•
learn new skills
• practise the skills you have
• become more confident
• improve your CV
• pick up good ideas
•
show you can be reliable
• meet people
• make useful contacts
•
have things to talk about
• get references
Please click here for a very brief "What, Why and How" guide to volunteering (opens a pdf slide show)
What
is volunteering?
You choose to give your time and energy to benefit other people,
or the environment, without being paid for it. But you can receive
actual expenses, so you needn’t be out of pocket. Click here for more.
Volunteering can help you in your own life.
Could it make a difference to you?
|
Volunteering
can provide a stepping stone into paid work. Volunteering can help
you to become more employable. BUT
… CAN YOU VOLUNTEER WITHOUT AFFECTING YOUR STATE BENEFITS?
The
short answer is … YES! People are allowed to volunteer
while claiming state benefits, including means-tested benefits such
as Job Seekers’ Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and Income Support,
just so long as the rules are followed. Read on for basic guidance
and links to other sources of information.
The
general rules – 2 important things to know:-
Informing
benefits advisors
It is compulsory for people claiming benefits to notify their advisers
that they are volunteering. Form ES672VJP has to be completed. It
is often reported that people are put off volunteering because of
misunderstandings around benefits. Volunteer Centres, and volunteer
managers within organisations, can support volunteers by providing
information which reassures the Jobcentre about the nature of the
volunteering role.
Volunteer
expenses
Only actual out of pocket expenses can be reimbursed to volunteers.
Any kind of extra payment jeopardises a person’s right to
claim state benefits, and benefits claims can be reduced or suspended.
e.g. if a volunteer pays £4.30 for travel every day, it might
seem easier to round the sum up to £5, but this is not a reimbursement
of an actual expense and would constitute a payment.
Volunteers
will usually need to produce receipts, bus tickets etc. and complete
a simple claim form. Sometimes benefits claimants need to inform
their Jobcentre Plus or benefits advisor about their volunteer expenses.
People receiving Housing Benefit should also inform their local
authority about their volunteer expenses.
Rules
for different benefits please click here for details of Job Seekers Allowance, Incapacity Benefit etc. See also link to DWP booklet (left panel) |
