Revised National Minimum Wage guidance

Revised guidance on the National Minimum Wage indicates that if a volunteer receives any payment, excluding genuine expenses, or a benefit in kind, this will change their status from volunteer to worker.

As a consequence, being a worker will then entitles them to be paid the National Minimum Wage for the whole time they are then “working”, e.g. a volunteer is paid travel expenses to get to the volunteer centre, even though they walk to work.

For example if a volunteer is paid travel expenses even though they walk to work, as this is then payment over and above the genuine reimbursement of expenses, the volunteer is then a worker and entitled to be paid the National Minimum Wage for all the time they are volunteering.

This may also include the promise of a payment, e.g. if a volunteer is promised a job if they are promised a job if they volunteer for three months. As the promised job will be a payment, the volunteer will be entitled to be paid the National Minimum Wage for the whole three months they volunteer.