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Many people in the UK want to volunteer while claiming benefits. Volunteering is generally allowed, but it can affect certain DWP benefits.
Knowing which benefits might be impacted, how volunteering interacts with the rules, and what you must inform the DWP of is essential to avoid unexpected payment cuts, reviews, or even loss of benefit.
This article covers the four DWP benefits that are most likely to be affected by taking on volunteer work, with up-to-date details on what claimants should watch out for.
What Counts as Volunteering under DWP Rules
- Volunteer work means doing unpaid work for someone other than a close family member (e.g. for a charity or not-for-profit organisation). Out-of-pocket expenses for travel, childcare or food may be reimbursed and usually aren’t counted as income.
- It’s important to inform DWP (or your Local Jobcentre / Work Coach) before starting volunteering—changes in circumstances could trigger reviews.
Four DWP Benefits That Could Be Affected
Here is a table summarising which benefits could be impacted, how volunteering interacts with each, and what you should do.
| Benefit | What Volunteering Could Do to It | Key Conditions / Limits | What Claimants Must Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Credit (UC) | Volunteering can count as part of your “work-search / work preparation” hours (up to 50% of the hours in your Claimant Commitment) if agreed. Exceeding allowed time can cause conflicts or obligations. | The Claimant Commitment sets out how many hours you must spend preparing for or looking for work. Volunteering isn’t paid work, but you must still meet UC conditions (availability, interviews, etc.). | Tell your Work Coach or Jobcentre. Log volunteer hours in your UC journal. Ensure volunteering does not prevent you from meeting other UC tasks. |
| Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) / Income Support | Volunteering might be counted as helping you find a job in some cases; if volunteering takes too much time, may conflict with requirements of actively seeking paid work. | Must remain available for work, attend job interviews (with ~48 hours notice), actively apply for jobs. Volunteering should not interfere with this. | Notify Jobcentre when volunteering starts. Clarify whether volunteering counts toward your job-search requirement. Maintain records. |
| Carer’s Allowance (or Carer Support Payment) | Usually not affected provided you continue to give the required 35 hours/week unpaid care. But if volunteering reduces your care hours, might lose eligibility. Also, any income from volunteering must be only reimbursement of expenses, or judged reasonable. | You must still provide qualifying care (35 hours/week), the person you care for must receive eligible disability benefit. Volunteering abroad for long periods may complicate things. | Inform DWP / Jobcentre before starting volunteering. Keep receipts for expenses. Ensure care commitment remains intact. |
| Disability / Health-Related Benefits (like Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment etc.) | Volunteering won’t count as paid work, but may lead to health or capability assessments if DWP needs to check whether your condition has improved. Could affect entitlement in some cases. | Must tell DWP about volunteering, especially if regular. DWP may ask how your health limits your volunteering. Volunteering cannot breach capability limits or expectations around your health condition. | Before starting, report the volunteering. Be ready to describe the impact on your health. Keep evidence about how your condition affects or limits you. |
Additional Important Details
- Expenses: Reimbursement for travel, childcare, food, or equipment is allowed and does not usually count as income or affect benefit payments. Keep receipts.
- Hours & Notice: For many benefits you must remain able to take paid work, attend interviews and meet appointments. Usually at least 48 hours’ notice for interviews if volunteering commitments are already in place. For UC, you may be allowed “up to one week” to start paid work once offered.
- Assessments: If you claim benefits because of illness or disability, volunteer work may prompt reassessment of your capability. This does not always reduce benefits, but being up front helps.
Volunteering is a valuable way to help your community, gain skills, and build confidence — and it is allowed while claiming many DWP benefits.
However, it’s not risk-free: it may affect your Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance / Income Support, Carer’s Allowance, or disability/health benefits, depending on your situation.
The key is to inform the DWP, understand your Claimant Commitment or care hours, keep receipts for expenses, and make sure volunteering doesn’t interfere with benefit requirements.
With the right approach, volunteering can coexist with your benefits without negative consequences.
FAQs
Not directly. Volunteering doesn’t pay you wages, so it usually doesn’t increase the cash you receive. But it could count toward your ‘work preparation’ hours under Universal Credit or Jobseeker’s Allowance, which may reduce your pressure to find paid work immediately.
If volunteering causes you to fail to meet other benefit requirements (job interviews, availability, care hours), your benefits could be reduced, stopped, or you could face sanctions. It’s essential to agree with your work coach or benefit provider how many volunteer hours fit safely with your benefit commitments.
Yes. Always tell your Work Coach, Jobcentre, or the DWP before you start volunteering. Provide details of hours, organisation, expected expenses. This ensures you don’t unintentionally breach conditions of your benefit.
