Matt, any chance of one initial of this persons name. Intrigued to know who it is.!

100% spot on. I joined this candidate pool last year and ingeus have done nothing for me until the last 3 weeks when they have offered me 3 crappy jobs including one at a discount job on 10 grand a year. Im between the ages of 40-45 not a school leaver ffs. They are playing hard ball with me after i opened a can of worms about their policy on travel expenses. I'm now on the verge of losing the plot with a female management person who keeps texting me rubbish jobs. My dignity says dont hold back when i see them, and i am finding it harder and harder to play ball. They're not interested in my future, just their pathetic targets. Ive applied my arse off for proper jobs, and i remain positive. Just wish they would have some faith in my honesty and not have this sad one size fits all every one out of work is lazy approach.

In other words, if they've agreed a time and a day for your advisor apt, its none of their business whatever else your day consists of - including signing on. Regarding the workshop, its in the play the game category and bite your tongue just to get your money. I've interviewed people and also switched on my pc to do a job search on the internet at home, but your ingeus advisor has mystical powers when he or she scours job land.

Good that you have your apt and signing at the same time, but surely that is because your advisor is booking that to make it easier for you. Not a coincidence.? Looking forward to next week, when i turn up to see my ''new'' advisor at the same time as signing on (booked by jobsworth advisor who i had for 1 week only) and seeing if he is as up his own a se as her by saying ''sorry we cant refund you because its your signing day''. Taking my last bus ticket in to get that refunded and if it dosnt get done along with that days ticket, i will create a new hell lol.

Point being is though, if you have to sign on thats how it is, but its pretty ridiculous to come in on different days when you dont live near by, and on your advisor day you cant use it to put your signature on a scrap of paper. To many people accept that they have to come on different days. We're supposed to be helped when we're out of work and not have unnecessary obstacles for added stress.

Regarding minimum wage, its a tricky one in that, job centre/ingeus see people accepting 15p an hour but a lot of these people have partners and/ or making dubious monies elsewhere no doubt. As ive eluded to on here this week, ingeus advisers dont read off the same hymn sheet and you can get a right jobsworth bell or a decent reasonable advisor, who just wants to get through their boring day and clock off at 5 with no extra worthless hassle incorporated in to their shift that they themselves have created. Its very difficult to go for a job thats going to make you worse off, as well as having to work with people who have little or no social skills. I think i'd rather be homeless than work for someone who talks to me like s it. I know i'd walk out or do something thats not advantageous to the other person who had annoyed me. Have had an interview confirmed this week for a new store in Basildon. Two slight worries are, one that the details were e mailed to me by a minion at the dwp and the other is that if it is for a sales associate (checkout or shop floor bod) on the ad (upon deeper research on google). Ingeus girl last week at time off application filling, said ''i'd ask if they have any management positions.'' Wondering if it they will put me up for execution if they offer me minimum wage for non management job and then i refuse.? I do remain positive despite this worry.!

Your timetable of signing and apt sounds similar to mine Charlotte...except i was about 10 yards away from the advisors desk whilst signing. (Only just realised that not every Ingeus minion/slave signs on at Ingeus as well as their apt - like i do. See i would sort of accept what the problem you had/have (no offence), but even then why would someone have every/every other friday off...weird.! The issue that ingeus jobsworth has - is she likes to micromanage, which usually means someone dosnt get on with many of their colleagues so they act as ****ty as possible. Bit like the brummy woman with glasses in that job centre comedy, if you've ever seen it. Thanks for your reply, much appreciated.

hmm that sounds about right. Oh well at least i can take some solice on that issue that she thought i was capable of giving her one...sorry i coudnt resist.

Thanks Lw, i'll get stuck in to that. The crap you have to go through, just to keep your sanity. Many get accused of moaning, whinging etc when in reality you have to stick up for yourself, otherwise companies/institutions will get away with what they can. Sadly, many just accept defeat. Like you, i'd help anyone i can within my powers with advice etc.

I did laugh out loud, and thank you for that essexmat.! I now cast doubt on myself. Its like sliding doors, would i have got that job as general manager at the Hilton hotel, had i been wearing shirt and tie instead of my retro England 1982 shirt. I'm going to die wondering.

Hi G4C. my advisor said 2 weeks back, she was supposed to switch me over in January, but she was determined to get me working with all the effort i put in (and my stunning persoanlity i guess) etc. I suspect the truth for you and I (and millions more) is that its easier for Ingeus to keep us with same advisor at certain times, to keep each advisor busy for their shift.

Hello Lapsed Workaholic, and its a pleasure to hear from you. Thanks for going to the trouble you have, really appreciate it. I guess the bottom line is, there is nothing within these guidelines that says they cant refund you if your advisor apt and signing day are on the same day/time span etc. Wonder,does a chapter and verse of Ingeus scriptures exist detailing their rules and regulations.? I suspect not - at least not to the public. Could they quote from their own bible if only they have access to it.?

Hi Mr.P, thanks for your wise words. Very much appreciated and sounds like i could be using your passage (pardon the expression). I have kept my bus ticket, as all my other visits just in case.! Think Ingeus, like many other companies are suffering from micromanagement. They have their own mini republics within the same office space.

Due to finish my 2 year sentence with Ingeus in January. Just about to switch to my 3rd pointless advisor, who yesterday informed me that i have someone else next time due to her being moved to 1st year ''clients''. Anyway for the last year and a half ive been signing on and had my advisor apt on the same day at roughly the same time. My 1st 2 advisors were happy to do this rather than come twice. I dont live near the town (Basildon) and im not happy to pay 10 quid a month in bus fares. This worked out nicely and able to claim my fares back..Until this new advisor Catherine says ''sorry we cant pay your fares if its your signing on day." wtf i said in a more polite way. ''We've had a new directive that we cant do this otherwise everyone would want to sign on at the same time''.! Excuse me.? how is that possible. People sign on all through the day mon-fri at different times anyway.? Ok so you cant match everyone up with advisor and signing on day i can sort of understand that..but? there is a certain amount of people you can do it for - that stands to reason. And why the hell would you not want to help someone who is out of work in anyway you can.? Aside from that, some dont care whether they have to make 2 visits they accept it, some live near to Ingeus or they have partners who are minted, so again they dont care to much, and others like me do not live on its doorstep. Whichever way you look at it, they can do it for some (first come first served), and they have been all this time until now. Ok lets say i accept this jobsworth girls reasoning that its not possible to match the apt and signing on day, but sometimes it is....wait for it. After going to this open day job vancancy thing for jobs at M & S in the same room after chatting to jobsworth, i say ''can i have my fare please''..NO BECAUSE ITS YOUR SIGNING ON DAY.!!! OMG. I kept calm for some reason. On returning home i realised how petty she was and that she is lying about some directive about not being able to claim fares on signing on day. I phoned head office (or what purports to being the main office, and spoke to 'Alison' who said it sounds ridiculous, and most at Ingeus wouldnt care if they were helping you save money. Ive got to decide whether to hold fire and wait til i see my new 3rd advisor before having a polite rant or being pro active now. I was advised by head office to see the centre manager to discuss but i think its best to hit them cold on my next signing on day...which ''jobsworth'' was actually happy top book silmultaneously for me again, even though by her rules i cant claim the fare. Sorry if this sounds petty, bet when you have to walk an hour and a half rather twice a month rather than pay 9.50 in total that they wont pay you due to bloody mindedness, its just pathetic.