HC Deb 01 December 1980 vol 995 cc50-1W
Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if an unemployed person could be disqualified from unemployment benefit for accepting a non-cash gift while participating in daytime voluntary work;

(2) if an unemployed person could be disqualified from unemployment benefit for participating in daytime voluntary work;

(3) if an unemployed person could be disqualified from unemployment benefit for accepting incurred expenses while participating in daytime voluntary work.

Mrs. Chalker

Unpaid voluntary work will not affect a person's title to unemployment benefit if he can satisfy the independent adjudicating authorities, which determine all claims for benefit, as to his continuing availability for employment.

Remuneration derived from an employment, whether in cash or in kind, which exceeds 75p for any day, results in the disallowance of unemployment benefit for that day. The reimbursement of travelling and other expenses reasonably incurred, or the cost, up to 15p, of a meal taken during the hours of employment, is not taken into account in calculating remuneration. In addition, where remuneration is derived from an employment, that employment must be consistent with the full-time employment for which the claimant is available and must not be in his usual main occupation.

We shall be putting proposals to the Social Security Advisory Committee for modifying the relevant regulations to provide rather more scope for voluntary work to be undertaken without loss of benefit.

Mr John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if an unemployed person would be disqualified from social security benefit for participating in daytime voluntary work;

(2) if an unemployed person would be disqualified from social security benefit for accepting a non-cash gift while participating in daytime voluntary work;

(3) if an unemployed person would be disqualified from social security benefit for accepting incurred expenses while participating in daytime voluntary work.

Mr. Prentice

An unemployed person participating in voluntary work is not excluded from supplementary benefit provided he remains registered and available for work and the work does not amount to "remunerative full-time work". Subject to that, acceptance of non-cash gifts and incurred expenses does not exclude a person from benefit either. However, the regulations provide that non-cash gifts shall generally be taken into account as a resource, subject to the appropriate disregard.