Ingeus

[Chester6]

No-one ever says with local gov job that it's canvassing - I do believe you

This feedback is something that all of the pimps I have been stuck with always push

[osdset]

Unfortunately MR Bloggs you were unsuccessful on this occasion. Your experience and qualifications are exactly what our company requires, however with 300 applicants for the position there could only be one winner.

 

Perhaps next time you might consider executing the other 299 candidates.

[RebeccaPidgeon]

I assume that a telephone call to the Personnel Department from an applicant would follow thus:

 

Thank you for your application, Ms Jane. Unfortunately, Mr Alan Sugar decries any female who is of child bearing age, and therefore We have to automatically reject all female applicants who are between the age of 14 and 55.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jul/24/alan-sugar-louise-mensch-twitter

Mensch responded that Mr Sugar should apologise for remarks he made about pregnant mums who are looking for employment, adding: 'Your comments disgrace the Labour party."

 

She was referring to comments made by Mr Alan Sugar in a 2009 interview. When asked if he would employ an expectant mother, he said: "Why would anyone give anybody a job knowing ... unless it was a temporary job ... because if she was pregnant, then within three or four months she wouldn't be able to do the job, so if it was a temp job and you had a need, of course, why not?"

 

When questioned on giving a pregnant woman a full-time position he added: "She wouldn't be able to do it, would she? Well, yes, you'd hire her and then she'd go on maternity leave."

Sorry Ms Jane.... did I say this out loud ? I should have said that you were an excellent candidate for the role, but other candidates matched our requirements better. Edited July 5, 2013 by RebeccaPidgeon
Additional Information Submitted

[Paulo83]

Does the JC and WP honestly expect any employer to remember every person who applied for a vacancy, considering the supposed average number of applications is around 200 per job?? Plus how long are they supposed to remember you for..a week, a month, a year?

 

If an employer wants me, they'll contact me. If they don't, though the odd one might genuinely keep my cv on record for a while, the vast majority will simply bin it and forget me in 10 seconds - that's exactly what I'd do if I was an employer. Absolutely no point in contacting them again; it's a buyer's market and they didn't choose me this time. End of.

 

If the JC want 'feedback' then maybe they should make it a condition of advertising with them that all employers must promise to contact all applicants and give them a detailed account of why their application failed. Can't see this happening.

 

Also, especially in Local Government jobs, asking for feedback is classed as 'canvassing' and will automatically disqualify you from the vacancy. I had an Ingeus adviser tell me to check on how my application with the local Housing Dept was going and I said 'If I did that I'd have to report you for deliberately sabotaging my job-hunting, would you like that?'

 

To make matters worse, Ingeus even have advisors who admit that a large number of CVs and application forms are simply binned if they don't reach whatever requirements. Chasing up a binned CV is a totally pointless exercise. I'm not sure what they hope you achieve by doing so.

[Dalar 1]

I have just returned to signing on after 9 months work for an Agency. I had my first interview yesterday with my Jobcentre. We went through all what I would do to look for work and at the end she gave me a piece of paper about the new Jobmatching on Directgov and just said how good it was and it did the work for you. I said I wanted to wait until I got started and see how I got on before signing up to this. She replied again how good it was as it did the work for me. She explained nothing else and when I got home and studied my agreement she has put I would do this 5 times minimum. This is a general question as I am not with Ingeus, do I have to sign up to this and what type of reason would I have to give for not using it. I should have looked more closely at what I signed but I am so stressed out with all of this again as she would not listen to anything I was saying regarding health and travelling and the type of work I can do now. I am 61 and due to retire September 2014. I have been given 10 items for ways to look for work and I also said I would not cold call employers yet she has still crossed telephoning. I can't talk to anyone without going into floods of tears. I have been put down for travelling 90 minutes and a start time of 7.30 and a 40 hour week.

[Mr.P]

I have been given 10 items for ways to look for work and I also said I would not cold call employers yet she has still crossed telephoning. I can't talk to anyone without going into floods of tears. I have been put down for travelling 90 minutes and a start time of 7.30 and a 40 hour week.

 

The JCP adviser should have explained the Universal Jobmatch to you in detail and made you aware of the cookies - This guidance is clearly given in the Universal Jobmatch Toolkit which the adviser should be familiar with. A couple of cautionary notes about the UJ - Personal data that you provide is stored overseas and is not subject to UK protection (despite whatever JCP/DWP staff tell you), a significant number of the "jobs" advertised are skimmed from other sites and a few are bogus.... If you turn cookies off in your browser (and clear the history), attempt to create an account and you'll get a wonderfully cryptic error message - Print off a screenshot and hand this in as "evidence" of using the UJ site.

