Ingeus

[G4C389]

Be careful doing that - If you go in to one of these "mock interviews" reeking of beer, you could be labelled as "having a drink problem". This could result in you being pushed towards an alcohol dependency support group and parked even further out (which in its self may not be a bad thing).

 

I used to go the pub before appointments and I think adviser got on to it because when I was on a 6 week weekly appointment part of the programme all 6 were morning appointments, I assumed that was why

[Chester6]

The exit review was pointless

Nothing personal other then DOB and name

No comments on supposed self-improvements or benefits from the scheme

Nothing useful

Very anti-climatic:lol:

[Lorise]

The exit review was pointless

Nothing personal other then DOB and name

No comments on supposed self-improvements or benefits from the scheme

Nothing useful

Very anti-climatic:lol:

 

So Chester6 is that you done and dusted with the WP..... did you ever find work during your time on the WP?........and if you did I bet you found the job yourself...

[Chester6]

So Chester6 is that you done and dusted with the WP..... did you ever find work during your time on the WP?........and if you did I bet you found the job yourself...

 

Had interview but the whole thing was a waste

Got an NVQ and ECDL though

[biggeorge]

Well something interesting just happened, Currently on 8 weekly appointments due to me been worthless to Ingeus

and lost my letter with my next appointment, office is mess.

Emailed adviser to confirm date and time, Next day letter arrived I had missed my appointment on the 20/06/2013.

 

Finally found my appointment letter and although I was initially worried over a Sanction Doubt I realised the appointment

letter wasn't set out correctly and it wasn't a mandatory appointment.

Just had email confirmation from my adviser stating this:

I can confirm that a sanction doubt has not been raised as I didn’t book the appointment as mandatory.

 

The new appointment is mandatory but I'm not bothered as it will be my final time there, served my 2 years, lol.

Think I got really lucky that the appointment wasn't mandatory, check your appointment letters all, if not worded correctly

you can't get a sanction doubt if you miss an appointment.

 

George

[jasta11]

Sounds like they lose interest once your 2 years are up - they're probably looking forward to the brand new intake of clients.

 

Still worth asking the DWP for a copy of the exit report they received from Ingeus..they might not write much when you're sitting there with them, but they might add stuff on the copy that goes to the DWP.

 

I got a call from my advisor last night - apparently my old one has 'changed roles' (sacked?). Ingeus have mercifully left me alone for nearly 3 months and he said 'Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about you'. I was tempted to say 'Oh, by all means please do forget about me' but I'll give this new guy a chance before I bring out the sarcasm and the rule book.

 

I'm actually hoping I can work with him to get me something decent, as I don't fancy being at the mercy of the JC after I leave Ingeus in August.

[RebeccaPidgeon]

Sounds like they lose interest once your 2 years are up - they're probably looking forward to the brand new intake of clients.

 

Still worth asking the DWP for a copy of the exit report they received from Ingeus..they might not write much when you're sitting there with them, but they might add stuff on the copy that goes to the DWP.

 

I got a call from my advisor last night - apparently my old one has 'changed roles' (sacked?). Ingeus have mercifully left me alone for nearly 3 months and he said 'Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about you'. I was tempted to say 'Oh, by all means please do forget about me' but I'll give this new guy a chance before I bring out the sarcasm and the rule book.

 

I'm actually hoping I can work with him to get me something decent, as I don't fancy being at the mercy of the JC after I leave Ingeus in August.

You could make a pre-emptive strike, and in response to the more rigorus regime implemented in JCP, write to your MP, and in drawing their attention to the pathetic Quality of Service delivered by clerks within the Work Programme, query whether members of the Hit Squad will be qualified to deal with candidates, what training DWP has provided to each Hit Squad, and what grade of Admin Officer within JCP is assigned to each Hit Squad.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-details-of-post-work-programme-support

 

Work Programme leavers targeted by specialist advisers as part of a tough approach to get them into a job

 

Work Programme leavers will be targeted by a hit squad of specialist advisers as part of a tough approach to get them into a job.

 

Up to 5 specialist advisers will be based in individual Jobcentres dedicated to working with people not in sustained work after 2 years on the Work Programme.

 

Claimants will be given an end-of-term report from their Work Programme provider assessing what progress they have made and their ongoing needs, to inform their new adviser before facing the toughest Jobcentre regime to help them find work. At their first appointment they will have to agree a binding back-to-work plan laying out what they are required to do.

 

Minister for Employment Mark Hoban said:

 

The Work Programme is getting some of the hardest to help claimants into work despite a tough economic climate.

 

We always knew that there would be some who would require further support after the Work Programme, which is why we’re introducing this intensive and uncompromising regime.

 

We’ll be stepping up the pressure on claimants, who will be expected to attend the Jobcentre more frequently, with rigorous monitoring to ensure they are doing everything they can to find work.

