I always fill out the typical Ingeus template forms when doing a jobsearch at the Ingeus office, I fill in the job i've applied for and the website I have used but have never filled out the space where it asks the name of the company/agency the job belongs I've applied for is with. Today I was told in pretty harsh terms I had to start filling this out or it was a sanctionable offence. I record my jobs applied for on the Universal Jobmatch website and I have email evidence of all jobs applied for which I produce every time I sign on at the local job centre. Does Ingeus have a right to see which company/agency I am applying for when I produce this evidence each fortnight when I go to the job centre and can they send a sanction to the job centre for me not putting down which company/agency I am applying for work at? I'm applying and recording proof of at least ten jobs each day at home and when I'm on a "jobsearch" activity at the actual Ingeus office too. Their claim today is that this is for their "records" but surely the only people who have a right to know which company/agency my applications are for is the job centre adviser when I sign on each fortnight and whom I provide the evidence of job search to every time? Could anyone please provide any feedback or information? Thanks.

my friend cancelled his JSA claim today and has appointment booked with his ingeus advisor tomorrow, he has asked me if he can still get sanctioned for not attending as he is switching from JSA to ESA? sorry to keep going on but he keeps asking me.

Hi all , i have been attending work programme for over a month - and was late for an appointment due to a heavy cold and my provider decided callously to raise a doubt with DWP. recieved a 'good reason letter' asking why i dint attend work programme appt.- how can i successfully challenge this and avoid a sanction. help would be very much appreciated guys!

I have been claiming universal credit for around 13 months whilst trying to recover from anxiety and depression. I have on several occasions explained to the DWP that these conditions affect my ability to work and attend scheduled appointments, providing as much medical evidence as doctors will provide. Back in March I missed an appointment during a particularly difficult time for me. I wasn't able to talk to anyone or leave the house. I contacted the DWP as soon as I felt able and arranged another appointment, which I later rescheduled myself, against as a result of my condition. This all happened around 5 months ago. In the last 4 weeks, I was sent a sanction notice for the period. The missed appointment was the trigger, and then rescheduling my next appointment made it longer according to them. This has resulted in me losing almost 3 consecutive months worth of payments (the first one which would have been this week) for missing a single appointment. I contacted citizens advice, who spoke with DWP on my behalf. After speaking with their call centre staff, the charity advised me to seek a mandatory reconsideration and provide the medical evidence which DWP had requested. DWP wanted a medical note, but my GP would only provide me with a medical history as they cannot provide medical notes retroactively. The mandatory reconsideration decision was given today, and it was not overturned. They cited not attending any medical appointments around the time I missed my DWP appointment as reason to enforce the sanction, despite my conditions. Around a year ago, a similar situation arose, where my health condition prevented me from attending some appointments but not all. This particular issue was also addressed by citizens advice, and eventually went to tribunal. At tribunal the DWP argued that since I had attended one appointment during a specific period, I should have been able to attend all of them, which is completely at odds with the nature of my condition and how it can affect my day to day activity. My concern is that they will do this again, resulting in yet another tribunal process being a complete waste of time. I feel as though DWP are running circles around me, taking advantage of my health situation and punishing me for the symptoms it causes. In the meantime I have been able to find work, a government role which begins in a couple of weeks, however I have no financial support to help me through the first couple of weeks of employment and I am worried that the stress of this situation could potentially cause a breakdown (not my first) that forces me to resign. I am not sure what to do, any advice would be much appreciated.

