BERR report threatens reimbursement of child care expenses

Reimbursing volunteers' child care costs could put the volunteer's voluntary status at risk, according to the Association of Volunteer Managers (AVM).  

The Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), in their response to their consultation on volunteers and the minimum wage, has said that reimbursing the costs of child care, or even of a volunteer's lunch, amounts to providing benefits in kind, and thus changes the relationship between the volunteer and the organisation.  Therefore the volunteer may be entitled to claim minimum wage from the charity.

The Association of Volunteer Managers (AVM) claim this view is entirely without precedent and goes against existing interpretation and practise.  If enforced, this would have a huge negative impact on thousands throughout the country and erect an even bigger barrier to those considering volunteering.

AVM is waging a campaign against this conclusion, saying that child care costs are a legitimate expense of carrying out volunteer activity, not a benefit or perk.  See their website at www.volunteermanagers.org.uk.