Ingeus

[Mr.P]

pparently we'll all get to [...] play games together .

 

Take a deck of cards, some crayons, teddy bear, and a few other toys. If they want to patronise and insult you, return the favour.

[jasta11]

Never fails to amaze me how the WP's assume people with previous work experience apparently know nothing about 'team work' and need to have it explained to them - usually by pointless exercises in a classroom. Do they think we all worked as lighthouse keepers? That's about the only career where a few tips on team work might be helpful.

[Chester6]

Never fails to amaze me how the WP's assume people with previous work experience apparently know nothing about 'team work' and need to have it explained to them - usually by pointless exercises in a classroom. Do they think we all worked as lighthouse keepers? That's about the only career where a few tips on team work might be helpful.

They claim it's not recent I think plus the more in these things the better profit or better chance to get people sanctioned so it's a win-win for them

[essexmat]

My first day of feeling sort of human again although still not fully recovered so I decided to take a look at some recruitment sites - the usual, CV library, Reed etc and YET AGAIN they are all the same 'jobs' from months ago - some 6 months+ - it is evident they are fake - even if advertised with several agencies the posts (if real) would have been filled by now so you know what, I am so peeved with the lot of it what I done was just apply for 15 jobs on CV library using 'one click' to put on my diary in the space of 25 minutes as I am damned if I am spending hours looking on a daily basis. The day before I email my diary to INGEUS I will fill it all in with the details and be done with it and if asked why all the emails are the same date and roughly the same time the answer will be "I done my covering letters and CV and stored them all ready to send in one go so I could read through them all before sending them off" - gets me out of 2 weeks of pointless waste of time searching for things that blatantly do not exists so this is now the way forward for me.

[G4C389]

Just curious as i got a job myself a few months ago and (regretfully) told my advisor the details, does that mean the advisor will take the credit for it? Or will it just go down on the system as the advisor getting me that job? My advisor said it's part if my signing off I provide them the details, is that just an excuse of some sort?

[antone]

Just curious as i got a job myself a few months ago and (regretfully) told my advisor the details, does that mean the advisor will take the credit for it? Or will it just go down on the system as the advisor getting me that job? My advisor said it's part if my signing off I provide them the details, is that just an excuse of some sort?

 

If you mean your Ingeus or other WPP advisor, then the WPP will take credit and the "outcome payment", most likely. I don't know if the advisor themselves will get any credit - it's possible - but the company probably will.

[essexmat]

Don't give them the details or is there a way they can find out via HMRC? I don't intend to give details when I get a job as I have had NO SUPPORT WHATSOEVER and it will be through MY WORK not theirs. Simply sign off, you don't have to give a reason

[antone]

Don't give them the details or is there a way they can find out via HMRC? I don't intend to give details when I get a job as I have had NO SUPPORT WHATSOEVER and it will be through MY WORK not theirs. Simply sign off, you don't have to give a reason

 

They can't find out from HMRC. WPPs have no access to that information, and JCP staff are not going to waste their time and risk their jobs trying to find out just so that Ingeus or whoever can get a payment. I don't think JCP staff are big fans of these companies, although obviously they're not supposed to actually badmouth them in front of claimants.

 

As you say, there is no obligation to tell either JCP or a WPP who you're working for. The last incentive to tell JCP disappeared when the Job Grant was abolished, and there never was an incentive to tell the likes of Ingeus.

[essexmat]

They can't find out from HMRC. WPPs have no access to that information, and JCP staff are not going to waste their time and risk their jobs trying to find out just so that Ingeus or whoever can get a payment. I don't think JCP staff are big fans of these companies, although obviously they're not supposed to actually badmouth them in front of claimants.

 

As you say, there is no obligation to tell either JCP or a WPP who you're working for. The last incentive to tell JCP disappeared when the Job Grant was abolished, and there never was an incentive to tell the likes of Ingeus.

 

My JCP adviser absolutely despises everything INGEUS stand for - we regularly speak about them openly when I sign on and inhis own words "they are basically second hand car salesman disguised as people that are supposed to help you but I rarely hear of any success stories" ..... quite!

 

Remember, INGEUS only care for their bonuses and their tick box exercises i.e. pointless workshops - never be fooled in to thinking they care about you or support you - they would have you working for minimum wage and be worse off coming off benefits as you would 'be working'. As I mentioned many times, I think they are parasites

[antone]

Yeah, I've heard JCP staffers talk that way as well. They're not supposed to, but they do. And they're right, of course, as are you.

[G4C389]

I only told my advisor because she tried to help me when I first started but I didn't have any' I usually attended 'jet' instead, my advisor at the time done a mock interview with me and asked at the the end doped I want her to book me for another one? I said 'no thanks I'll do one with jet instead', I felt bad saying it but jet actually look and treat me as a person, where ingeus advisor looks down on me because she's snobby at times, on one occasion she went to printer to get me sheets and her and her friend in there was chatting and my advisors friend then smirked at me a bit when walking past me, obviously talking personally bad of me :/

[essexmat]

My INGEUS 'adviser' STUPIDLY has an open Facebook profile for all to see (the cardinal sin) and I have built up quite a dossier on her if I ever need it as heavy ammunition. I am sure her bossess would be none too pleased with some of the stuff on there. I check her updates regularly and screen print them as well as save them in my own personal hard drive (laptop and portable on a USB) so they can be produced at any time. I am not a threatening or menacing person but as I said, if the need arises, I will use it

 

This is from her profile from 3 weeks ago:

 

"Bloody work is driving me mad, if I have to see one more idiot today I will scream"

[G4C389]

My INGEUS 'adviser' STUPIDLY has an open Facebook profile for all to see (the cardinal sin) and I have built up quite a dossier on her if I ever need it as heavy ammunition. I am sure her bossess would be none too pleased with some of the stuff on there. I check her updates regularly and screen print them as well as save them in my own personal hard drive (laptop and portable on a USB) so they can be produced at any time. I am not a threatening or menacing person but as I said, if the need arises, I will use it

 

This is from her profile from 3 weeks ago:

 

"Bloody work is driving me mad, if I have to see one more idiot today I will scream"

 

I take it you attend the Essex branch?

