I know that many contractors intend to work hard and expect long hours at times, but for the sake of your well-being, avoid the Financial Ombudsman Service at all costs. The daily rate at £205.00 may look attractive, but when you take the tax rates, IR35, and the way FOS treats its contractors into consideration, you will hopefully realise that it isn't worth it.
If you don't believe me, all you have to do is take a look at the Glassdoor review. Not a single contractor has a positive thing to say about FOS, and I don't want other people to put up with what I have had to go through. We are all willing to put in the work, but the terrible training (2 weeks in total that doesn't even cover all aspects of the job), silly little rules that restrict the freedoms that self-employed contractors are meant to enjoy, and the inconsistent grading system means that you are always on edge. Nearly every day I would come across people crying in a corner or in bathrooms over getting another red case and potentially getting put on a performance plan. It is a system that sets people up to fail, and even when you're a person who can handle hard work, I am pretty sure that no one is who enters into the contract is signing up to be full of anxiety at work. A number of my friends work (or have worked) on the Coventry contract and apparently it is even worse than London (which is pretty bad).
I was pushed into resigning early, and it was a real weight off my shoulders. I scanned the internet to see if there were any websites that potential FOS contractors could go to in order to learn about the true nature of that contract, but I couldn't find anything. I decided to open a thread on this forum so that people could at least be warned before making their decision to work there.
If you have any questions about this contact, don't hesitate to ask. Other FOS contractors are free to make a contribution to this thread as well.
If you don't believe me, all you have to do is take a look at the Glassdoor review. Not a single contractor has a positive thing to say about FOS, and I don't want other people to put up with what I have had to go through. We are all willing to put in the work, but the terrible training (2 weeks in total that doesn't even cover all aspects of the job), silly little rules that restrict the freedoms that self-employed contractors are meant to enjoy, and the inconsistent grading system means that you are always on edge. Nearly every day I would come across people crying in a corner or in bathrooms over getting another red case and potentially getting put on a performance plan. It is a system that sets people up to fail, and even when you're a person who can handle hard work, I am pretty sure that no one is who enters into the contract is signing up to be full of anxiety at work. A number of my friends work (or have worked) on the Coventry contract and apparently it is even worse than London (which is pretty bad).
I was pushed into resigning early, and it was a real weight off my shoulders. I scanned the internet to see if there were any websites that potential FOS contractors could go to in order to learn about the true nature of that contract, but I couldn't find anything. I decided to open a thread on this forum so that people could at least be warned before making their decision to work there.
If you have any questions about this contact, don't hesitate to ask. Other FOS contractors are free to make a contribution to this thread as well.
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