Permitted Work form for Voluntary work?

darto150

Hi
Is it valid to fill in a permitted work form for voluntary work?
Is it required to fill one in?
Is it voluntary to fill one in?
What kind of response would a person get from the DWP if they filled it in?
Thanks

poppy12345

Yes you do need to fill in the form whether it's paid or voluntary. Do be aware also that if the work you do contradicts the reasons why you're claiming ESA then it could go against you when you're next assessed, even with voluntary work.

TELLIT01

Things may well have changed, but there used to be separate forms for Permitted Work and Voluntary work as different information is required.  For example, for Voluntary Work they need Charity number etc

calcotti

TELLIT01 said:

Things may well have changed, but there used to be separate forms for Permitted Work and Voluntary work as different information is required.  For example, for Voluntary Work they need Charity number etc

It's one form https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/877639/permitted-work-form-pw1.pdf. Can't see anywhere that it asks for Charity number.

tomtom256

Isn't it a VOLWORK1JP for volunteering or does the PW1 superseed this?

TELLIT01

Calcotti, things have definitely changed since I retired.  The old Voluntary Work form we used asked if it was a registered charity and if so its Charity Number.  Would you being doing work for which somebody would normally be paid, plus a number of other things not asked about on the PW form

calcotti

tomtom256 said:

Isn't it a VOLWORK1JP for volunteering or does the PW1 superseed this?

There’s nothing on the PW1 to indicate that a different form needs to be used for voluntary work although voluntary work is included in the description of Permitted Work on the PW1.
This page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-and-support-allowance-permitted-work-form/permitted-work-factsheet just says

Before you start any work, whether paid or unpaid, you should fill in a PW1 form and send it to the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your benefit.

tomtom256

calcotti said:

tomtom256 said:

Isn't it a VOLWORK1JP for volunteering or does the PW1 superseed this?

There’s nothing on the PW1 to indicate that a different form needs to be used for voluntary work although voluntary work is included in the description of Permitted Work on the PW1.
This page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-and-support-allowance-permitted-work-form/permitted-work-factsheet just says

Before you start any work, whether paid or unpaid, you should fill in a PW1 form and send it to the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your benefit.

Thanks calcotti, we used to issue the VOLWORK1JP, but it's been a while since anybody on legacy or new style bens for that matter, has asked about voluntary  work.

Robbie64

Although the official DWP position is that someone who is about to undertake voluntary work should fill in a PW1 form, the form itself is totally inappropriate for someone doing voluntary work. The form is quite obviously intended for someone who is going to undertake paid employment - many of the questions relate to paid employment and earnings. There is no question that asks if the job is a voluntary job and following on from that there is no question that asks if the job is unpaid (to help determine if the nature of the job is indeed a proper voluntary job for a charity). In addition the notes on page 2 of the PW1 form state that "some expenses (paid by the employer) such as travel to and from work will be regarded as earnings" is completely incorrect for voluntary work and only applies to paid permitted work. For voluntary work necessary expenses paid by the employer such as reimbursement of fares to and from work are ignored.

It looks as if someone at the DWP has decided to streamline the process for notifying the department of "permitted work" by shoehorning voluntary work into the definition of permitted work without thinking through what data needs to be captured on the form in relation to voluntary work. At the very least a covering note, explaining the job is a voluntary job would be required to avoid potential problems.

An old PDF version of the VOLWORK1JP form - the form mentioned in posts above and which is more appropriate when notifying undertaking voluntary work - can be downloaded from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/68909/response/172844/attach/html/3/VOLWORK1JP 1110.pdf.html . Click on the link headed "download original attachment" at the top right hand side of the page.

calcotti

I would have thought writing Volunteer in the Work box and nil in the earnings box on the PW1 would cover it.

Robbie64

calcotti said:

I would have thought writing Volunteer in the Work box and nil in the earnings box on the PW1 would cover it.

Hopefully it would but the DWP should have amended the PW1 form by including a question to cover voluntary work as it's basically the same form that was always used for people starting paid permitted work.