Volunteering England’s recent policy responses
Watching brief
Volunteering England’s recent policy responses
DCLG: Unlocking the talent of our communities
The consultation document sought views on ways to make changes to give people locally more influence, control and ownership of local services such as employment, health, education and transport. It contained four sections:
- improving deprived areas through regeneration and promoting work and enterprise
- encouraging active citizenship, and reviving civic society and local democracy
- improving local public services by involving local users and consumers
- strengthening local accountability
Office of the Third Sector: National Indicator 6 Briefing, Participation in Regular Volunteering
OTS has published a briefing note to provide Local Strategic Partnerships (local public, private and third sector representatives) with more information and guidance on National Indicator 6 – ‘Participation in regular volunteering’. This indicator can be chosen by LSPs as a priority outcome which local authorities will be responsible for delivering through Local Area Agreements.
The briefing note covers:
- Why NI 6 has been included in the National Indicator set
- How performance against NI 6 will be measured
- Guidance on agreeing NI 6 improvement targets
Watching brief
DCLG: Prosperous Places: Taking forward the Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration
In July 2007 the Government published the Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration (SNR) which provided the framework to enable central and local government and other partners to work together to help maximise prosperity in all parts of England and tackle social deprivation and inequality.
This consultation sets out and seeks views on the proposals contained in the SNR for putting in place reforms that would:
- Streamline the regional tier, introducing integrated strategies and giving the regional development agencies (RDAs) lead responsibility for regional planning;
- Strengthen the local authority role in economic development, including a new statutory duty to assess local economic conditions; and
- Support collaboration by local authorities across economic areas
RDAs are being asked to ‘engage effectively with a wider range of stakeholders’.
The deadline for consultation responses is 20 June 2008
Informal Adult Learning – Shaping the Way Ahead
The consultation report recognises that Sport is predominantly run by volunteers who support over 100,000 sports clubs not including those volunteers who contribute to sport within another community association setting. It describes how Volunteers and clubs require skills to carry out their roles, not all of which require a formal qualification, but enable individuals to acquire new skills for personal development. The consultation aims to identify where government support could improve the quality of sport volunteers and clubs through informal learning opportunities.
The consultation ends on 15 May 2008
Home Office (Border and Immigration Agency) Consultation: The Path to citizenship, Next steps to reforming the immigration system
The green paper suggests that migrants who apply for British citizenship or permanent residence should demonstrate a commitment to Britain by participating in ‘active citizenship’.
Examples in the green paper include:
- Volunteering with a recognised organisation
- Employer supported volunteering
- Volunteering for short periods overseas
- Running or helping to run a playgroup
- Fundraising activities for charities or schools
- Serving on community bodies i.e. school governor
- Running or helping to run a local sporting team
It also proposes that applicants can speed up their application by two years if they undertake such activities. Applicants should submit evidence to the Home Office from a referee who can personally confirm their voluntary activities.
The consultation is seeking opinions on these ideas and ends on 14 May 2008
Human Rights Commission: Human Rights Inquiry call for evidence
This inquiry is about establishing how public authorities, such as hospitals, schools or local and national government offices, make sure they treat people well and in line with legal requirements under the Human Rights Act. Although the Human Rights Act directly applies to public authorities, they are also interested in looking at private and voluntary organisations that carry out public functions such as private or voluntary care homes financed by public bodies.
The deadline for consultations is 21 June 2008
European Parliament proposal of a written declaration in favour of the European Year of Volunteering 2011
5 Members of the European Parliament have launched a written declaration in support of the European Year of Volunteering in 2011. The written declaration closes on 15 July 2008 and it needs to be signed by at least half of the European Parliament’s 785 MEPs
The 10th anniversary of the UN International Year of Volunteers (IYV) will also be celebrated in 2011. IYV 2001 demonstrated that high-level public attention for volunteers and their contribution to society leads to governments and other stakeholders committing to joint action. Synergies can be sought with the UN’s activities in 2011, to take stock of the progress made so far and to develop a European policy agenda for volunteering “2011 +”.
HMRC: Threshold for declaring benefits in kind for volunteers
As part of a recent consultation, Benefits in kind and expenses payments through the payroll, HMRC was considering the removal of the £8,500 threshold below which benefits in kind and expenses payments are not taxable. This proposal could potentially have introduced a new requirement for volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations to submit tax forms for all small types of ‘benefit in kind’, such as equipment like wellington boots for regular conservation volunteers. Successful lobbying by voluntary sector organisation Charity Tax Group and others has resulted in the Government recently confirming that it will retain the £8,500 threshold.