 

You do realise that if offered a job with a 07:30 start, you would need to be out of the house and travelling by 06:00. Not many areas have a reliable public transport network that works this early (you don't tell the JCP that you have a car ). As you have already signed this Jobseeker Agreement, you are bound by the terms and conditions set out. If the adviser did not explain the UJ site in detail (which it sounds like she didn't), or ignored any health restrictions, you have reasonable grounds to write to the DWP and ask for it to be referred to a Decision Maker - Tell them that you were pressured to sign under duress, point out the areas where your circumstances were ignored, and certainly insist that available hours are adjusted to suit you (enclosing bus timetables if need be).

 

Don't ever tell them that you have a car, internet, email address, or mobile phone - These all cost money, being unemployed means having to make savings

 

 

Boot note: I limited available hours to 09:00-18:00 and refused to work with chemicals. Now work part time, sometimes finishing at 06:00, more often around 21:00 - My choice, not some pen pushing "adviser".

Edited July 6, 2013 by Mr.P

[LongHairedLily]

Mr P how do you turn off cookies?

[LongHairedLily]

The JCP adviser should have explained the Universal Jobmatch to you in detail and made you aware of the cookies - This guidance is clearly given in the Universal Jobmatch Toolkit which the adviser should be familiar with. A couple of cautionary notes about the UJ - Personal data that you provide is stored overseas and is not subject to UK protection (despite whatever JCP/DWP staff tell you), a significant number of the "jobs" advertised are skimmed from other sites and a few are bogus.... If you turn cookies off in your browser (and clear the history), attempt to create an account and you'll get a wonderfully cryptic error message - Print off a screenshot and hand this in as "evidence" of using the UJ site.

 

You do realise that if offered a job with a 07:30 start, you would need to be out of the house and travelling by 06:00. Not many areas have a reliable public transport network that works this early (you don't tell the JCP that you have a car ). As you have already signed this Jobseeker Agreement, you are bound by the terms and conditions set out. If the adviser did not explain the UJ site in detail (which it sounds like she didn't), or ignored any health restrictions, you have reasonable grounds to write to the DWP and ask for it to be referred to a Decision Maker - Tell them that you were pressured to sign under duress, point out the areas where your circumstances were ignored, and certainly insist that available hours are adjusted to suit you (enclosing bus timetables if need be).

 

Don't ever tell them that you have a car, internet, email address, or mobile phone - These all cost money, being unemployed means having to make savings

 

 

Boot note: I limited available hours to 09:00-18:00 and refused to work with chemicals. Now work part time, sometimes finishing at 06:00, more often around 21:00 - My choice, not some pen pushing "adviser".

 

Mr P how do you disable cookies?

[Mr.P]

how do you turn off cookies?

 

Depends on what browser you use - This page appears to cover most http://www.aboutcookies.org/page-1 common ones.

 

If I get some jumped up KnowItAll you thinks he/she is the king of tech support, I'll throw in a curve ball and say I use Lynx. That usually knocks them down a peg or two.

Edited July 6, 2013 by Mr.P

[Dalar 1]

The JCP adviser should have explained the Universal Jobmatch to you in detail and made you aware of the cookies - This guidance is clearly given in the Universal Jobmatch Toolkit which the adviser should be familiar with. A couple of cautionary notes about the UJ - Personal data that you provide is stored overseas and is not subject to UK protection (despite whatever JCP/DWP staff tell you), a significant number of the "jobs" advertised are skimmed from other sites and a few are bogus.... If you turn cookies off in your browser (and clear the history), attempt to create an account and you'll get a wonderfully cryptic error message - Print off a screenshot and hand this in as "evidence" of using the UJ site.

 

You do realise that if offered a job with a 07:30 start, you would need to be out of the house and travelling by 06:00. Not many areas have a reliable public transport network that works this early (you don't tell the JCP that you have a car ). As you have already signed this Jobseeker Agreement, you are bound by the terms and conditions set out. If the adviser did not explain the UJ site in detail (which it sounds like she didn't), or ignored any health restrictions, you have reasonable grounds to write to the DWP and ask for it to be referred to a Decision Maker - Tell them that you were pressured to sign under duress, point out the areas where your circumstances were ignored, and certainly insist that available hours are adjusted to suit you (enclosing bus timetables if need be).

