Bolton Food Waste Study

Purpose

This policy is intended to provide a clear set of rules/guidelines for co-researchers and participants within the Bolton Food Waste Study study to ensure you do not incur out of pocket expenses as a result of being part of this study and that you are paid for you time. We need to ensure that our expenditure is relevant to the aims of the study and can be fully justified therefore all expenses should be reasonable and within the guidelines set out below.

Who the policy applies to

All approved co-researchers and participants of the Bolton Food Waste study

Definition of expenses

Expenses are actual expenditure that is incurred wholly, necessarily and exclusively in connection with authorised duties that an individual undertakes in the course of their participation in the Bolton Food Waste study.

What is covered

To be agreed with the Lead Researcher in advance:-

• Travel
• Childcare or carer costs in order to participate in the study
• Cost of a Personal Assistant or support worker in order to participate in the study
• Administration costs (for example telephone, broadband, postage, stationery and other equipment)
• Subsistence – meals, snack and refreshments if away from home for more than 5 hours. 

Claim limits

• Please retain your bus/ train/tram tickets. If you are making a number of journeys during one day in relation to your participation it is often cheaper to buy a one-day pass.  Travel passes are capped at £6.40[1] per session unless agreed by the Lead Researcher.
• Please retain your taxi receipt. Taxis will be capped at up to a maximum of 10 miles each way unless authorised by the Lead Researcher.
• Petrol is reimbursed at 45p[2] per mile and up to a maximum of 10 miles each way unless authorised by the Lead Researcher. You will need to document on your expenses claim form your start and end locations and number of miles claimed. Keep all parking tickets.
• Please keep receipts for any Subsistence (food and drinks) purchased whilst taking part in the study. Subsistence can only be claimed if you are away from home for more than 5 hours and the maximum claim is £5. If you are away from home for more than 10 hours, you can claim a maximum of £10[3]. Please note during meetings refreshments will be provided.

How to claim

1. All participants must complete a BACS form so their out of pocket expenses can be reimbursed into their bank account via electronic bank transfer.
2. All participants have to claim their expenses by completing the Volunteers Expenses claim form. These forms can be obtained from your Lead Researcher.
3. All claims need to be cleared and authorised by your Lead Researcher.
4. Only claims that are fully completed, signed and dated and have the necessary receipts attached will be authorised and processed by finance.
5. All claims should be made within 3 months of expenses being incurred.
6. Your payment via BACS will be referenced as ‘reimbursed expenses’ to ensure there is no confusion with the Jobcentre and any benefits you maybe in receipt of.

Paying expenses

Volunteers will be paid via BACS on the next BACS run.

Expenses that won’t be reimbursed

• Any fines or penalties.
• Unauthorised travel or activities.
• For students on college placements.

Payment of expenses in advance or direct to source

We are able to pay some expenses in advance for example booking a taxi or travel tickets. We are also able to pay directly to your childcare provider, carer, personal assistant or support worker.

Please discuss any advance expense payments you may need with the Lead Researcher prior to you starting the study. This is to ensure that we can put the necessary arrangements in place for your participation.

Cash payments

If you do not have a bank account, we may be able to reimburse out of pocket expenses directly after a session. You would need to follow steps 2-5 under the section ‘How to Claim’.

Payment for time

As participants you will be offered payment for taking part in this study for example attending focus groups or being interviewed. You will be offered £10 per hour. Please remember that it is optional whether you accept payment for your involvement in this study. We understand that accepting a payment is likely to have implications if you are employed, unemployed, receiving state benefits or retired. This is because the payment you receive will be treated as earnings.

If you are receiving state benefits:

There are benefits rules on part-time earning. Different benefits have different earning limits. If the payment you receive for taking part in this study exceeds the earning limit or have not had prior permission or informed Jobcentre Plus of your intention to become involved in the study, you may be in danger of having your benefits reduced or withdrawn.

It is your responsibility to follow your benefit conditions if you are getting involved in this study. There are sources of help and advice that the Lead Researcher can point you to including a free, confidential and personalised service, coordinated by the Bedford Citizens Advice Bureau to support members of the public whose welfare benefits may be affected by payment for involvement in research such as this. The Lead Researcher will be able to provide you with an official letter providing a written explanation of your involvement to show the Jobcentre.

Furthermore, you have the option to be paid less, or turn down the payment altogether, to suit your circumstances. Please discuss this further with the Lead Researcher

If you are in receipt of benefits due to your health status or disabilities, you will need to ensure that the Jobcentre Plus understands that ‘involvement’ in research is different to employment. The Lead Researcher will be able to provide you with an official letter providing a written explanation of your involvement to show the Jobcentre.

If you are receiving a retirement pension, any earnings you receive in retirement count as ‘taxable income’ along with income from your State Pension, personal or company (occupational) pensions and from certain taxable benefits. Bear in mind that any money you earn after State Pension age may affect income-related benefits such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support. Staff at the Pension Service can tell you how earning may affect your Pension Credit.

In relation to how payments for being involved in this study may affect Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Support get in contact with your local authority. Below are the details for Bolton Council

Benefits – Bolton Council

If you are liable to pay National Insurance or Tax, payments made to you for your involvement are usually subject to tax and National Insurance deductions if your taxable income exceeds your annual Tax Personal Allowance. This is £12,570 from April 2022-23. You need to declare the earnings to HMRC either through your employer or if you are registered as self-employed directly to HMRC. If you are in receipt of a state benefits inform the Jobcentre in advance of your involvement in the research. The Lead Researcher can provide you with an official letter providing a written explanation of your involvement to show the Jobcentre.

With all of the above circumstances, you have the option to be paid less, or turn down the payment altogether, to suit your circumstances. Please discuss this further with the Lead Researcher.

Young People under the age of 16 taking part as participants would be paid in vouchers at the same rate as the other participants (£9.90 per hour).

Parents/carers/guardians would be able to apply for out-of-pocket expenses. The same claim limits and claimant process would apply.

Date written May 2023

To be reviewed November 2023