Receipt #17399 to Colville, Norland and Notting Dale COVID-19 Local Support Network

This policy outlines the process through which volunteers can seek reimbursement from the Colville, Norland and Notting Dale Mutual Aid Admin Team for expenses incurred in the course of volunteering.

What is covered?

Volunteers can seek reimbursement for costs incurred on behalf of service beneficiaries, as long as those costs have not been reimbursed by the beneficiaries themselves. These expenses include:

• Shopping receipts
• Payment of utility bills
• Other expenses with prior approval of Admin Team members The shopping list or other costs are initially confirmed by the Admin Team.

Exclusions

We will not reimburse:

• Telephone or internet costs incurred to complete a task
• Food or drink purchased / consumed by the volunteer
• Petrol, TFL charges, or other travel expenses, unless prior approval has been obtained

How are expenses claimed?

1. Upload a photo of the receipt (via camera phone).

2. Submit the claim via the Submit Expense button on the main page. On the first page where the details of the expense are entered, please only place the service user name in the private instructions box, not in the main description, so that their name is not visible. Please also include a photograph of the receipt. Please enter your payment details on the subsequent payments page.

3. The Admin team will confirm via email that delivery has been completed. Any claims under £75.00 must be approved by one Admin Team member before disbursement. Any claims at or over £75.00 must be approved by two Admin Team members before disbursement.

4. Once the expense has been approved, SCA will pay the expense in the next of its three weekly payment runs (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday), and the funds will be reflected in the bank or paypal account that the volunteer has entered.

Cash Option

On occasion, beneficiaries will agree with the Admin Team that they will pay cash directly to the Volunteer. This will be only if someone has no easy means to pay by the bank transfer or Paypal options outlined above. If this is the case, when the Admin Team confirms the request and mobilises Volunteers they will confirm that cash repayment is the preferred mode, and confirm with the Volunteer that they are willing to accept direct cash payment for this request.

Should the Volunteer accept this request, then they should:

1. Confirm, when speaking to the Beneficiary, that they will leave the cash outside on their door step after they have taken in their delivery. Ensure you respect social distancing to enable Beneficiaries to do this.

2. Confirm with the Beneficiary that if they do not have exact change, they should round down rather than round up, as we cannot make any profit. You will be reimbursed for the difference by same expense reimbursement mechanism outlined above.

3. Take a photo of the cash to confirm receipt of this money and submit that photo to the admin team via the Whatsapp group for that specific job, or via email to [email protected].

Cheque Option

On occasion, beneficiaries will agree with the Admin Team that they will pay with a cheque. This will be only if someone has no easy means to pay by the bank transfer or Paypal options outlined above. If this is the case, when the Admin Team confirms the request and mobilises Volunteers they will confirm that cheque payment is the preferred mode, and confirm with the Volunteer that they are willing to accept a cheque for this request. The cheque should be made out to one of our area's Finance Team, with other Finance Team members made aware of this.

Should the Volunteer accept this request, then they should:

1. Receive the cheque made out to a Finance Team member for the confirmed amount upon delivery to the Beneficiary.

2. Take a photo of the cheque via normal phone and submit that photo to the admin team via the Whatsapp group for that specific job, or submit that photo via email to [email protected].

3. Arrange with the relevant Finance Team member, via the task allocater, for the Finance Team member to collect the cheque.

The Finance Team member will then transfer the relevant amount to the SCA bank account within 24 hours, and confirm with the Admin Team this has been completed, and will post the cheque to their own bank account to re-imburse themselves.