 

Claimants will be expected to be on a training scheme, Mandatory Work Activity placement or intensive work preparation within days of finishing on the Work Programme – losing their benefit if they fail to comply. An extra £30m will be available to pay for extra training and specialist help to prepare them for work, for instance counselling for people dependent on drug and alcohol.

 

Claimants will also have to attend the Jobcentre far more frequently than other jobseekers, with weekly signing on being routine and some people being required to meet their adviser every day.

 

The advisers, who will be focused on working with those returning from the Work Programme, will take a tough approach to monitoring whether claimants are sticking to their plan with anyone failing to participate losing their benefits.

 

The programme comes after Jobcentres involved in a trailblazer found that claimants targeted by an intensive approach were much less likely to stay on benefit.

 

Every Work Programme returner will also be required to register with Universal Jobmatch to aid work search and job matching. This will allow their adviser to check their work search activity online should the claimant give permission.

 

The tough sanctions regime will see anyone failing to comply with mandatory activity lose benefit for 4 weeks for a first failure, with penalties of up to 3 years for serial offenders.

 

The intensive support will last for 6 months, and will be used for all Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants returning from the Work Programme who need more intensive support.

 

 

[Chester6]

"Claimants will be given an end-of-term report from their Work Programme provider assessing what progress they have made and their ongoing needs, to inform their new adviser before facing the toughest Jobcentre regime to help them find work. At their first appointment they will have to agree a binding back-to-work plan laying out what they are required to do."

 

Mine from my drone was far from a useful thing to base further plans on, it had my DOB, name etc plus said my only constraints was bieng unemployed annd that I should continue seeking a job and to engage with the JCP

It wash;'t even printed correctly

I half thought it may have some kind of evaluation such as progress etc but nothing of the sort

I will try to see what the JCP's copy says to make sure it's the same

Edited June 30, 2013 by citizenB

[G4C389]

My friend who attends ingeus has been subbed for customer service role by his advisor , I are clients hand picked for these? Customer service isn't is forte

[Lorise]

I'm starting to panic as my 104 weeks are up on the 3rd July but still no end of WP appointment letter.....starting to think they are going to add on those few weeks I did manage to find a temp job and signed off...even though I did a fast reclaim when temp job ended.....or I got life sentence and no one told me Hate it my 8th advisor has got me doing a 30 CV drop into stores and I have to request to speak to management and get contact details so he can check up on me at next appointment....but most of the places I have been the management aren't always on site so it's been a waste...still have 15 CVs to drop off as haven't the busfare to travel too far a field so just going local at the moment.

[Mr.P]

still have 15 CVs to drop off as haven't the busfare to travel too far a field

 

Hang on to the bus tickets you have already purchased and then ask for a refund. Point out that DWP guidance states that you should not be out of pocket for undertaking activities assigned to by a WP provider.

[RebeccaPidgeon]

I'm starting to panic as my 104 weeks are up on the 3rd July but still no end of WP appointment letter.....starting to think they are going to add on those few weeks I did manage to find a temp job and signed off...even though I did a fast reclaim when temp job ended.....or I got life sentence and no one told me Hate it my 8th advisor has got me doing a 30 CV drop into stores and I have to request to speak to management and get contact details so he can check up on me at next appointment....but most of the places I have been the management aren't always on site so it's been a waste...still have 15 CVs to drop off as haven't the busfare to travel too far a field so just going local at the moment.

 

Unless the "30 CV drop" was subject to a Mandatory Activity Notification, you will not be sanctioned if you do not do it.

 

You may suggest that, in order to give a good impression, you would need new Interview Clothes.... and suggest that the Welfare To Work Clerk uses part of the budget that they have for each candidate to finance new clothing. Only the best, though.

 

However, you could suggest that you telephoned each employer in the first instance, asked to speak to "Management", and that you were told in no uncertain terms that they weren't available, or that when you explained that you were looking for a job, were told that there weren't any jobs available, but that you send in a CV and it would be kept on file.

Edited June 27, 2013 by RebeccaPidgeon
Additional Information Submitted

[Lorise]

Hang on to the bus tickets you have already purchased and then ask for a refund. Point out that DWP guidance states that you should not be out of pocket for undertaking activities assigned to by a WP provider.

 

Thanks Mr.P I will hunt out the tickets and do that.

[Lorise]

Unless the "30 CV drop" was subject to a Mandatory Activity Notification, you will not be sanctioned if you do not do it.

 

However, you could suggest that you telephoned each employer in the first instance, asked to speak to "Management", and that you were told in no uncertain terms that they weren't available, or that when you explained that you were looking for a job, were told that there weren't any jobs available, but that you send in a CV and it would be kept on file.

