Ingeus

[Mr.P]

I was once offered a work boast (what a4e can it) at boots for the whole of december. i told them i wasn't being anyone's christmas month slave!

 

I had a "get out of jail free" card before I got sentenced to serve time at A4e - Managed to get a paid job as a Christmas casual for three weeks just before the referral came through. If they had tried to stitch me up with a "work boost" or MWA on the grounds I lacked recent employment history, be assured there would have been some very blunt and stern words said.

 

Which reminds me.... Royal Mail will be kicking off their Xmas casual recruitment soon, if you want early notification, it is worth registering now: https://rmg.i-grasp.com/fe/angard.asp

[Charlotte_Henderson]

I had a "get out of jail free" card before I got sentenced to serve time at A4e - Managed to get a paid job as a Christmas casual for three weeks just before the referral came through. If they had tried to stitch me up with a "work boost" or MWA on the grounds I lacked recent employment history, be assured there would have been some very blunt and stern words said.

 

I got offered 3 work boasts while at a4e and i refused all of them, first one was work in a card shop. about 18 miles from where i live, told them it would take me 3 buses to get there....they agreed it would be a pain. second one was in a charity shop, 3 days out of the 5 was upstairs doing ironing! and the other 2 days was delivering those charity bags.....now what part of that is retail experience? i already know how to iron...and the third one was boots....which ive already told you about...after boots i was never offered another one lol

[Mr.P]

Local Argos store wasn't recruiting any Xmas staff a year or two back - They took on a load of MWA/"work experience placements", cut right back on overtime hours and used the free labour to take up the slack. Boots would have been no different, so a good call on your part.

[Tj rodgers]

Local Argos store wasn't recruiting any Xmas staff a year or two back - They took on a load of MWA/"work experience placements", cut right back on overtime hours and used the free labour to take up the slack. Boots would have been no different, so a good call on your part.

 

Yea the Argos near mine did that xmas 2011 an 2012 the best seasonal work which u get paid for and have a chance of a permanent job at the end of it is Home Bargains or B&m they treat their staff well

[Charlotte_Henderson]

Yea the Argos near mine did that xmas 2011 an 2012 the best seasonal work which u get paid for and have a chance of a permanent job at the end of it is Home Bargains or B&m they treat their staff well

 

I found out in the january that 8 people got sent to boots, and a further 8 to argos....nobody got a job at the end of it. its just free xmas labour.

I have heard good things about home bargains (apart from the wages) but not so good things about b&m

[Tj rodgers]

Yea Home Bargains is usually just min.wage but i know sumbody who worked in one permanent and also a temp at xmas and they both had a ball they were always playin practical jokes on each other an the manager used to join in an the one who was permanent was a xmas temp they kept on

[Charlotte_Henderson]

Yea Home Bargains is usually just min.wage but i know sumbody who worked in one permanent and also a temp at xmas and they both had a ball they were always playin practical jokes on each other an the manager used to join in an the one who was permanent was a xmas temp they kept on

 

How do people survive on minimum wage? if i worked full time on minimum wage. at least 70% of it would go on paying my rent.....thats without the bills food etc and travel expenses to work etc!

[Tj rodgers]

How do people survive on minimum wage? if i worked full time on minimum wage. at least 70% of it would go on paying my rent.....thats without the bills food etc and travel expenses to work etc!

people on min wage are entitled to help with rent depending on what your rent is and what hours you work the rates a vary for different councils also if u do more than 30 hours you can claim working tax credits

[Tj rodgers]

How do people survive on minimum wage? if i worked full time on minimum wage. at least 70% of it would go on paying my rent.....thats without the bills food etc and travel expenses to work etc!

you can also get subsidised travel aswel from your main local service provider

[fletch70]

you can also get subsidised travel aswel from your main local service provider

 

 

How can you get help for public transport. I get lower rate DlA mobility so can get a railcard, apart from that I do not know of any schemes

[Tj rodgers]

Anybody know why the Government website aint workin?

[Tj rodgers]

Yea we have a scheme here in Merseyside funded by Merseytravel

[Tj rodgers]

You get subsidised Travel and also 28 Days Free Transport when u first sign off Jsa or Esa

[fletch70]

You get subsidised Travel and also 28 Days Free Transport when u first sign off Jsa or Esa

 

I think that national express bus do that in Birmingham as well but sadly all my buses are either Arriva or Stagecoach and they do not seem to do that

[essexmat]

I went in to INGEUS today and saw my old JCP adviser to ask something - I bumped in tomy INGEUS adviser who knows I am on ESA and she says "I must get a letter out to you to attend a work focussed interview" Can she do that? Also, she says "Why are you off for so long (12 weeks)? and what medication are you on?" I replied "Because my GP says I need that time and what medication I am on is between me and my GP" - what is she now, a medical professional? Oh no, she is worried that one of her clients has left JSA for ESA so she cannot claim any bonuses!

