A volunteer agreement is not an employment contract — volunteers do not have employment rights and should not be paid beyond genuine out-of-pocket expenses. HMRC guidance states volunteers receive no remuneration. The agreement should set expectations without creating a legally binding obligation on either side.

• Volunteers have no employment rights — minimum wage does not apply
• Expenses: genuine out-of-pocket expenses only (travel, meals) — not a "wage"
• Agreement should state clearly it is not a contract of employment
• DBS checks required if working with children or vulnerable adults
• GDPR: volunteer data must be handled lawfully

Legal reference: National Minimum Wage Act 1998 (volunteers excluded); Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006; UK GDPR