30th June 2026
Good News for Volunteer Drivers!
Volunteer Scotland is delighted that the UK Government has uprated the tax-free Approved Mileage Allowance Payment (AMAP) rate from 45p-per-mile to 55p-per-mile, which will make a big difference to volunteers who drive in their volunteer role.
This follows four years of tireless campaigning by activists and organisations, including our partners at the Community Transport Association (CTA) whose ‘A Fair Deal for Volunteers’ campaign played a major part in this decision.
The previous rate had been set in 2011, and as it was not changed for 15 years, the high rate of inflation meant that the value of the rate has decreased in that time. The AMAP rate is applicable to both paid staff and volunteers and is especially important in the community transport space, for example those that run community car-share programmes (such as those covered by CTA’s Mapping Scotland project). While the rate is not legally binding for organisations, it is the ceiling at which travel expenses can be reimbursed without having any impact on tax allowance or benefit entitlement. It is also specifically important for volunteering as this is the rate above which HMRC can decide that an individual is profiting from their expenses reimbursement. The uprating is crucial for voluntary organisations that have been struggling with volunteer recruitment in travel-related positions due to fears from volunteers of being left out of pocket.
Volunteer Scotland strongly urges voluntary organisations to uprate their mileage reimbursements to the new 55p-per-mile rate, in compliance with principle 2 of the Volunteer Charter:
- Volunteers should receive no financial reward for their time however out of pocket expenses should be covered. No one should be prevented from volunteering due to their income.
CTA have published a useful FAQ to clarify specific details.
While this news is welcome, it does now present several challenges which voluntary organisations must face. Volunteer Scotland recognises the difficult funding landscape facing most Scottish voluntary organisations who may struggle to pay the increased AMAP rate, many of whom are reliant on funding from Scottish Government or from their local authority. Attention must now turn to third sector funders to ensure that the new AMAP rate is accounted for in grants and contracts, to ensure that organisations are fully capable of providing expenses and ensuring that volunteers are not left out of pocket through their volunteering.
Volunteer Scotland’s views are shared by David Kelly, Scotland Director and Head of Policy & Campaigns with CTA, who said:
“Thank you to everyone who has been part of our campaign over the last four years. It’s been a long time coming, and it wasn’t easy, but this victory is testament to the power of voices from across the voluntary sector speaking as one. We can look back with real pride on how we won a fairer deal for Scotland’s volunteer drivers.
Attention now turns to implementation. Funders must ensure volunteer-involving organisations have the financial resources they need to pay the new AMAP rate, especially as the uplift came after the start of the 2026/27 financial year, once budgets, grants and contracts had already been agreed.
If funders fail to fully fund the uplift, organisations will face budget shortfalls or volunteers will be left out of pocket. We’ll continue working with Volunteer Scotland and others to push for fair funding. We’ve already written to the Chancellor to call for action in the next UK Budget.”
Volunteer Scotland will now engage with MSPs and third sector funders to encourage uprated funding arrangements which will enable the new rate to be paid as widely as possible. To join Volunteer Scotland in engaging with this and related issues, consider joining the Policy Champions Network.
Ewan Macleod
Policy Officer