Hi guys, making this post for a friend of mine. Wondering if any of you awesome folks could offer some experience/helpful advice. So basically I was mandated to attend an Ingeus appointment last month, however on the day of my appointment I was suffering with a terrible migraine (I get them occasionally and they can be quite bad). I have phoned in sick before and never had a problem (I think last time I missed an Ingeus appointment was last year). However I phoned in sick this time on the day of my appointment early in the morning (my appointment was some time in the afternoon I think) explaining I was ill and if it would be possible to rearrange. I rang them and tried to speak to my advisor but he was busy so I spoke to the receptionist at the main desk on the phone said that would be fine but they would have to inform JSA that I was phoning in ill and missing my appointment which I said OK that's fine. Fast forward a week later after I phoned in I got a letter in the post from JSA with a page of questions just asking why I was off ill, who I spoke to, did I phone in before hand etc? 6 or so questions just asking me to state the reason I missed the appointment. I filled it all in explaining the situation exactly and sent it off thinking that would be the end of it. Some time passes and I now get a letter saying they are stopping my JSA for 4 weeks "We have now decided that you did not comply with the requirements of the scheme to which you have been referred and that you did not have sufficiently good reasons for doing so". What are my next steps here? I know you are allowed 2 periods of sickness in a a year up to a maximum of 2 weeks each. I've had no other periods of sickness this year. I phoned in ill as I've done in the past last year as normal. Yet now they've acted like I did not phone in and just skipped my appointment and sanctioned me. As I said i've not been ill at all this year and attending my JSA appointments etc as normal. I have always followed the rules correctly so I just don't understand how they can sanction me? it seems to be a case of shoot first ask questions later.... Thanks for any help.

I worked in a pub for 3 years and 7 months and I was sacked for misconduct in November 2015 and UC imposed me with a high level 91 day sanction (which I was told by the CAB would be extremely difficult to overturn as a reconsider was refused) I got an advanced Payment from universal credit on 8th December 2015, and I was due my first payment on the 13th January this year until I was given a 82-91 day sanction (so not a penny for 3 months) I was advised by the CAB I may be able to get a hardship payment but only from what was the first payment due date this Wednesday, I just wander what I could do/say to help with getting a hardship? Any questions I'll respond asap Edit: Iv been borrowing money as Iv had no money but there is only so far I can go with that

this is for a friend who had a sanction this time last year for 4 weeks got his benefit back 2nd week in jan 2015 they was wondering does sanction reset after so long? like a year on form his sanction start date and end date? just inquiring as they are getting put on a course which the adviser told that if they didn't attend they would sanction him and they would get a 13 weeks as they had a 4 week sanction but told his adviser that his benefit money was paid on the 12th january. they don't want another sanction but wanted to know how sanction worked if they do get reset.

Benefit sanctions make it harder for people to find work says charity Crisis. The report is dated 11/12/2015... Benefit sanctions are leaving people homeless, hungry and destitute, and making it even harder for them to find work, according to the homeless charity Crisis. Follow the link for the full story... Info from here >> http://www.localgov.co.uk/Benefit-sanctions-make-it-harder-for-people-to-find-work-says-charity/40000

Targets: What targets?

Hi all, hope someone can help with this. I’m on Universal Credit and have been “signing” every two weeks where I don’t actually sign but Jobcentre staff review what I’ve been doing. I’ve kept my own spreadsheets and have presented a printout with each meeting, I’ve got the member of staff to initial and date each time so that they are happy with it. They’ve mentioned about documenting time spent and applying for positions outside my “perfect job” I’ve been doing this and spending way over the supposed 29 hours (I do voluntary work too) Today I’ve been given a UC71 form and a doubt about not applying for any job I am capable of doing. I apply for an average of nine jobs a week and take enough time about it so that it’s a well thought out application. I’m a bit confused to how they could think I’m not doing enough. Also why didn’t it come up at the time so I could have avoided this. I’ve been asked to come up with six weeks worth of additional information about other positions I’ve applied for. I’ve got seven days to reply so would greatly appreciate any advice about how to deal with it properly. Cheers pc.

I was asked to sign on for my universal credit by the advisor I saw on the 26th June instead of my normal sign on day the 22nd June. I turned up on the 26th to find there was no sign on appointment for me and the receptionist wouldnt even let me upstairs to see an advisor. I have now received a sanction letter for this from universal credit as there is nothing on the system.I have to take proof in to the Job Centre to stop the sanction. The only proof I have is the advisors note of the 26th June and uc on my Job log sheet. Will this be enough otherwise I will loose most of my monthly payment and wont be able to pay my rent or buy food.Any advice appreciated. Thank you.