 

Don't ever tell them that you have a car, internet, email address, or mobile phone - These all cost money, being unemployed means having to make savings

 

 

Boot note: I limited available hours to 09:00-18:00 and refused to work with chemicals. Now work part time, sometimes finishing at 06:00, more often around 21:00 - My choice, not some pen pushing "adviser".

 

Mr. P Many thanks for your reply I will look at what you are suggesting. Unfortunately they already know my email address and that I have the internet, but I did say I was on public transport(although I have a car) and I genuinely do not have a mobile phone. It's very difficult to keep your wits about you on looking at everything they put in front of you when they go so fast and won't listen to your problems, they are not excuses, but your made to feel they are. She also said to me that there were a lot of "admin Jobs" out there and I replied "can you tell me where" and we then had a conversation that when on as "well there are" "well can you tell me where" there are loads out there" "yes but where are they" and we carried on like this until in the end she just ignored me. I really wanted to know but to not follow up with facts of where these jobs are is ridiculous. These people are meant to help.

 

Thanks again for your help.

[Paulo83]

I have just returned to signing on after 9 months work for an Agency. I had my first interview yesterday with my Jobcentre. We went through all what I would do to look for work and at the end she gave me a piece of paper about the new Jobmatching on Directgov and just said how good it was and it did the work for you. I said I wanted to wait until I got started and see how I got on before signing up to this. She replied again how good it was as it did the work for me. She explained nothing else and when I got home and studied my agreement she has put I would do this 5 times minimum. This is a general question as I am not with Ingeus, do I have to sign up to this and what type of reason would I have to give for not using it. I should have looked more closely at what I signed but I am so stressed out with all of this again as she would not listen to anything I was saying regarding health and travelling and the type of work I can do now. I am 61 and due to retire September 2014. I have been given 10 items for ways to look for work and I also said I would not cold call employers yet she has still crossed telephoning. I can't talk to anyone without going into floods of tears. I have been put down for travelling 90 minutes and a start time of 7.30 and a 40 hour week.

 

Unfortunately, you will find that some JCP staff aren't very helpful and will attempt to pressure/misguide you. The 90 minutes is their standard expected journey time. To be honest, most of the staff I've come across in JCP find it unreasonable and usually stick to jobs within a 10-15 mile radius. They won't chase you up over the cold calling, so don't bother with it. They are satisfied with just online job searching. If you do use the Universal Jobmatch, just make sure you record everything you do, as they expect a minimum of ten "activities" per week. Some of their conditions can be rather strict. For example, I stated I won't work nights, but was told if I refused to take a job which involved shift patterns and included night shifts, I would be sanctioned.

 

Mr P gives some sound advice. Just make sure you stay one step ahead of the game so they don't catch you out. Good luck with your next appointment. Hope it goes better for you.

[Mr.P]

It's very difficult to keep your wits about you on looking at everything they put in front of you when they go so fast and won't listen to your problems, they are not excuses, but your made to feel they are. She also said to me that there were a lot of "admin Jobs" out there and I replied "can you tell me where".

 

Sat in front of one of those advisers that asked me how many times I check my emails and use the internet - Foolishly said almost daily, which was promptly transcribed into my JSAg as "Will search online daily". WhooppieDo.... As soon as my internet connection goes down for a few days, I run the risk of a sanction. The last time I was asked the same question, the answer was "Sometimes I use the internet, but only when I'm near a working computer."

 

As for admin jobs - Sure, plenty being advertised round here, but the majority are regurgitated ads from agencies with the promise of zero hour contracts and little chance of real work. (some) JCP staff have a very blinkered view of the job market and only look as far as their work terminal - That will all change when they themselves fall victim to the upcoming Universal Credit regime (if they claim tax credits). Next time you get told "there are plenty of xxx jobs out there", ask (demand ?) printouts of genuine vacancies that you can get to, provide a reasonable wage, and are not via an agency. If you are lucky, a couple may turn up.

[Nystagmite]

Next time you get told "there are plenty of xxx jobs out there", ask (demand ?) printouts of genuine vacancies that you can get to, provide a reasonable wage, and are not via an agency. If you are lucky, a couple may turn up.

 

From experience, most of the jobs out there are either temporary or part time. Which isn't something you really want. There's one which has been advertising for best of a year. It's 12 hours a week. But they want you to be flexible. How can you if you need more hours which they won't give you?