 

However, you could also suggest that, in order to give a good impression, you would need new Interview Clothes.... and suggest that the Welfare To Work Clerk uses part of the budget that they have for each candidate to finance new clothing. Only the best, though.

 

The CV drop was at first for 15, but my advisor was almost 20mins late for my appointment and when I pointed that out to him he added the other 15 for my cheek..... and because he asked me to go for call centre work and I said I hate that kind of job as I am no good on phones no confidence (more of a face to face person) he is making me ring up a handful of the stores I dropped my CV at (that he chooses) as he wants to make sure I have done the drops. his exact words were I don't want you just writing down 30 shops/stores...I want you to go in ask for management hand them CV and then ask for contact details as you will be following them up (with him) as for the good impression don't think they will give me new clothes as the famous line from them is that I am presentable and clean....so in their eyes there is nothing at all stopping me from finding work.....except the small fact that there aren't that many jobs out there that fit my hours needed as a single mum or I am trained to do. Thank you (any others ) for your reply always nice to hear some advice and guidance from people who know what this WP ****e is like.

[RebeccaPidgeon]

The CV drop was at first for 15, but my advisor was almost 20mins late for my appointment and when I pointed that out to him he added the other 15 for my cheek..... and because he asked me to go for call centre work and I said I hate that kind of job as I am no good on phones no confidence (more of a face to face person) he is making me ring up a handful of the stores I dropped my CV at (that he chooses) as he wants to make sure I have done the drops. his exact words were I don't want you just writing down 30 shops/stores...I want you to go in ask for management hand them CV and then ask for contact details as you will be following them up (with him) as for the good impression don't think they will give me new clothes as the famous line from them is that I am presentable and clean....so in their eyes there is nothing at all stopping me from finding work.....except the small fact that there aren't that many jobs out there that fit my hours needed as a single mum or I am trained to do. Thank you (any others ) for your reply always nice to hear some advice and guidance from people who know what this WP ****e is like.

Good Luck.... I think that, if any candidate shows weakness,or if the Clerk thinks they can get away with murder, the Welfare To Work Clerk will simply target the individual.

 

Given the attitude that you have experienced, I suggest that you write a letter of complaint, and request that another Clerk be assigned to your case. The attitude is not being respectful of you, and contrary to the commitment which the organisation should be given to you as highlighted within the documentation given to you during the first meeting.

 

If the same attitude arises in future, simply respond by saying that the organisations will be inundated with Work Programme Candidates, all asking to see management, all handing in CV's. And raise the issue as to whether the Clerk could telephone the organisation her/him-self, and attempt to arrange an interview.

[Mr.P]

Lorise: It certainly sounds as if your "adviser" is being spiteful and has little regard for your circumstances - If you do lodge a complaint, make sure a copy goes to the DWP as well as to the providers head office.

 

I've also had first hand experience of a "little hitler":

Harpie: You will do what I tell you to do.

Me: (after a long pause and a very hard Paddington Bear stare) Little missy, you ask, and I may do after careful consideration.

 

Result: A "sanction" raised for declining to sign a worthless document, a task that wasn't even mandatory. Oh, and I never did see the little .... again.

[lmbarns]

Hello,

Sorry to interrupt, I've been scouring the threads the last half hour with no luck & thought someone here may know:-

 

I may receive a 1 months sanction for missing a ingeus appointment some months ago, Does anyone know if i would have to still attend the fortnighly JSA & twice weekley Ingeus appointments during the sactioned month ?

[RebeccaPidgeon]

Hello,

Sorry to interrupt, I've been scouring the threads the last half hour with no luck & thought someone here may know:-

 

I may receive a 1 months sanction for missing a ingeus appointment some months ago, Does anyone know if i would have to still attend the fortnighly JSA & twice weekly Ingeus appointments during the sactioned month ?

Unfortunately, yes...however, if you do receive a sanction, you can always appeal.

 

For example - Was the meeting with Ingeus which you refer to a Mandatory Meeting....if so, if the letter was incorrectly worded, then the sanction doubt may not arise.

[paulb1310]

Hi all

Don't know if this Upper Tribunal decision is of interest? CJSA/2428/2012 says:

"

7. In this case the claimant denied having received any notice from theJobcentre until one was enclosed with Mr Sheppard’s reply to hiscomplaint. In giving permission toappeal I asked whether there was any evidence that a notice envisaged byregulation 73(2A)(b) had ever been given or sent to the claimant andspecifically whether Ms Porter, writing on behalf ofIngeus UK Ltd, not Jobcentre Plus or the DWP, was an “employmentofficer” for this purpose.

8. In reply, the Secretary of State accepts that the tribunal erred byfailing to apply regulation 73(2A). Further, the Secretary of State submits that:

“Although it was DWPpolicy intention that all FND providers be designated“employment officers” this was not prescribed within the legislation (Jobseekers Act 1995 orthe Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996). Further,I can find no evidence that Ingeus were so designated.”

