Wyre Forest's Conservative parliamentary Spokesman Mark Garnier has joined Harriett Baldwin, Conservative Candidate for West Worcestershire, in calls for a review of the allowance paid to volunteer drivers. These drivers give their valuable time and the use of their car to charities and the NHS to help (in many cases) patients get to NHS facilities so they may receive their treatment.
Harriett has set up an e-petition on the Downing Street website calling for Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling to raise the HMRC limit for fuel re-imbursement from 40p to 50p. However, Mark Garnier has learnt that reimbursement does not necessarily reach the maximum limit depending on which NHS trust is doing the reimbursing. Worcestershire, it seems, pays 37.5p per mile, whilst Gloucestershire pays 39p. If you help in Birmingham, volunteers get the full 40p.
Mark Garnier says: "The arbitrary cap put on the fuel allowance is no longer realistic with today's rising fuel prices. This cap was set when petrol was closer to 80p a litre - it is now averaging around the £1.20 level.
"The fact is; volunteer drivers play a hugely important role in the delivery of services from both charities and the NHS. Without an increase in the limit, anyone who does get paid over 40p per mile will then have received a taxable income which they will have to declare and pay tax on. This isn't fair.
"I strongly urge everyone to sign up to this valuable petition and I strongly urge Alistair Darling to see sense in raising the limit to help volunteers help us all."
The petition can be found at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/charitydrivers/