[Starguitar]

Hi, I am due to go for my first interview with ingeus on Thursday and wondering if there is any advice for a first time attendee. I have read this thread and a few others and it seems that this place has a bad reputation. I am not keen on what I am reading with regards this 2year period and the forced unpaid work which seems to have cropped up in previous posts. I have never been a big fan of job agencies getting big commissions for lining candidates up with jobs and this seems an extreme form of that. I understand that attending this place is mandatory to keep my JSA running as I have now been on JSA for nearly 12 months.

There has been a lot of discussion regarding not to sign things and not to give email ads/cv`s. Is this all still the way to deal with this?

I do not have a problem with advice and training and help being offered but when it is forced as it sounds like it is being upon me and this company is private and has its own agenda then there is a problem.

[RebeccaPidgeon]

Hi, I am due to go for my first interview with ingeus on Thursday and wondering if there is any advice for a first time attendee. I have read this thread and a few others and it seems that this place has a bad reputation. I am not keen on what I am reading with regards this 2year period and the forced unpaid work which seems to have cropped up in previous posts. I have never been a big fan of job agencies getting big commissions for lining candidates up with jobs and this seems an extreme form of that. I understand that attending this place is mandatory to keep my JSA running as I have now been on JSA for nearly 12 months.

There has been a lot of discussion regarding not to sign things and not to give email ads/cv`s. Is this all still the way to deal with this?

I do not have a problem with advice and training and help being offered but when it is forced as it sounds like it is being upon me and this company is private and has its own agenda then there is a problem.

If you need Advice, arrange a meeting with a local Careers Advisory Service, and discuss pertinent matters with a Professional Careers Advisor. If you have been to University, contact the Graduate Careers Advisory Service.

 

If you need advice on training, review the courses offered vua your local Colleges/Universities, and if you need to discuss options, arrange a meeting with a tutor for one of your courses.

 

You are unlikely to be provided with Professional Advice via the Work Programme... the Welfare To Work Clerks therein employed are not that qualified or competent.

[Starguitar]

If you need Advice, arrange a meeting with a local Careers Advisory Service, and discuss pertinent matters with a Professional Careers Advisor. If you have been to University, contact the Graduate Careers Advisory Service.

 

If you need advice on training, review the courses offered vua your local Colleges/Universities, and if you need to discuss options, arrange a meeting with a tutor for one of your courses.

 

You are unlikely to be provided with Professional Advice via the Work Programme... the Welfare To Work Clerks therein employed are not that qualified or competent.

 

Thanks for the advice. Am I right in thinking though that now I have been forwarded to the work programme I need to comply with ingeus so as to continue to claim JSA while I am unemployed. There seems to be a lot of mandatory actions and forced compliance through ingeus which I am not looking forward to facing. I am fine to say no if necessary but I guess I`m not convinced from my research that their intentions are in my best personal interest?

[Mr.P]

If you need advice on training, review the courses offered via your local Colleges/Universities, and if you need to discuss options, arrange a meeting with a tutor for one of your courses.

 

Also worth looking at your local council web site (not Adult Education) - Some offer real training and you may find one or two courses available at discounted rates.

 

For the benefit of Starguitar - Sign nothing, admit to nothing, and on top of demanding copies of all paperwork, record everything. Whilst a very small minority find some value in these W.P. providers, the majority get nothing but trouble. Over the last two years, 132,000 people got a job (no statistics on hours, or length of job) out of some 1,200,000 - That is just one out of every ten.

[Starguitar]

For the benefit of Starguitar - Sign nothing, admit to nothing, and on top of demanding copies of all paperwork, record everything. Whilst a very small minority find some value in these W.P. providers, the majority get nothing but trouble. Over the last two years, 132,000 people got a job (no statistics on hours, or length of job) out of some 1,200,000 - That is just one out of every ten.

 

Yes, I agree those stats don`t make for good reading and do not give me a great feeling about the prospect of attending and giving them access to my personal situation to gain employment via their channels. With regards to the sign nothing, admit to nothing etc will this be a big problem. Do they have a rule where you need to sign anything to comply with the JSA requirements. Its not an ideal situation for me if I am sanctioned so was looking to avoid that if possible. However I am very unwilling to be signing up to schemes it they are forced upon me especially if I do not think they are taking me in the right direction. I have read earlier in this thread that people have been refusing to sign the data release form or usually handing in notice that they aren`t allowing date release and for all personal data to be returned to stop the scheme functioning like it should do.

