MWA - Mandatory Work Activity Expenses

dazzer1467

I will try and keep this as brief as possible, I have been on JSA for 9 months and was referred to Ingeus for MWA,Went to Ingeus and was placed in a charity helping out (dont have a problem with that) BUT i needed Steel toe cap boots for the placement as it involves lifting heavy things etc,I told Ingeus that i didnt have any as i havent worked in an environment that has needed them and they said they would provide them,turned up on first day of placement and handed a brand new pair of boots,Did my first couple of days and heard a few people (other people on MWA there) saying that they provided their own boots as they were told that if Ingeus provided them then they would be charged for the cost,Can Ingeus charge me? (its been confirmed they will charge me after placement), surely they need to provide the needed PPE for the placement if i dont have the things needed ?,My experience is in a call centre so i dont have any need for them beyond the placement,What can i do ?,Ive already started placement so cant leave without being sanctioned but i cant afford £40+ for a pair of boots.

kitschkitty

PPE is an employers responsibility not a workers (whether paid of voluntary). You aren't entitled to keep them PPE when you leave, but you certainly aren't required to pay for it!

Q1 - I have been informed that as the employer I have a duty to provide PPE free of charge to all of my employees. Is this really the case?
It is the duty of the employer to provide appropriate personal protective equipment to their employees free of charge. This duty is stated in Section 9 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which prohibits employers from charging for PPE that is required to be provided under any health and safety legislation.

http://www.lrbconsulting.co.uk/ppe.aspx#q1

dazzer1467

kitschkitty wrote: »

PPE is an employers responsibility not a workers (whether paid of voluntary). You aren't entitled to keep them PPE when you leave, but you certainly aren't required to pay for it!



http://www.lrbconsulting.co.uk/ppe.aspx#q1

Ingeus is acting as the employer then,My advisor has confirmed i will be charged for the boots as they cannot be given to someone else for hygiene reasons apparently

Dogger69

dazzer1467 wrote: »

Ingeus is acting as the employer then,My advisor has confirmed i will be charged for the boots as they cannot be given to someone else for hygiene reasons apparently

Write a letter of complaint to Ingeus, explaining you were not advised of the charge beforehand, and hence you are not liable for payment. I would copy in your MP also, Ingeus are unlikely to chase you on this if your MP intervenes.

MisterMan_2

dazzer1467 wrote: »

Ingeus is acting as the employer then,My advisor has confirmed i will be charged for the boots as they cannot be given to someone else for hygiene reasons apparently

Surely that's illegal for them to do make you pay for it? If I was in your situation, I'd personal contact my local MP/or one of the more sympathetic newspaper outlets such as Guardian etc.

Also, £40 for a pair of safety boots sounds above cost to me... Sounds like they're making a profit from you too.

EDITED: but didn't see advice above suggesting you go to your local MP.

dazzer1467

MisterMan wrote: »

Surely that's illegal for them to do make you pay for it? If I was in your situation, I'd personal contact my local MP/or one of the more sympathetic newspaper outlets such as Guardian etc.

Also, £40 for a pair of safety boots sounds above cost to me... Sounds like they're making a profit from you too.

EDITED: but didn't see advice above suggesting you go to your local MP.

Thanks will look into it ,Will go to ingeus tomorrow to confront them

saintjammyswine

If you want to keep them then they can charge you but not if you return them after they are required for work. £40 is a little steep depending on what brand they are, cheap owm brand can start at about £9 per pair with discount up to maybe £20 retail at a supplier.

kitschkitty

The fact they say they can't be used by someone else is totally irrelevant the law says they must provide you the PPE free.

Unfortunately we used to hear this a lot when agencies would say a company was responsible for PPE and the company would say the agency was - or often they would both try and convince the employee they were and refuse to employ anyone who didn't already have their own boots.

Fair enough if you regularly work in an industry where they're needed you'd probably prefer to own & wear your own boots - I remember when I was 17/18 I had to go on a course and part of it was clearing brush on a hillside (so relevant to me as an administrator, lol) I had to wear the old boots they provided - not particularly nice, but not the end of the world!


(I also agree £40 is steep I think the last pair of Steel toecap trainers hubby had to buy were £16 & I see on ebay prices start from a fiver).

dazzer1467

I quickly googled the "make and model" of the boots they provided and the manufacturer charges £39

LittleVoice

dazzer1467 wrote: »

Ingeus is acting as the employer then,My advisor has confirmed i will be charged for the boots as they cannot be given to someone else for hygiene reasons apparently

What sort of hygiene reasons?

If I go to a shoe shop and try on shoes, I don't expect my feet to be the first to be placed inside every pair of shoes I try nor that, if I try but don't buy, they won't be presented to another customer.

added:
And if you did want to buy them after the placement, they would be second-hand, not new, and therefore not be worth the full cost.

john539

Tell the Jobcentre & the charity, Ingeus are breaking the law, you hold them responsible and are going to report them.

Refuse to pay, it's nothing to do with you, it's their problem.

Don't tolerate this nonsense.