Volunteering and Your Benefits
TimeGivers do not receive a wage or a salary. Only very rarely are there any effects on an individual's benefit position - so if you receive benefits don't be put off.
Time giving is unpaid voluntary work
If you are concerned at all about your benefit position contact the experts:
Volunteering England
Regent's Wharf
8 All Saints Street
London N1 9RL
0845 305 6979
www.volunteering.org.uk
They will be able to advise you on a wide range of issues including:
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Availability for work
- Incapacity Benefit
- Receiving expenses
- Using your own car
The National Earnings Rule
The Government has announced plans to relax the current rule that requires volunteers who claim Job Seekers Allowance to be available to take up employment at 48 hours notice. Instead they will be allowed to give a weeks notice. This will enable the organisation to plan the activities of unemployed volunteers with more certainty. It also aims to encourage even more unemployed people to consider volunteering as a way of developing skills, gaining experience and possibly helping to improve employability.
The DSS currently disregards volunteer's reimbursed expenses when calculating benefits. This policy is to be extended to include advance payment of expenses meaning that volunteers receiving income-related benefits need not be out of pocket while volunteering.
Further information