[Paulo83]

Thanks for the advice. Am I right in thinking though that now I have been forwarded to the work programme I need to comply with ingeus so as to continue to claim JSA while I am unemployed. There seems to be a lot of mandatory actions and forced compliance through ingeus which I am not looking forward to facing. I am fine to say no if necessary but I guess I`m not convinced from my research that their intentions are in my best personal interest?

 

Just make sure you attend all the mandated appointments and workshops, otherwise you will more than likely be sanctioned. If something is optional, then it's completely up to you. I find the workshops to be a tedious affair and I've recently been moaning about being told I should be sending out at least 40 speculative letters a week. I find that wholly unreasonable and it suggests that Ingeus don't give a damn about what job you get, as long as you get one.

 

Just one bit of advice, I'd recommend you don't give them consent to forward your CV to prospective employers. I made the mistake of doing so (thinking it may help my job prospects) and now my adviser has tried to sub me for a few job roles I have little interest in, and then goes mad when I ignore their texts/calls.

[Starguitar]

 

Just one bit of advice, I'd recommend you don't give them consent to forward your CV to prospective employers. I made the mistake of doing so (thinking it may help my job prospects) and now my adviser has tried to sub me for a few job roles I have little interest in, and then goes mad when I ignore their texts/calls.

 

Ok, so as it stands I have not given them consent and I am perfectly entitled still to not give my consent then? I assume that when I refuse to give them consent I will be told that they will not be able to help me efficiently as they need to be able to forward my cv etc to give me the greatest chance of finding employment. Do I need to take a hard copy of my CV to let them have a look at? I have heard instances of people recording their interviews as I can`t help but think that me not playing ball regarding the digital cv and data consent is going to set things off on a bad note. How often are you`re workshops and what do they entail?

[Paulo83]

Ok, so as it stands I have not given them consent and I am perfectly entitled still to not give my consent then? I assume that when I refuse to give them consent I will be told that they will not be able to help me efficiently as they need to be able to forward my cv etc to give me the greatest chance of finding employment. Do I need to take a hard copy of my CV to let them have a look at? I have heard instances of people recording their interviews as I can`t help but think that me not playing ball regarding the digital cv and data consent is going to set things off on a bad note. How often are you`re workshops and what do they entail?

 

Is your first appointment an induction-type group session? They will give you a form to sign saying you have given them permission to pass your details on to prospective employers, should the opportunity arise. I think they purposely ask you to sign it in a group session because if everybody else signs it without question, then you are more likely to sign it, regardless of any reservations you may have. A bit of unnecessary "peer pressure". The adviser you are assigned to will ask for a copy of your CV. You can say that you are perfectly happy with it (and even bend the truth that you've designed it with the help of an adviser from a local careers service, or such like). They'll probably moan and say it will damage your job prospects, but if you can stomach that, then don't share it with them. I personally think that recording is unnecessary, but that's only from personal experience. I still have reservations about Ingeus, but so far, things have been pretty decent with them. However, for every me, I'm sure there are plenty other people with negative experiences.

 

As for the workshops, it depends on the coordinator. I went on one recently which was about interview questions and techniques. It was supposed to last six hours, but the coordinator had taken out the mock interviews and other irrelevant material, so it only lasted 90 minutes. The one last week was how to fill in an application form. Again, it was supposed to be 3 hours (I think!) but lasted for about 80 minutes. It is tedious but you can survive! Generally, it's one a week at my centre, but some weeks I haven't been sent on any. They will also try to tempt you into voluntary sessions. They offer a range from dealing with stress and anxiety, to general health and pilates and relaxation etc. No idea on the quality of service, but I would steer well clear! As an anxiety sufferer myself (and I've got it under control now, touch wood), if I needed further help, I would go see my GP for a referral to either a professional or a charity which specialises in such mental health issues.

[Mr.P]

Yes, I agree those stats don`t make for good reading and do not give me a great feeling about the prospect of attending and giving them access to my personal situation to gain employment via their channels. With regards to the sign nothing, admit to nothing etc will this be a big problem. Do they have a rule where you need to sign anything to comply with the JSA requirements. Its not an ideal situation for me if I am sanctioned so was looking to avoid that if possible. However I am very unwilling to be signing up to schemes it they are forced upon me especially if I do not think they are taking me in the right direction. I have read earlier in this thread that people have been refusing to sign the data release form or usually handing in notice that they aren`t allowing date release and for all personal data to be returned to stop the scheme functioning like it should do.