When i signed on the 1st June, i noticed a small (half A4 size) notice about a Jobs Fair the day after (2nd June), anyway, i signed on as normal and was just about to leave when i asked about the Jobs Fair, he said it was mandatory, and i left... ...the thing is, he made no attempt during the signing to mention about it or give me a "direction" letter, and because of this i completely forgot about the Jobs Fair the day after. Can i still be santioned for not going, i thought they had to give you written notice of it detailing the penalties for not attending, all i had was just an unofficial verbal notice (well basically him saying "Yeah it's tomorrow at 10.30", he had to ask someone else if it was mandatory)...does this make it a verbal contract, don't think he put anything about it on the system. I would've attended if i was given proper notice, but because i'm scatterbrained, i genuinely forgot about it.

I was referred to the mandatory work programme in Feb and was given a placement which started on 25th Feb. A family member was due out of hospital 6 days later (3rd March) and would need someone to look after them for a short time. I contacted the placement provider and explained the situation, and they agreed that it didn't make sense to attend the placement for three days and then have to take an unknown amount of time off. They told me that an alternative start date could be arranged, but that I would need to contact the Job Centre as they were the only ones who could change the placement date. I visited the Job Centre that afternoon. My usual case advisor was not there so I spoke to someone else. I explained the situation as before and she agreed that it was a reasonable request, made some notes on the computer (she did not show/tell me what), and told me that I would be removed from the placement and that another placement would be arranged at a later date. She told me my advisor would be in touch if there were any problems. The 25th Feb arrived and I did not attend the placement - having been told I did not need to. At my next meeting with my advisor (13th March) she made no mention of the placement, or of any alternative dates. Nor did she say there were any problems with my claim. On 16th March I received a letter telling me I was being given a 13 week sanction for not attending the placement on the 25th Feb. This adds up to my losing just shy of £1000. I asked for the mandatory reconsideration I was entitled to about a week later received a long phone call where I was told the original reason was not satisfactory and that I should have attended for three days and then requested time off. This is the exact opposite of what staff at both the provider and the Job Centre told me, and I had no way of knowing this. I am now at the stage where I will have to make an appeal to the HMRC tribunal, and could use some advice. Does the relevant legislation have any kind of allowance for "acting as a reasonable person could be expected" or "acting based on information you believe to be true", or something like that? I have nothing in writing saying my request had been approved, only verbal conformation (from two sources). I have requested copies of my records from the Job Centre, but do not yet know what (if any) information they contain. So at the moment it comes down to my word against theirs.

This is a good FOI reply I found on Whatdotheyknow site; https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/sanctions_comprehensive_monitori#comment-57627 The FOI 108 DMA Checklist.xls file (click on 'View HTML' to see it) is particularly interesting as it contains a list of all the checks the adviser has to do if they want to raise a valid sanction doubt - there's LOTS of little things that we can catch them out on if they fail to do it Well worth printing out and keeping. Should your adviser ever try to raise a doubt you can produce it and at least make sure they go through every step while you argue it with them.

Hi, just looking for some advice please! I was in receipt of JSA and was sanctioned for 3 month after a training provider failed to send me written details about a MWA placement. I have appealed to the DWP and received a Mandatory reconsideration notice just before the sanction ended. They are basically saying that I did receive the letter as it was addressed correctly, there was no postal dispute and I cannot prove that I didn't receive it, so the sanction still stands. How can I prove I didn't receive a letter!? I completed a form and sent it to the tribunal service and the DWP have had a solicitor go over what I've said to discredit everything. I now have received several documents that the DWP have sent to the tribunal but they contain several errors which lead me to believe the MWA letter has been reproduced. If the tribunal doesn't notice these errors would I have the right to appeal? Anyone else not received letters from DWP and been sanctioned as a result? Any help or advice on what to do next or what to expect would be appreciated. Thanks [i'm still actively looking for and applying for jobs, attending interviews and registering with agencies every week.]

BBC Parliament Channel today 9.30am -- Work and Pensions Committee sitting -- Taking evidence on the Oakley Review into sanctions with the nation's favourite dumb blonde being grilled.

