in surgeries for years, they take part in regular training (one afternoon per month) and over time they do pick up a certain amount of knowledge, as we all should. TBH, most people know the difference between a real emergency and something that can wait a few days. Clearly sudden onset chest or severe abdominal pain, continuous vomiting over a long period might be classed as emergency but a niggling or even severe pain in the hip, for example, is not. When they ask what's wrong they are not doing it because they are "power hungry" or "jumped up" or want to be nosey. They are part of the team working with your GP and really are there to help both patients AND clinical staff. It's not unheard of for GPs themselves to be angry with reception staff, if someone is squeezed onto the list with just a minor problem.

 

Please have some understanding that they are only trying to do their job, as instructed by the GPs.

I take it from this reply that you might have something to do with a GP's surgery?

I've had three appointments recently after putting up with the symptoms for over a week, and each time I asked for an appointment I was given different reason for asking what was wrong with me, 1 it is surgery policy, 2 it is to decide wether to give you a 5min or 7min appointment? (it takes 5mins to find the consulting room), 3 to give you the best doctor for the ailment, what a load of tosh, so I'm sure if it was a case of either reason they would get their stories straight.

I worked in the building trade for many years and "over time picked up a certain amount of knowledge" but I wouldn't say that I could plaster a wall or hang a door correctly!!! it wasn't my trade, I'm sure you get my drift, we're talking about peoples health here, surely people are not that stupid that they would go and waste the doctors time with runny nose and expect that to be an emergency, maybe they do!! if they do then fair enough.

The receptionist at my elderly mothers surgery (bear in mind that she cannot stand for long) ignored her and kept her waiting at her little window whilst she carried on talking to another person behind her untill I butted in and reminded her that we were here, these people have a little bit of power and are going to use it no matter what.

I will be telling them to make a note on my records not to ask me what is wrong with me in future.

They do have to decide if a call needs to see the Dr needs a call back etc, TBH someone has to. they do err onb the side of caution for example a person who fells a bit stressed may be less urgent than a person with chest pains. if you dont want to tell them whats wrong just say you cant discuss it most are quite reasonable if you are reasonable with them

I know when I'm ill, and I avoid the surgery like the plague I only go when absolutely necesary, I know when I need to see a GP, I do not want to have to tell some jumped up power hungry receptionist what my problems are, and I'm getting fed up of telling them that it's nothing to do with them, I asked for a general appointment and was told that it would be four weeks away, she then asked if I wanted an emergency appointment, to be seen on the day, well what would you say? obviously, just shows it didn't really matter what my problem was.

Is it just me or is anyone else sick to the back teeth of Doctors receptionists asking why I want to see my GP Ihave had three different reasons why they ask this on three different occasions, to which I've basically told them what is wrong with me, is between myself and my doctor.

Are they qualified to diagnose my illness? I don't think so, what business do they have in asking what could be a very personal question?

Is there any way of stopping these wannabe doctor receptionists from asking this every time I make an appointment?

I'm sure I read somewhere that you're not required to take a job if it leaves you worse off? There are better off calculations that can be done by JCP staff.

Not sure how you would get round this one our advisors at the JC+ are telling us to apply for all jobs that we are capable of doing no matter what hours they are, on the plus side I think Ingeus have shelved me.

I want somthing full time and permanant, I don't want to have to go through all this again in a few months, and I don't want to be stuck in a job that hate.

I have spent years going without whilst learning my trades, why should I be forced to take any crappy job that comes along?

I have just been sanctioned for four weeks for not applying for a job that I thought was unsuitable, it was temporary and would have taken 2hrs and 10 mins each way traveling, I have now found out that they should not have sanctioned me for this, and have "made a mistake" I have put in a complaint against the advisor.

If I ever get a reply from a job with stupid hours or zero contract hours, would I have to accept it, or refuse and risk another sanction? I think I would plead ignorant and say that I didn't realise that it was so few hours and tell them I am looking for a job with more hours than they were offering,

I now feel that the JC+ and the WP's ARE out to get you, anything they can catch you out with they will.

I hate the lot of them, the sooner I get a job and be rid of them the better.

Discretionary Housing Payments

All may not be lost, if you get stung for bedroom tax you can apply for this if you meet the criteria.

Just an update of my sanction,

I have made a bit of a fuss with the JC+ and have had the situation explained further, firstly my advisor raised a doubt against me for failing to apply for a job that I considered unsuitable.

She did give me the necessary paperwork for this sanction.

This was on the 7th feb so the previous 2 weeks were on this signing, so my JSA was suspended for two weeks prevoius, as well as this week, I have put in an appeal for the second 2 weeks, apparently there is only 1 sanction against me.

Wich is this from the 7th Feb.

Obviously I don't agree with the advisor raising a doubt against me for not applying for a job that meant I would have to travel to for 2hr 10 mins each way (agreed traveling time 90mns) on public transport, the job was also for a temporary contract, to which my appeal is based.

My wife did have her JSA stopped along with mine wich I also questioned and have been told and it has been confirmed that she will now be paid today as a single rate claimant, as she should still be paid.

I'm not too sure yet how we stand with H/B and C/tax.

So the outcome of all of this is that it looks like I have been accused, tried, and sentenced without any way of defending myself for the first 2 weeks and am having to appeal for the second 2 weeks.

Of course I have been told that I can apply for a hardship payment.

Jeez is it not bad enough having to put up with all of this crap without having to beg for a few extra pounds? in a way I feel that I should claim, and then again, I hate giving these people the satisfaction of seeing me having to beg.

again thanks for all of your invaluable help.

Thanks for all of your input, it has given me the info that I need to tackle the JC+ now I have their own guidelines, I just hope they haven't had time to falsify a notification letter,,,,,,, as if they would.

thanks again.