WS017- Handout 04.01 - Voluntary Work
When a claimant is undertaking voluntary work the hours that they do can be off set against a maximum of
50% of their expected hours of work search and work preparation activities. See the following examples:
Example 1:
Mary is required to undertake work search and work preparation activities for 35 hours per week. A
maximum of 50% (17.5 hours) can be deducted from the work search and work preparation activities that
Mary can undertake leaving 17.5 hours a week. As Mary works in Oxfam for 10 hours per week (which is
less than 17.5 hours), 10 hours will be deducted from Mary’s work search and work preparation activities.
Mary will therefore be expected to carry out 25 hours of work search per week.
Example 2:
Ali is required to undertake work search and work preparation activities for 35 hours per week. A
maximum of 50% (17.5 hours) can be deducted from the work search and work preparation activities
leaving 17. 5 hours per week. But as Ali works in Mind for 20 hours a week which is over the 50%
maximum (17.5 hours), only 17.5 hours can be deducted from Ali’s work search and work preparation
activities. Ali will therefore be expected to carry out 17.5 hours of work search per week.
Note: As WSP does not recognise half hourly increments any deduction to a claimants availability must
be rounded
down to the nearest whole number. Therefore in the example above Ali’s availability for work
search and work preparation activities will be rounded down to 17 hours. Ali will therefore be expected to
carry out 18 hours of work search and work preparation.
WS017
September 2014
V7.7
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