 

You can not be mandated to sign anything - This is the "official" stance of the DWP (at the expense of repeating myself), see: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/refuse_to_sign

The response: www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/115323/response/308770/attach/2/FoI%201886%2031.08.12.pdf indicates that "signing of a Work Programme provider’s action plan and/or agreement form are entirely voluntary and no sanctions would be applied to any claimant who refused to sign them"

 

Refusing the data release has nothing to do with causing the WP scheme to fail but controlling where your data goes. Do you really want your CV distributed to any mickymouse outfit that might have a job for you, even if it is at the other end of the country for 16 hours per week ? Hell, they may even put you forward for a job that you find repugnant - Should the application succeed and you are offered the job, turn it down and you get a sanction. As long as you have control of your personal information, you get to decide when and where to send it.

 

By all means, show them you have a CV, but don't let them retain a copy - It could be seen as "giving implied consent". They may be able to suggest improvements, but based on my own experience, criticism is all you can expect. Don't expect any real training either - To quote one WP "adviser" - "We are a private company and do not fund training. [...] If you get offered a job that is dependant on gaining a specific qualification, we may reconsider". All on tape (with her consent), so no denying the exchange.

[Paulo83]

Refusing the data release has nothing to do with causing the WP scheme to fail but controlling where your data goes. Do you really want your CV distributed to any mickymouse outfit that might have a job for you, even if it is at the other end of the country for 16 hours per week ? Hell, they may even put you forward for a job that you find repugnant - Should the application succeed and you are offered the job, turn it down and you get a sanction. As long as you have control of your personal information, you get to decide when and where to send it.

 

This is what is starting to bother me, especially after my adviser has started subbing me for jobs I don't want. Is there a way I can withdraw my consent of use of my CV? I only consented at first because I thought it may help, but now the more I read and the more things go on, it seems like I'll end up being forced into a job I don't want, and obviously if I refuse, then I will be sanctioned.

 

I know your advice is generally very good, so thanks in advance.

[RebeccaPidgeon]

Thanks for the advice. Am I right in thinking though that now I have been forwarded to the work programme I need to comply with ingeus so as to continue to claim JSA while I am unemployed. There seems to be a lot of mandatory actions and forced compliance through ingeus which I am not looking forward to facing. I am fine to say no if necessary but I guess I`m not convinced from my research that their intentions are in my best personal interest?

Whilst with the Work Programme, although you will need to indulge Welfare To Work Clerks from Ingeus, and will need to attend Mandatory Appointments, there is a tendency for Ingeus to produce a single Mandatory Activity Notification (such as attending a Meeting) and to suggest that all activities within the Meeting are Mandatory.

[jasta11]

Thanks for the advice. Am I right in thinking though that now I have been forwarded to the work programme I need to comply with ingeus so as to continue to claim JSA while I am unemployed.

 

Though Ingeus and all WP's have leeway to 'create' their own courses, they still have to follow DWP guidelines; they can't just make you do anything they dream up (much as they'd like to for their own ends). Most of the time there is just 'filling in' doing jobsearch and pointless cv writing workshops (with advisors who are unable to spell correctly too). Check back through this thread and you'll find links to the DWP Work Provider Guidance, which you definitely should read and make copies of. It's important that YOU know exactly what Ingeus can and can't do. Ingeus answer to the DWP, not the other way round and don't ever let them tell you different. They are in fact bound by far more DWP rules than we are - and they have jobs to lose.

 

Read the chapter on 'Mandation' as this is one of the main ones which could affect you, In brief, it says that all mandatory letters must be set out in the required way and give you at least 2 days notice. Making mandatory appointments for you verbally, by telephone or by email is not allowed and if you aren't aware of rules like this then Ingeus will try and take advantage of you.

 

One of the main guidance rules is that 'all activities must be reasonable in the participants circumstances', which simply means that if you're qualified to Level 2 in something, there's no point in them trying to send you on a Level 1 course (for which they get paid so they'll try and send people anyway). Start as you meant to go on and show them that you're clued up with the regulations and won't take any sh*t. They rely on people being afraid of 'the jobcentre' and meekly going along with whatever they want, not knowing their rights.

 

Having said all that, give Ingeus a fair chance at the start - you may actually get a decent advisor who genuinely wants to help..it's got to happen to someone!

 

Best of luck and let us know how it goes.