Benefits and Volunteering

“I am receiving benefits; can I do volunteer work?” You can do volunteer work while receiving benefits, but there are a few rules to follow.

Unemployment Benefits (WW) through UWV

You must request permission from the UWV at least one month before you start volunteering. You do this by filling out the form “Permission for Volunteer Work in Addition to Unemployment Benefits” and sending it to your contact person. The UWV will assess whether you are allowed to do the volunteer work of your choice:

• The UWV checks if the organization is a non-profit serving the public interest.
• If the volunteer position has been a paid position in the past year or if there was a vacancy for a paid employee, this is considered labor displacement, and you are not allowed to do this volunteer work if you receive unemployment benefits.
• The reimbursement you may receive (including travel expenses) cannot exceed €5 per hour, €180 per month, and €1800 per year. These amounts do not affect your benefits and are tax-free.
• You must fulfill your job-seeking obligations, even if you need to adjust or stop your volunteer work to meet these obligations. If your volunteer work prevents you from fulfilling your job-seeking obligations, your benefits may be reduced.

All information and forms for volunteering while receiving UWV benefits (including Sickness Benefits, WIA, WAO, or Wajong benefits) can be found on the UWV website.

Social Assistance Benefits through the Municipality

You are required to inform the municipality (through your employment consultant) that you will be doing volunteer work if you are receiving social assistance benefits.

• The volunteer work you wish to do must not have been a paid position (labor displacement).
• The volunteer work must not hinder your chances of paid employment. You must adhere to job-seeking obligations and/or accept paid work offered by the municipality, even if it requires adjusting or stopping your volunteer work. If your volunteer work prevents you from meeting these obligations, your benefits may be reduced.
• The volunteer reimbursement you may receive (including travel expenses) cannot exceed €5 per hour, €180 per month, and €1800 per year. These amounts do not affect your benefits and are tax-free.
• If you are under 27 years old, the volunteer reimbursement may sometimes be deducted from your benefits. Discuss with your employment consultant which rules apply to your situation.