Processes which ensure equality of opportunity are vital in recruiting volunteers. Yet those claiming Incapacity Benefit, Job Seekers Allowance, housing and council tax benefit, free school meals and prescriptions may have their benefit affected if they volunteer. This barrier to volunteering is also becoming a major problem for projects working in poor communities. The Create consortium have proposed a Community Allowance to pay people to do work that strengthens their neighbourhood without it affecting their benefits.

According to the Create consortium, "there is a huge amount of work that needs doing in our most deprived communities and very often people who live there are best placed to do this work. For the long-term unemployed, seeing the results of their work in their local community can also be a powerful motivator back into work."

The insights from Xchange groups highlight the problems confronting individuals and community projects and affirm the campaign for a Community Allowance.

Create are working with Minister for Work, Stephen Timms and the Department for Work and Pensions to establish the possibility of a Community Allowance pilot across the UK. In order for the pilot programme to go ahead we need Ministerial approval for the freedom to change the regulations in pilot areas to test this approach.

Click here to find out more about the Community Allowance. 

Click here to add your voice, get involved and watch the film about the Community Allowance.