Frequently asked Questions about payment for Involvement
Frequently asked Questions about our Payment Policy for People with Lived Experience taking part in an Involvement activity.
Enquiries about our policy please contact [email protected]
Who is this payment policy for?
Our payment policy applies to with People with Lived Experience of prostate cancer who take part in Involvement activities with Prostate Cancer UK.
The term People with Lived Experience (often abbreviated to PWLE) describes those with first-hand experience of the disease - individuals who have been diagnosed, their families’ friends and loved ones.
We believe they are uniquely placed to help shape and deliver our work, adding value at all stages of the process.
Any partnership work with health professionals or Prostate Cancer UK staff is not covered by our payment policy.
Why do we offer a payment for Involvement?
To us involvement means sharing some of our power and decision-making with people who bring a different kind of expertise and authenticity. When we work with people with lived experience, we often ask them to expend time, energy, and emotion to shape our activity and direction.
As a charity, there are many ways that we celebrate and recognise the contribution of our supporters, volunteers, donors, and others who help our cause.
A gesture of thanks and appreciation in the form of a payment is one way to acknowledge how they have improved our work. We know that some individuals and groups experience fewer opportunities to be listened to and influence the work and direction of Prostate Cancer UK. We offer payment, in the form of an Honorarium (see glossary) because:
- It is one way to recognise the time, knowledge and experience people with lived experience bring to our work.
- It supports the involvement of users of our support services in shaping and evaluating those services.
- It reduces some barriers to involvement and can help attract a wider group of people.
- It equalises the balance of power between staff (who are paid for their time) and people with lived experience who may not be paid.
What type of activities would offer a payment as a gesture of thanks?
We offer payment for our Patient and Public Involvement activities harnessing lived experience and expertise to shape Prostate Cancer UK’s work.
When someone works with us in this way, we are asking for more than for them to share their story or experience, and it is also an activity separate from an individual volunteering their time to raise awareness, or funds for example.
Our definition is of Involvement is:
“Involvement is when a person brings lived experience of prostate cancer to bear on strategic discussions or decisions, coproduction, or service development or improvement – usually in a synchronous, collaborative setting.”
We will be clear about whether any activity is Involvement, and therefore subject to our Payment Policy. We use the term “Public Contributor” to describe the role of anyone taking part in activity within the scope of this policy. This is our term and we do not wish to label any individual.
How much and how will I be paid?
Payment will depend on how much time the activity, meeting, or event you are involved in takes. The rates are:
- 0 - 2 hours - £20
- Between 2-4 Hours (classed as up to half a day) - £50
- Over 4 Hours (classed as a full day) - £75.
These rates are a guide, and the amount offered will depend on the type of work we are asking someone to do.
We offer an honorarium payment as a gesture of thanks in the form of e-gift cards, which will be emailed to you. These can then be used for online purchases or added to a smartphone wallet. We do not require your bank details just a valid email address.
How might accepting the offer of a payment affect me?
Accepting the offer of a gesture of thanks in the form of a payment may impact a person’s tax and benefits situation (if they receive benefits). Any payment, whether in the form of cash, gifts or vouchers is considered income by HMRC and subject to tax and National Insurance.
This is a complex topic and Prostate Cancer UK does not have a license to offer individual advice on tax or benefit issues.
You are responsible for calculating whether you need to pay any tax or National Insurance. If you are receiving state benefits you should check if any accepting a payment could impact your benefits, and if a payment counts towards your annual taxable income.
Citizens Advice can offer individual advice on benefits, and their details, plus some helpful other contacts are below:
Citizens Advice
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
for England call 03444 111 444
for Wales call 03444 77 20 20
TextRelay users call 03444 111 445
His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hmrevenue-customs
Income Tax helpline: 0300 200 3300.
National Insurance helpline: 0300 200 3500.
Online services helpdesk: 0300 200 3600
GOV.UK
Income Tax: introduction
Tax-free and taxable state benefits
www.gov.uk/income-tax/taxfree-andtaxable-state-benefits
Tax Aid helps with tax problems if HMRC can't sort it out.
https://taxaid.org.uk
Tax advice helpline: 0345 120 3779
Turn2Us provides practical help to people who are struggling financially
www.turn2us.org.uk
Gingerbread provides advice & support for single parents, including tax & benefits:
www.gingerbread.org.uk
Helpline 0808 802 0925
Disability Rights UK
(contact 0330 995 0400 for paper copies of their factsheets & publications)
www.disabilityrightsuk.org
What if I can’t accept payment or prefer not to?
It is up to you whether you accept a payment as a gesture of thanks for taking part in involvement activities. You may wish to accept payment for one activity and not another, or no payment at all. There is no obligation to accept a payment, and you will not enter any contractual or employment relationship with Prostate Cancer UK should you accept a payment.
What about expenses that arise from my taking part in involvement activities?
We do not currently offer reimbursement of expenses such as travel or provide subsistence funding for people taking part in Involvement activity. This policy is in development.
Honorarium
A token payment for an activity undertaken or expertise shared, where fees or payment wouldn’t be legally or traditionally required. It’s “ex-gratia”, meaning the giver doesn’t recognise themselves as having any liability or legal obligation – no employment relationship exists. These payments are subject to income tax, National Insurance, and pension deductions, and would affect income-related benefits – even if paid as vouchers or gifts rather than a monetary payment.
Incentive
A reward – usually financial (such as a monetary payment or vouchers) – given to boost numbers of survey responses, or involvement from groups. It may be paid to everyone, in which case the payment will affect tax and benefits and needs to be declared, or offered as a prize draw which may not affect tax or benefits, but this needs to be confirmed on a case-by-case basis.
Recognition
A one-off, non-financial reward or gift – such as flowers, vouchers, a thank you letter or message or partner products – given in recognition of an individual’s contribution to the charity’s work.
Expenses
Reimbursement of reasonable expenses shouldn’t be seen as payment or reward and are separate to payment for involvement.
For any enquiries or questions about our policy please contact
[email protected]