[essexmat]

Yes I am in Essex, are you? Better not say where in case it compromises anything!

[G4C389]

Yes I am in Essex, are you? Better not say where in case it compromises anything!

 

I attended the liverpool city centre branch up till February and my advisor was mrs ingeus lol

 

I don't care who reads that lol

[BomBomBom]

Was at my second meeting with them this morning. I was booked in for 10am and when I arrived at 10am on the dot, I was told I was there "too early" and I would have to take a seat and wait on my advisor finishing with someone else. No big deal, I thought. Fair enough. I was then told to go and sit at a computer and apply for some jobs in the meantime. I politely told her I couldn't "apply" for any because I didn't have my CV on the computer to upload, but I would take a note of the job adverts to apply for when I got home. "Why didn't you bring a USB with your CV on it?" I was asked. I told her I didn't think it was necessary as they had a paper copy of my CV and I wasn't told I'd be job searching while I was here. "You didn't think you were job searching? At a place aimed at finding you a job?" she said sarcastically. I bit my tongue.

 

 

Day 3 of this awful programme.

 

- Handed in my train ticket for travel expenses and wrote on the form "£5.80". A few minutes later she yelled "Can you not read properly? Your ticket was £5.90!" (this was in front of about five other people), I shouted back that the fares had only recently went up to which her smart ass assistant said smugly "actually they went up in April".

- Was asked a question and when I started to answer, she started talking to someone else!

- Asked several times how we would approach an employer or phone up an employer about a vacancy. No matter what anyone answered, the advisor always went "Nope!". Apparently when you're calling up a company about a vacancy, you have to DRESS SMARTLY because otherwise you will be distracted. "If you're on the phone and smell your B.O you're going to get put off, right? If you're on the phone and look in the mirror and see you need a haircut, you'll get distracted. If you're on the phone and you notice a stain on your t-shirt you'll forget everything you've said to the employer." Apparently we need to shower, shave and be suited and booted to phone up a company and ask if they're hiring.

 

You couldn't make it up.

[essexmat]

Day 3 of this awful programme.

 

- Handed in my train ticket for travel expenses and wrote on the form "£5.80". A few minutes later she yelled "Can you not read properly? Your ticket was £5.90!" (this was in front of about five other people), I shouted back that the fares had only recently went up to which her smart ass assistant said smugly "actually they went up in April".

- Was asked a question and when I started to answer, she started talking to someone else!

- Asked several times how we would approach an employer or phone up an employer about a vacancy. No matter what anyone answered, the advisor always went "Nope!". Apparently when you're calling up a company about a vacancy, you have to DRESS SMARTLY because otherwise you will be distracted. "If you're on the phone and smell your B.O you're going to get put off, right? If you're on the phone and look in the mirror and see you need a haircut, you'll get distracted. If you're on the phone and you notice a stain on your t-shirt you'll forget everything you've said to the employer." Apparently we need to shower, shave and be suited and booted to phone up a company and ask if they're hiring.

 

You couldn't make it up.

 

I shouldn't but I just laughed out loud at that - my advice - carry a covert recording device on you -build up your ammo!

[Ingcredible]

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.

[G4C389]

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.

 

 

1st year clients? I remember in January my advisor who'd I had for my 6 moths there said 'normally change you're advisor at this stage.....but I'll just keep you with me', why would she say this?

[Lapsed Workaholic]

Hello Ingcredible and welcome to the site. The following extracts from DWP Guidance Documents may help you to argue for reimbursement of your travel expenses.

 

Section 153 of DWP Provider Guidance Chapter 2 may be of particular interest in your case. It could be argued from this that a service the Work Programme provider is contracted to provide, and for which the DWP is paying them to provide, is not being provided. This could be construed as knowingly defrauding the DWP. What one does while in town primarily to attend the Work Programme is irrelevant, adds no cost to the provider who has to pay for the return fare anyway, and has no bearing on their obligations under their contract.

 

Work Programme Provider Guidance Chapter 1

19. Participants should not be worse off by virtue of attending the Work programme.

 

20 Providers are responsible for travel, childcare, replacement caring costs and additional support costs whilst the participant is on the Work Programme. (See ITT for further information).

 

DWP Provider Guidance Chapter 2

Travel Expenses

153 Participants attending provision are entitled to a refund of the travel costs they incur. It is your responsibility to pay the participant’s travel costs as travel expenses are included within the funding received from DWP as part of the overall contract package.

 

154 Participants are expected to travel to your provision by the cheapest method available to them. However, some participants will be unable to travel by the cheapest method for example, due to a disability or the need to be accompanied by a support worker.

 

155 On commencing provision you should advise participants what evidence they will need to produce to claim refunds of travel costs, for example bus tickets.

[Mr.P]

I'm 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."

 

Hopefully, you kept your bus ticket for future reference...

 

A letter to the office manager informing them that they are required to refund all travel expenses as per provider guidance quoted in the above post - Point out that this is a contractual obligation on their part and failure to comply will result in the complaint being escalated to the DWP and.or your local MP.

 

Head the letter "Formal Complaint" and see what comes of it.

[Ingcredible]

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.

[Ingcredible]

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.?

[Ingcredible]

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.

[Ingcredible]

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.