Hi I'm after any advice I have posted on here before about MWA I had been told to go to. I was told to go to a charity shop and on the day my neighbour gave me a lift there, I was late and the woman was horrible having a go at my neighbour and I walked out embarrassed and ashamed (so was my neighbour - he was shocked that someone 'volunteering' would get spoken to like that) I ended up getting a 13 week sanction Then in April I was told to do MWA again. I got a letter from learn direct saying they'd be in touch for me to come in and see them. I signed on twice after that and was just asked if I'd heard anything yet to which I told them about the letter. Then the day I supposed to get paid there was nothing in my bank. I rang the jobcentre to be told I should of started MWA and I'd failed to turn up and told them I'd not had anything telling me to start. It didn't matter I got a 13 week sanction. I went to see the welfare person at the council who did a mandatory reconsideration and I applied for hardship I was then told to do MWA again, this time I got 2 letters telling me to start a charity shop on Monday (letters received Saturday) but this was in a different town and I'm only getting £35 a week and bus fare was much more than this so I didn't go. I've now received a 6 month sanction. I have sent a mandatory reconsideration for this saying the guidance wasn't meet - that I should have a timetable saying the hours. (but I know I wont win) But the sanction for the letter not received has not been lifted. I lost the mandatory reconsideration (which took about 2 months) because a letter is deemed to have been received 2 days after posting. The council welfare person has sent of for me to go to a tribunal which is next week and he thinks i'll lose because of case law about receiving letters. I have since spoke to other people who were sanctioned because of not receiving letters and have had them lifted once they've done a mandatory reconsideration, so why's mine different. I think they'll do this all the time now if they can get away with it. I have to send any letters to the jobcentre recorded because of the amount of times they've said they've not received them In the tribunal form which I have a copy of the jobcentre's response it says about the first sanction/mwa - that I was late and refused to do any tasks? it also says they overlooked the first sanction and now think I should be sanctioned for 6 months (for not receiving a letter!) so now will this last sanction go from 6 months to 3 years? I can't live on £35 a week. I am finding it really hard now. I am minus £60 in my gas meter and i'm freezing, my bed feels damp and smells musty when I get in it, I would really love a hot bath (I must stink) and electric seems to be running out quicker I have about £3 in that (emergency) which is to last till I get paid on Monday Any advice anyone can give would be great, I don't know what to do Sorry for the long post

Hi, I have sanction placed on my JSA for failing to attend a work appointment and have told the job centre numerous times that this was because I did not received the letters until after these appointments. I appealed again over the phone and received the letter attached. I was wondering what to do next and whether anyone can help me. Thank You Kat [ATTACH=CONFIG]55410[/ATTACH]

Six weeks ago my partners advisor tried to refer her to the CWP, she refused. This advisor and his pal sat at the desk next to him, both victimised my partner and tried to force her onto the CWP in a dirty underhanded way. We have put in a big complaint under the equality act, and my partner also recorded the one conversation showing she was being ganged up on. You may remember I asked about the recording. The DWP, as yet, havnt answered the complaint. My partner also included a consciencious objection. The CO is being dealth with by a DWP manager in Bracknell. So it looks like the CO isnt even going to be considered as part of the whole complaint. But the problem is that the DWP has now tried to refer my partner three times in six weeks. We have already had one sanction equiry form which we replied to, and had a reply back saying it is being upheld. But today we have received a second sanction equiry form relating to the second time they tried to refer my partner. The first saction upheld letter was dated the 14th July, received 17th which said that the sanction was being enforced for the period of 1st to 28th of July, so we were informed of the sanction two weeks after it started. I have checked my bank account and the payment for 4th July was for the full amount, only the 17th paymeny was hit. So this is a procedurral error (i think). But to explain my question with a dodgy example. I go to Tescos and a staff member offers me a tin of Tescos baked beans, I refuse saying I dont like them, so I receive a sanction. Two weeks later the same staff member tries to offer me the same tin of baked beans, again I refuse so now I get a second sanction. My arguement is that if its the same tin of baked beans (CWP Initial Referal), offered three times over six weeks. Can they actually sanction me multiple times for turning down the same tin of beans (CWP Initial Referal) ? Despite the fact that my partner stated in a six page letter why she wouldnt do the CWP. Surely it must be three completely different tins of baked beans, tescos, heinz and branston, for three sanctions to be imposed ? They have refused to take into account my partners illness, her doctors cert with part time hours, the JSA agreement clearly showing less than 20 hours a week, the fact that she is a carer for her mother which the DWP knows about, the fact that the info for the CWP clearly states 30 hours a week with 4-10 hrs structured jobsearch a week which would put her at least 14 hrs over the part time hours that she is down for doing. We have also looked at the Community Payback info, and it seems that the termanology for the CWP and Community Payback are very similar in what work the person is going to be doing. It seems that offenders and claimants would be working together. My partner also stated that under health and safety she didnt want to be doing work with offenders. We obviously need to appeal the first sanction. But we are concerned about how to deal with the second saction enquiry, as the answer is going to be exactly the same as the first. So we need to gain some good advice about how to proceed. Plus does anyone know why its now called a sanction enquiry form ? Before it was a sanction doubt. If possible can you also advise on legal action, or possibily commercial liens, as the only way to get through theses peoples heads is with legal action against the individuals rather than the DWP as a whole. As Im thinking that there is a big loop called the complaints resolution team, that protects the rest. Thanks Phillip

