Third Sector: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

(asked on 11th June 2020) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether people who work for the charity, voluntary and community sector organisations who have been furloughed may return to their places of work in a volunteering capacity whilst still receiving the support through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.


Answered by
Jesse Norman Portrait
Jesse Norman
This question was answered on 16th June 2020

The purpose of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is to support people who would otherwise have been made redundant. To prevent fraudulent claims, the Government made clear that individuals cannot work or volunteer for their organisation. This also serves to protect employees. If the Government allowed workers to volunteer for their employer, the employer could ask them to effectively work full time whilst only paying them 80% of the wages. These wages would also be paid at the Government’s expense, and therefore an abuse of the system. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport are working with other Government departments and the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector to identify areas where volunteers can contribute to the Covid-19 response.

On 8 April, the Chancellor announced a £750m support package for charities providing key services and supporting vulnerable people during the Covid-19 crisis. £360m will be allocated by central Government to charities in England based on evidence of service need. £370m will support smaller, local charities working with vulnerable people.

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