Universal Credit, Income Support and other benefit recipients may need to take extra steps before starting volunteer work
People claiming benefits are permitted to undertake voluntary work, though four particular payments could be impacted and the Department for Work and Pensions must be notified. In some instances, it might even work in the claimant’s favour, while others could face reviews and reduced payments based on their voluntary role.
Volunteer work is classified as unpaid labour for someone other than a close family member, though out-of-pocket expenses such as transport or childcare costs may be reimbursed. Citizens’ Advice states: “You can volunteer while claiming benefits, as long as you keep to the conditions of the benefits you get.
“Check the rules about volunteering for the benefit you claim to make sure your benefits aren’t affected. You should keep any receipts for expenses while volunteering. You should still attend meetings or assessments organised by the benefit provider while you’re volunteering. You might be able to arrange different times for these meetings if it’s necessary.”
Universal Credit
When planning to begin voluntary work, it’s advised to inform your work coach by recording a note in your online journal. Reimbursements for expenses won’t be classified as earnings, so won’t impact your benefit payment in that respect.
However, if your claimant commitment states that you must seek employment, your work coach may agree to let you spend up to half of this time volunteering. Your agreement might also be adjusted to allow you up to 48 hours to attend a job interview and up to one week to start a job if you’re offered one.
Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support
You’ll need to notify the Jobcentre Plus office when you plan to commence volunteer work. You’ll still need to actively seek employment and may still have to attend job interviews with 48 hours notice.
If the volunteer work is likely to aid in your job search, it might count as job hunting under these benefits. The Jobcentre Plus office can provide advice if your volunteer work falls into this category.
Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment
If you’re an unpaid carer receiving these benefits and planning to start volunteer work, you’ll need to inform the Jobcentre Plus office. There is no limit on how many hours you can volunteer per week, as long as you still provide 35 hours of care each week to maintain your entitlement for these benefits. If the number of hours you provide unpaid care begins to decrease, you might lose eligibility for these benefits, causing them to stop.
Disability or sickness benefits
People receiving disability or sickness benefits can volunteer for as many hours as they wish, but they must inform the DWP before commencing this work. They will need to detail how their health could impact their volunteering capacity and any adjustments they might require to volunteer.
The DWP may also re-evaluate claimants to determine if their health has improved. Such reassessments could result in changes to their benefit payments.