European Parliament Plenary: The role of volunteering in contributing to economic and social cohesion
Members of the European Parliament have backed a new report highlighting the positive impact of volunteering on the regional and national economy of Member States and its contribution to 'social capital'. The rapporteur noted that the EU should support volunteering as a way to reach out to EU citizens through the adoption of a plan V for Valuing, Validating and Visibility for Volunteers. MEPs called on Member States to draft 'satellite accounts' measuring the value of volunteering in their economy. It would enable policy makers to make better informed decisions.
Independent Safeguarding Authority: Checks for those working with children and vulnerable adults
The Home Office has announced that from 12 October 2009 individuals will need to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) if they are to work or volunteer with children and/or vulnerable adults in a regulated activity. You will be able to check an individual’s ISA-registration status online or as part of an Enhanced CRB check. Volunteers are exempt from the one-off life time registration fee of £64.00 (unless they later take up paid employment that requires them to be registered with the scheme, at which point they will be required to pay the fee.)
Scottish Government: Future funding cut announcement for Volunteer Centres and Councils for Voluntary Service
In March the Scottish Government announced funding of £11.5m for Volunteer Centres and £11.85m for CVSs over the next three years but warned that the funding of the networks in their current form would end in 2011. The move is informed by the new agreement between the Scottish Government and local authorities to devolve more power to councils, and will see voluntary networks encouraged to work more closely with the public sector.
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR): Childcare Expenses and the minimum wage
VE has been working with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) on their stance on childcare expenses for volunteers and for voluntary workers. The results of BERR’s summer 2007 consultation on the minimum wage and voluntary workers separated childcare expenses out from other out-of-pocket expenses as a ‘significant benefit in kind’ that would change the relationship between the individual and their organisation. However, the BERR response also created confusion about whether this position applied to voluntary workers, volunteers or both (legally, these are two separate categories).
Following discussions with VE, BERR has since tabled an amendment at the committee stage of the Employment Bill (13th February). If passed, the amendment will clarify that voluntary workers are entitled to claim reimbursement for expenses such as the cost of travel to and from work and childcare or carer expenses. VE is still working with BERR on this issue and seeking clarity about how the distinction between volunteers and voluntary workers can be clearly explained.
DCLG Local Area Agreements
A two part series of guidance on negotiating new local area agreements has been released by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
The documents are Negotiating New Local Area Agreements and Development of the new LAA framework - Operational Guidance 2007.
Parliamentary question on volunteer mileage expenses – April 2008
Bob Russell MP submitted a parliamentary written question to ask if the Chancellor would increase the approved mileage rates which allow volunteers and employees who drive their own car for work to claim tax-free expenses without keeping receipts (eg: 40p per mile for car mileage upto 10,000 miles).
HM Treasury responded that “HMRC allows volunteers to use the approved mileage allowance payment (AMAP) rate for convenience, but it is not mandatory and volunteer drivers can claim tax relief for the full cost of motoring by completing a return, if they wish to do so”.
Volunteering England’s policy team has recently contacted the HMRC about this issue on behalf of our member organisations. We were advised that the rates were reviewed in 2007 prior to the pre-budget report, and the government subsequently decided not to alter the rates in the March 2008 budget.
If volunteers prefer not to use the approved rates, they can submit expense claims with proof of expenditure. For further information, please refer to:
Early Day Motion 1400: Community Day Bank Holiday Campaign
The following EDM posted on 23rd April 2008 has been backed by a coalition including Volunteering England.
“That this House welcomes the campaigns to introduce a new UK bank holiday; is aware that Britain has the lowest number of public holidays per year in the European Union, excepting Romania; believes that a well-thought out new public holiday would bring people together for a national day of celebration and that a new public holiday would help to improve the work-life balance of employees and improve productivity; commends the TUC campaign for a new bank holiday, supported by major UK trade unions and national voluntary organisations; recognises the work that Thomas Cook has undertaken in collecting half a million signatures on their petition calling for a new bank holiday to be introduced in the UK; notes the significant contribution of think-tanks such as the Institute for Public Policy Research and the Fabian Society in building a sound case for introducing a new bank holiday; believes that hard-working Britons deserve an extra day off each year; and asks the Government to recognise increasing public demand for an extra day off by announcing the introduction of a new bank holiday at the earliest opportunity”.
Your feedback
If you have any ideas or thoughts about the issues covered in this update please email your comments to policy@volunteeringengland.org
Many thanks
Policy and Information Team
Volunteering England
