Policy / Research

A Fair Deal for Volunteers: Reviewing AMAP

Volunteer drivers are the lifeblood of Community Transport, keeping essential services running every single day, up and down the country. We believe that they deserve a fair deal which fully covers their expenses when they use their own vehicle. No volunteer should be left out of pocket.

But over the last decade, motoring costs (including fuel, insurance, equipment and repairs) have increased by over 58%, according to the RAC Foundation. Meanwhile, the Approved Mileage Allowance Payment (AMAP), which is used to reimburse volunteers for the use of their own vehicles, is unchanged since 2011.

Since 2022, we’ve been calling for an urgent, fair and transparent review of the AMAP rate to ensure it accurately reflects the real costs of motoring. This is important, because the AMAP is widely used as a benchmark by organisations for volunteer reimbursement and/or passenger fares. It sets the ceiling at which volunteer drivers can be reimbursed without any impact on their tax obligations or benefit entitlements.

Petrol and diesel costs are rising and sensitive to the volatility of global oil markets and instability in world geopolitics. Due to recent conflicts in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, UK drivers have experienced very significant increases in pump prices.

An uplift is long overdue and now more urgent than ever.

Find out more

CTA’s 2024 Autumn Budget Representation

Download here.

CTA’s 2023 campaign briefing

Download here.

We’re monitoring fuel price increases and their impact on the Community Transport sector closely. Our members tell us that it is having a negative impact on their ability to recruit and retain volunteer drivers in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.

On 25 March, the UK Government announced a ‘workers-first review’ of AMAP, because ‘motoring costs have evolved significantly’. This is a significant and positive development. However, the change, which will be confirmed by the Chancellor at the next UK Budget in Autumn 2026, must include volunteers.

We’ll continue to engage with MPs, Ministers and officials, as well as our members and the media, to build wider support for a fair deal for volunteers and fair funding for organisations. When MPs last debated AMAP and volunteering at Westminster, there was strong cross-party support.

MPs’ 2023 Westminster Hall debate

Read here.

Image of Approved mileage rates table from tax year 2011 to 2012 to present

Source: HMRC

Our supporters

Our campaign is backed by nine leading voluntary sector organisations across the UK who share our concerns and believe an AMAP uplift is urgently needed:

Together, we represent thousands of volunteer-involving organisations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. And we’re speaking up for the more than 1.7 million volunteers who are directly involved in transport-related volunteering, such as Community Transport.

An AMAP uplift is not only in the interests of volunteers, but of employees and employers too. A review has been backed by major trade unions, like Unison, and leading trade bodies, like the Confederation of British Industry.

 

Resourcing an uplift

The AMAP rate is not a legal obligation. Community Transport operators can choose at which level to reimburse their volunteers depending on local circumstances, volunteer needs and financial considerations for organisations and passengers.

Our call for an uplift to the AMAP rate is about giving organisations greater flexibility and freedom to do what is right for them, their volunteers and their passengers. A change to the outdated 2011 AMAP rate will enable operators to increase their reimbursement rate and/or passenger fares if and when they and/or their community can afford to do so.

For Community Transport operators who choose to follow a higher AMAP rate, this will of course mean higher costs. We recognise that this is a potential area of concern.

We’re therefore calling for a fully funded uplift, which means that all grants and contracts from government, councils and independent funders should reflect and resource the new AMAP rate to allow operators to pass this on to volunteers. Fair funding is inextricably linked to a fair deal for volunteers and fair work for employees.

 

Advice for volunteers

NCVO’s general guide for volunteer drivers is available here.

Volunteers can use HMRC’s guidance to check if they need to pay tax on their mileage payments.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has advice for volunteers on how to inform their insurer and a list of insurers who have committed to not charge extra for volunteer driving.

 

Advice for organisations

CTA members can access our specialist advice resources on recruiting, retaining and managing volunteer drivers.

 

Get in touch

For any policy or public affairs enquiries, please contact policy@ctauk.org. 

For any media or press enquiries, please contact media@ctauk.org.