Volunteering and Job Seekers Allowance

[pearleyes]

I was made redundant a few months ago and am currently on contribution based Job Seekers Allowance. I'd very much like to do some volunteering maybe two mornings a week for three hours.

I've spoken to a couple of people at the Jobcenter and got two different stories. One said all I would have to do is fill in a form to let them know about the volunteering but another said that I'd have to get a letter from the organisation I wanted to volunteer with and then they would decide if I could volunteer.

Anyone any info on this? Google searches don't give a definitive answer....

I asked as on income support - the info I was given that volunterring was ok as long as it was work that would not normally be paid. I think this is what the jobcentre people were thinking about but not saying. DOn't know how much it helps

On jobseekers I believe (well they used to be when I worked for them anyway) the rules were slightly different for IS and JSA because on JSA you are supposed to be available for work and actively looking for work where on IS you aren't in the same situation so any vilunteering you do is not to affect your ability to look for and be available for work.

I think the deciding if you could volunteer thing is what frustrated said above that they want to confirm that it is not work that you would normally be paid for but as far as I am aware you still have to fill in a form declaring the voluntary work you are doing.

Go back to the jobcentre tell them where and ehat you will be dojng and ask for any forms needed.

Thanks very much for the speedy replies. Would the situation be different if I only did volunteer work in the evenings/weekends? I am not in a position to do shift work due to dcs and dhs work hours and have only been able to work between the hours of 9-6pm and let the jobcentre know this when I first signed on.

This would solve the being available to do to an interview with x amount of notice and being able to start work within x days...

I think it would help your case because you can argue (as Ineedacleaner said) that you are available to work. Just make sure you let officials know!

Good luck

Thanks. Did you have to get a letter from the place you volunteered for or just sign a form at the jobcenter?

You would still have to let them know if nothing else there is always someone out there that would report you saying you were working and you weren't so at least if you declare your volutary hours there is no come back for you.

The thing is they are extremely unlikely to say no to you volunteering whatever time of day it is at as long as you can and will say yes I will attend interviews and no I will not turn down suitable jobs because of this vlountary work.

And I also wouldn't let them get away with last minute interviews and starting jobs in x amount of days you have chldren you need to sort out so that would be reason to avoid that anyway.

I just has to ring in - am just looking at mo. thinking about doing guides or something as can't commit to too much. Ds has issues that can be very time consuming.

Thanks for that I feel a bit better as I'd rather not volunteer if it was going to cause a lot hassle. I'll try to find a volunteering position and then ask the Jobcenter what info they need.

Do you think I'll need a letter from the organisation and fill in a form or simply fill in a form?

I'd rather know in advance if possible as when phoning around trying to find volunteering opps I'd like to tell them I'd need this before going for an interview etc

Sorry I can't answer that. Could mention that it might be needed.

If you haven't already, try direct gov for a search engine for volunteer work as it actually gave me a lot of options when i first looked.

Good luck.

I think it wouldn't do any harm to ask for a letter stating that you are a volunteer and not being paid for your time.
Like I said it is very unlikely that there will be any problems as long as you are still able to attend to sign on and that you are still able to show that you are actively looking for work.