Normally, volunteers' expenses (travelling, meals etc) are disregarded as income for IS and other means tested benefits. But, looking at the regs, (schedule 9 (2), IS regs) it implies that this is only the case if 'he otherwise derives no renumeration or profit from the employment and is not to be treated as possessing any earnings under reg 42(6) (notional income)'.

Does this mean that, if a volunteer is paid a small annual amount as a member of a charitable board, any expenses paid would NOT be disregarded as income. I presume that the annual fee will be treated as income and calculated as a weekly figure.

Thanks for any thoughts

I tried to post earlier but some where along the line I lost the message, here we go again:

You have got me worried about this and I wonder if the National Council of Volunteering has asked any policy question on this with the DWP.?

Because if you are right in the way you read the paragraph in the schedule. And I must say I draw the same conclusion. Where does it leave people on IS who do paid work for a couple of hours and than volunteer on other days for the same charity and do the same work.

Does it mean than that they cannot receive volunteer expenses for their volunteering days?

Surely that can't be right and is totally against helping people back into work? Or maybe that is still different to your situation?

Shall I contact NCVO or maybe somebody in the Community regeneration areas has had any answer to the question?

I spoke to CPAG advisers help line today and they agreed that expenses ARE counted as income (for means tested benefits) if the claimant gets paid by the same organisation (eg one day as volunteer and one day as paid staff).

BUT - in the case I have, it seems to depend on whether or not the payments are treated as earned income. Any ideas on this. It is like an honorarium or a token payment (paid twice yearly) for being a member of a Management Committee/Board. Is this seen as employment and earned income, or unearned income. The regs say that expenses are disregarded unless there is 'renumeration or profit from the EMPLOYMENT'

Any more ideas gratefully received
Thanks

Thanks for this information ,that sends some of the plans for employment of carers or disabled people as sessional workers on permitted work out of the window.

I have been looking in the Decision Makers Guide to see if there is any thing that is applicable to your case and could give further possibilities. I was wondering if the payments could be treated as voluntary or charitable paments so that there would at least be a disregard on them. BUT that would still not solve the problem of the fundamental question that although the amounts may be disregarded the payments themselves are still an income and would make other volunteer expenses seen as income again.

Also, I was wondering if DWP would treat those payments similarly to payment for directors as management committee members would do similar work or are often directors. Which is than again counter acting allowing people on benefit to get involved in community work.

So, not much help I'm afraid if I get anything back I'll let you know