9. As by section 19(10) a person who is not an officer of theSecretary of State can only be an “employment officer” if they have beendesignated for the purposes of the section by order, it follows that thecondition in regulation 73(2A)(b) was not fulfilled and thus, withoutmore, that the claimant was to be regarded as having good cause for his act oromission.

10. Although the Secretary of State invites me to remit the appeal, itseems to me this is a case where I can properly substitute my owndecision. If the necessary preconditionto finding a lack of good cause has not been made out, that is an end of thematter.

11. For the record however, in giving permission I further asked whetherthe tribunal erred by failing to make sufficient findings as to what ifanything it had been established that the Ingeus programme would provide to theclaimant, when there was a conflict of evidence between him (“a literate courseand an interview course”) and Mr Sheppard (“help such as exploring otherjob goals and making speculative applications”.) I also asked whether the tribunal erred byfailing to consider whether if there had been a failure to establish what theIngeus programme would provide to the claimant, or if he reasonably consideredthat what was to be provided would not help him, that could provide good causefor purposes of section 19(5)(b).

[Paulo83]

Hello,

Sorry to interrupt, I've been scouring the threads the last half hour with no luck & thought someone here may know:-

 

I may receive a 1 months sanction for missing a ingeus appointment some months ago, Does anyone know if i would have to still attend the fortnighly JSA & twice weekley Ingeus appointments during the sactioned month ?

 

Yeah, you still have to attend the Job Centre fortnightly and any mandated appointments or activities/workshops with Ingeus. You do have the right to appeal against your sanction if you think it was given unfairly. All that information should be in the sanction letter.

 

Hmm, as I expected, the "interview skills" workshop was a waste of time. The only worthwhile part was the handout which gave possible interview questions and answers. I don't see why my adviser just couldn't have given me one to go through myself and save me the pain of a dull two hour session. The mock interview "feedback" session was even worse. I'd already been through it all, no problems, with a professional careers adviser. I have a "refer to boost" appointment next week, whatever that means.

[johnny555]

Hi new to the forum, just wondering ive been at injeus at the preston office for 2 years and 2 weeks and im still getting hassled by my advisor i didnt get an exit review..just told that im all skilled up now ect...but now im getting more hassle than before..forcing me to take security jobs miles away..ect..and being left random missed calls off him and an interview nearly everyweek..what shall i do..? is this normal after 2 years or do i have an advisor trying to get me sanctioned ect..

[RebeccaPidgeon]

Yeah, you still have to attend the Job Centre fortnightly and any mandated appointments or activities/workshops with Ingeus. You do have the right to appeal against your sanction if you think it was given unfairly. All that information should be in the sanction letter.

 

Hmm, as I expected, the "interview skills" workshop was a waste of time. The only worthwhile part was the handout which gave possible interview questions and answers. I don't see why my adviser just couldn't have given me one to go through myself and save me the pain of a dull two hour session. The mock interview "feedback" session was even worse. I'd already been through it all, no problems, with a professional careers adviser. I have a "refer to boost" appointment next week, whatever that means.

 

Your experience with the Mock Interview is not surprising.

 

The "Refer to Boost" is part of Ingeus Every Day Counts Model, a diagram appears on http://ingeusstaff.co.uk/diagram

[ATTACH=CONFIG]44796[/ATTACH]

Edited June 27, 2013 by RebeccaPidgeon
Additional

[Mr.P]

Hi new to the forum, just wondering ive been at injeus at the preston office for 2 years and 2 weeks and im still getting hassled by my advisor i didnt get an exit review..just told that im all skilled up now ect...but now im getting more hassle than before..forcing me to take security jobs miles away..ect..and being left random missed calls off him and an interview nearly everyweek..what shall i do..? is this normal after 2 years or do i have an advisor trying to get me sanctioned ect..

 

The Work Programme is for 104 weeks, if you have already completed the sentence without any breaks, they should no longer be contacting you. I would suggest writing to your Job Centre and asking for conformation of the end date, stating that you believe it was two weeks ago. Once you have it in writing, feel free to use what ever language you feel is appropriate towards the Ingeus "adviser" should they call again.

[jasta11]

Your experience with the Mock Interview is not surprising.

 

The "Refer to Boost" is part of Ingeus Every Day Counts Model, a diagram appears on http://ingeusstaff.co.uk/diagram

[ATTACH=CONFIG]44796[/ATTACH]

 

Just been reading that..it's hilarious! It should be entitled 'What We're Supposed To Be Doing But Not Actually Doing'. Pure window dressing.

[johnny555]

Yes im sure ive completed it all, doesnt make sence to me and my advisor seems more pushy lately too and keeps ringing me and being sarcastic when i miss the call its like he's got one last ditch attempt at getting me sactioned or somthing.[]