The government has backed down on plans to link volunteering to migrant settlement following “significant concerns” raised by charities.

In its response to a consultation over its settlement scheme the government has acknowledged the concerns raised by charities, including around safeguarding, verification and the risk “that vulnerable people could be pressured into unpaid activity”.

“The Government will therefore not use volunteering to reduce settlement periods under the new Earned Settlement model,” it confirmed in its response.

Respondents to the consultation also raised concerns that “volunteering would be difficult to define, evidence and assess consistently”.

“Many also argued that volunteering could unfairly disadvantage people with caring responsibilities, disabilities, long working hours or other commitments that limit their ability to participate in formal volunteering activities,” admits the government.

Among those to raise concerns with the move earlier this year was the NCVO, whose chief executive Kate Lee wrote to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to convey its members’ fears over the move.

This prompted its #KeepVolunteeringVoluntary campaign that called on its members and the wider sector to respond to the government’s consultation.

“We were able to develop consultation submission templates for members to use, and assets and resources for the sector to use to support the campaign, explains NCVO chief influencing officer Leigh Brimicombe, who added that the campaign was “a big win” for the charity sector.

“I want to say a big thank you and congrats to all those who took the time to respond, who led initiatives, wrote letters and campaigned against the policy. This is the power of collective action and influence. This is the power of a community as strong as this one,” he added in a post about the government's decision on LinkedIn.

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