Interesting FOI response concerning UJ-related sanction figures on whatdotheyknow site; https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/207398/response/542365/attach/3/FOI%202014%201877%20WDTK%20Response.pdf Note how many referrals are either not upheld, held in reserve or simply cancelled. Always worth appealing any sanction and fighting it.

I signed on this morning and my advicer gived me a leaflet about payments been sent early but don't understand when my payments will go in my bank and just wondering if anyone know from this: Expected Issue date Payment for Period Ending 15/03/2013 15/03/2013 27/03/2013 29/03/2013 12/04/2013 12/04/2013 I know the top one as I signed on today and it will go in my bank on the 20th (on wednesday) But when will the 27th go in? is it on the 29th it will go in my bank or the 3rd? I should signed on the 29th of March but due to been good friday Jobcentre is shut. Any advice would be great, cheers

Hi all My dad is currently on JSA, as he is not good with technology or computers I have to do most of the job search and applications for him. I use sites like Reed and Totaljobs, but the jobcenter people keep threatening him with sanction for not using UJM, now I browse this site for jobs too but hardly ever are there any jobs that can be applied for and most of the jobs just redirect to external site or recruitment agency site for application, so I am lost as to what I can do, can they really sanction him because of that? and is he obliged to give access to his account to them. Any help and advice would be much appreciated Thank you

Today I received a letter informing me that "We cannot pay you Jobseekers' Allowance from 1 Match 2014. [...] from 1 March 2014 to 14 March 2014 you were not and could not be treated as actively seeking work. As a result of this decision your benefit may be sanctioned if you reclaim Jobseekers Allowance." I understand why the decision was made. However, some things are not clear to me: 1) What is the length of the sanction? 2) Why do I need to reclaim?

I had a sanction placed on my ESA for missing an appointment (that they said was alright as it conflicted with a MIND appointment) but i received a sanction a week later so i got someone to phone and was told the sanction would be sorted once i attend a new Seetec appointment so i did this the day after now a month later and i have still heard nothing (also just attended another seetec appointment which are monthly) about my sanction and i am still receiving the lower amount is it just a matter of waiting or should i phone them to try and get it sorted quicker. also on seetec i have not been going long a couple of months or so but yet i have had 5 different advisers in that time 1 of them i understand as she told me she would be leaving but all the other changes im not sure why makes me so nervous when attending as i never know who im going to be seeing.

hi - I'm hoping someone can help me with this, and explain what to do next? I 'sign-on' by post, as I live in a rural area. I have only been claiming JSA for 4 months, I usually complete UJ daily, but at my advisor appointment on 7 feb, I informed my computer was being 'fixed' due to problems, and submitted paper copy of job search. He was happy with this. I sent my next declaration by post on 21 Feb, and when no monies in account by 28th contacted 'helpline'. after several discussions- I was told to contact local office as there was a sanction applied by them, and they had been trying to contact me. No answer at local office at that time on friday ( 4.15 pm). yesterday I received 8 voicemails ( thank you V mobile!!), including 2 from my local jobcentre asking me to contact them re my job search. I phoned this morning to be told the person involved is not available, but we managed to work out it was beacause I had forgotten to include the paper copies of job search details with my declaration, so they state I have not been doing enough to look for work I haven't received any letter etc regarding a sanction, but monies are being withheld. I've taken the paper copies to the jobcentre- and have been told they will be sent to a decision maker- but they cannot give me any idea how long this will take, or if i will get money soon? anyone who has been in this position - can you please tell me what to do next, or how long this will take please??