Expenses and State Benefits

Overview

• Volunteer Expenses - VE Information Sheet
• Volunteering and State Benefits - VE Information Sheet

Articles

• National Minimum Wage and Expenses - VE Information Sheet
• Volunteer Travel Expenses in London - VE Information Sheet
• Reimbursing Care Expenses to Volunteers - VE Information Sheet
• Regulations on volunteering and state benefits - VE article (PDF)

Examples, Samples and Templates

Generic sample documents

• Sample Volunteer Expenses Form (MS Word)

Template documents

• Template letters to Jobcentre Plus to support volunteers (MS Word)

Real life examples

• Example Volunteer Expenses Policy - University of East Anglia Volunteers(PDF)

Please note that Volunteering England has not produced the 'real life example' documents listed directly above and is therefore unable to take responsibility for the content. Volunteering England and the organisations that contribute example documents to the Good Practice Bank can accept no responsibility for how they are used. They are presented as examples of good practice, but it is every volunteer-involving organisation's responsibility to ensure that their volunteers are safe, and that policies and procedures meet current legal requirements.

Links

• HM Revenue and Customs mileage rates
  http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/travel.htm
• HM Revenue and Customs guide for Volunteer Drivers
  http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/mileage/volunteer-drivers.htm
• The Running Sport website, created by Sport England, offers downloadable resources for volunteer managers and volunteers, including information on taxation and sport.
  http://www.runningsports.org/
• Directgov website
  Government website containing information about volunteering, including a page about state benefits
  http://www.direct.gov.uk/
  

• Jobcentre Plus website
  Explains some of the rules on volunteering and benefits
  http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

Publications

Free government guidance leaflets on benefits

• Volunteering while receiving benefits - Jobcentre Plus leaflet 1023 (PDF)
  Published September 2008
• A guide to volunteering while on benefits - Department of Work and Pensions booklet VG1 (PDF)
  Published May 2006
• Financial help if you work or are looking for work - Jobcentre Plus leaflet WK1 (PDF)
  Published April 2004
• Volunteering while unemployed helps others and can help you - Jobcentre Plus leaflet JSAL7 (PDF)
  Publication date unknown, but pre-2004

Share your experiences!

The Good Practice Bank is growing steadily as more information is added to it. An important feature of the Bank is allowing users to share their documents with other volunteering organisations. We are particularly interested in receiving example policies or documents that you are happy to share with others. If we use your contribution, you could win a book on volunteering from our regular prize draw.

• If your organisation has an example to contribute, please use our simple form to submit it.
• Or, please send us an email or telephone 0800 028 3304 (Monday-Friday, 10.30am-12.30pm and 2.00pm-4.00pm)
• We welcome calls through Typetalk/TextDirect. Please dial 18001 followed by 0800 028 3304 (opening hours as above).