§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made of the impact of the jobseeker's allowance on charities which previously relied on unemployed people working voluntarily. [8075]
§ Mr. ForthWe do not expect the replacement of unemployment benefit and income support with the jobseeker's allowance to have any adverse impact on charities which previously relied on unemployed people working voluntarily.
As with unemployment benefit and income support for unemployed people, there is no limit on the hours a person may undertake voluntary work while in receipt of jobseeker's allowance, so long as they are actively seeking work and available for work at 48 hours' notice—rather than the normal requirement to be immediately available.