[ismael urzaiz]

here's an idea keep away from ingeus.you're on the sick for 3 months why would you need to ask anything of you're jcp advisor..i repeat just stay away.

[essexmat]

I know, I put myself in it, in future I am keeping well away

[Tj rodgers]

I know, I put myself in it, in future I am keeping well away

Yea you cant expect to go in off your own bat when your signed off sick without them sayin anythin - thats like sumbody workin in a supermarket off sick then goin in to do a weekly shop

[fletch70]

As has been discussed before you can not be forced to go to a work focussed interview while in the assessment phase . The problem is they may not know that so IF you get a letter I would call up the ESA phone line to double check and then politely decline along with your reasons

 

I also think that they are encouraged to be "friendly" with their clients so as to illicit more info , a bit like doorstep lenders who make you feel that they are doing you a favour when they increase your loan and that when you miss a payment it is personal and they are hurt

[essexmat]

I remember many years ago being off sick from work due to stress and someone from my company seeing me in town having lunch which is not illegal and you are allowed if off with depression to do your own thing as it is time away from work you are having not being laid off ill. Anyway, it got back to the office and a few rumours about me skiving were going around. I approached HR about this and they asked who was saying I was skiving - I declined to tell them as I didn't want to make a fuss but was told by HR that when back if I was to hear anything to politely tell them to desist from rumour mongering or HR would be on top of them.

 

Anyway, my local JCP and INGEUS is in my local town 20 mins from me, if an adviser sees me in town can they say or do anything? I am not disabled, just signed off for anxiety and depression and keeping away from JCP and INGEUS for a while

 

EDIT: Ignore me, done some research, basically what you do while declared unfit for WORK i.e. looking for it and attending places like JCP/INGEUS are NOTHING to do with them as in the case of A&D being outis seenas rehabilitation. I intend using this time to do just that and weather permitting will be on the beach inbetween GP visists and hospital appointments

[antone]

Yeah, it's not a condition of receiving ESA that you never leave the house. The only things that could possibly cause you problems are things that you specifically said you couldn't do - so a claimant who said he couldn't walk more than 20m would be unwise to be spotted playing five-a-side, for example. Otherwise, it's none of their business what you do with your time.

[fletch70]

Couldn't agree more with what Antone said, if you have depression staying at home all day will not help it at all.

There is a woman in my town who is blind but is regularly seen marching around at full tilt white stick held out. It truly is a sight to behold. She has been doing this for 20 years.

[essexmat]

Had a letter this morning from INGEUS

 

"Your next appointment with XXXX is on 21 August at 2pm - activities for this appointment are to actively look for work and apply for relevant vacancies and provide evidence of searches"

 

I wrote a letter earlier and sent it recorded post along the lines of:

 

"From xx/xx/xxxx I closed my JSA claim and am now on ESA assessment phase. As you will know being on ESA means I am not required to look for work or attend mandatory appointments. You will also know that I am suffering from anxiety and depression and under the care of my GP - any unneccesary hounding i.e emails and letters to me during the next 2 months (initial ESA phase) will result in a formal complaint being made against INGEUS"

[Charlotte_Henderson]

Had a letter this morning from INGEUS

 

"Your next appointment with XXXX is on 21 August at 2pm - activities for this appointment are to actively look for work and apply for relevant vacancies and provide evidence of searches"

 

I wrote a letter earlier and sent it recorded post along the lines of:

 

"From xx/xx/xxxx I closed my JSA claim and am now on ESA assessment phase. As you will know being on ESA means I am not required to look for work or attend mandatory appointments. You will also know that I am suffering from anxiety and depression and under the care of my GP - any unneccesary hounding i.e emails and letters to me during the next 2 months (initial ESA phase) will result in a formal complaint being made against INGEUS"

 

Good on ya matt

[osdset]

Had a letter this morning from INGEUS

 

"Your next appointment with XXXX is on 21 August at 2pm - activities for this appointment are to actively look for work and apply for relevant vacancies and provide evidence of searches"

 

I wrote a letter earlier and sent it recorded post along the lines of:

 

"From xx/xx/xxxx I closed my JSA claim and am now on ESA assessment phase. As you will know being on ESA means I am not required to look for work or attend mandatory appointments. You will also know that I am suffering from anxiety and depression and under the care of my GP - any unneccesary hounding i.e emails and letters to me during the next 2 months (initial ESA phase) will result in a formal complaint being made against INGEUS"

 

Good luck with that!

I was wrongfully mandated to the WP (Seetec) nearly two years ago and despite Seetec being read the riot act by JCP, the DWP and my MP they are still sending me MAN letters.

 

No amount of complaint official or otherwise has any effect.

 

I have a written assurance from one of Seetec's directors that I won't be bothered again, this was issued in March this year, since then I've had three MAN letters, nothing gets through to these people.