ENGLISH NATURE - Volunteers

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Volunteers Directory
- Driving vehicles
- Official vehicles
- Guidelines for claiming expenses
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Driving vehicles

English Nature promotes the use of public transport wherever possible. However, where the use of public transport is impractical, volunteers may prefer to use their own vehicles.

Private vehicles

If you use your car during your voluntary role - for example to travel to and from a site - you must inform your motor insurance company. Most national insurance companies recognise that as drivers do not make a profit from voluntary work, it is not a ‘business use’ of a vehicle and therefore recommend that existing insurance premiums should not be affected.

The public transport reimbursement rate used by English Nature is classified as a non-profit rate by the Inland Revenue, under the Fixed Profit Car Scheme.

If you have any queries about business use insurance, please contact your Area Team.

Average running costs

The Public Transport Rate offered by English Nature is sufficient to cover average running costs without the risk of reimbursement being seen as a profitable rate by the Inland Revenue and insurance providers. The Automobile Association (AA) website gives details of average running expenses. For example a 1.6 litre, petrol engine car averaging 10,000 miles per year costs approximately 17p per mile to run (September 2002). This includes fuel, oil, tyres, servicing, repairs and replacements (it does not include standing costs of car ownership such as finance, road tax, insurance, breakdown cover or depreciation). For more information on average running costs visit the AA website at www.theaa.com.

Maintenance responsibilities

Volunteers are responsible for the maintenance of their cars. English Nature accepts no responsibility for costs incurred for MOTs, insurance, servicing, repair, breakdown cover, depreciation, oil or fuel.

If you have any queries regarding expenses, driving or insurance, please contact your Area Team.

	Download Example Completed Form - PDF Size 134k

	Download Claim Form - PDF Size 86k