This can sometimes mean that they owe significant payments, either to workers themselves or to HMRC, for breach of national minimum wage or tax rules. They may also find that people who they thought were volunteers have employment rights.
The Office of Tax Simplification (“OTS”) has recently acknowledged this uncertainty and has recommended clearer guidance from HMRC on this area. It has also suggested that a change in the law should be considered to exempt expenses payments for volunteers where these are equivalent to business expenses.
Many charities and voluntary organisations have been calling for more clarity in this area for some time. Greater clarity in this area would be welcome so that charities and voluntary organisations are more certain about their obligations.
There is the risk that, even if guidance or changes to the law are forthcoming, these result in a narrowing of the exemptions that apply to volunteers and voluntary workers, resulting in charities and voluntary organisations paying more tax and in greater numbers of voluntary workers being due the national minimum wage.
It remains to be seen how HMRC and the Government will respond to this call for clarity and whether any guidance or change in legislation will be forthcoming.
If you would like any advice with regard to your volunteering arrangements or to enquire about our volunteer pack, please contact Douglas Mullen at douglas.mullen@anthonycollins.com or on 0121 212 7432.
Dementia currently affects 1 in 14 people in the UK. Many people will either know someone with dementia, have had to support and care for someone with dementia or have been diagnosed themselves.
The 2022 Code replaces the NHF Code of Conduct 2012 (the 2012 Code) and sets out the baseline standards that the NHF expects of its member registered providers (RPs).
The High Court has dismissed a challenge by the Police Superintendents’ Association to the closure of legacy public sector pension schemes.
In my recent blog, I said that we would be issuing a series of ebriefings and blogs highlighting issues with the Procurement Bill. This is the first of these.
Contractors and delivery partners are facing a ‘perfect storm’ in many cases with a number of factors directly impacting upon the profitability of their work.
Worker status, like Piers Morgan, is one of those things that we think has gone away and then it pops up again!
We are seeing a steady trickle of decisions focused around the issue of flexible working requests or employer requirements for changes to working patterns (both pre and post the pandemic).
For those of us who have endured a choppy cross channel journey, the mention of P&O Ferries will invoke some nauseous memories.
Successive generations have witnessed seismic shifts in the workplace; post-war it was the return of the soldiers and the impact on working women who had to work in their place.
In this podcast, Puja Desai interviews Kimberley Foster and discusses her experience with counselling. This is a really helpful podcast for anyone who has thought about counselling.