1. Purpose

This policy ensures that trustees and volunteers are reimbursed for reasonable, legitimate out-of-pocket expenses incurred in carrying out their roles on behalf of The Healing Hubs.

Expenses are not a payment for services — they are a reimbursement of costs actually incurred. Trustees and volunteers remain unpaid.

2. Who can claim

All trustees and volunteers of The Healing Hubs are eligible to claim expenses under this policy.

Expenses must be incurred in connection with an authorised Healing Hubs activity.

3. What can be claimed

Travel: the cost of public transport (bus, train, or coach) at standard class; mileage for travel by private car at the rate set by the Board (currently the HMRC approved mileage rate); parking costs where unavoidable.

Subsistence: reasonable costs of meals and refreshments when away from home for more than four hours on Healing Hubs business.

Telephone: a contribution to call costs for telephone befriending volunteers making befriending calls from a personal phone.

Postage and stationery: reasonable costs of postage and stationery used for Healing Hubs purposes.

Other costs: any other reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in carrying out an authorised activity, subject to prior approval.

4. What cannot be claimed

Alcohol.

Fines, penalties, or parking tickets.

Personal items or clothing (unless specifically required for a Healing Hubs activity and approved in advance).

Costs that have already been reimbursed by another organisation.

Costs incurred for activities not authorised by The Healing Hubs.

5. How to claim

Expenses must be claimed using the Healing Hubs Expenses Claim Form, available from the Team Manager or in the Volunteer Portal.

Claims should ideally be submitted within one month of the expense being incurred.

All claims must be supported by receipts or other evidence of expenditure. Mileage claims must include the start and end points of the journey and the total distance.

Completed claim forms should be submitted to the Team Manager. Trustees should submit their claims to the Treasurer.

6. Approval and payment

All expense claims will be reviewed and approved by the Team Manager before payment. Trustee claims are approved by the Treasurer.

Claims will normally be paid within a reasonable time of approval, by bank transfer to the claimant's nominated account.

The Healing Hubs reserves the right to decline claims that do not comply with this policy or that are not supported by adequate evidence.

7. Trustee expenses

Trustees may claim expenses for travel to and from Board meetings, training events, and other authorised activities.

Trustee expenses must be approved by the Chair of Trustees (or, in the case of the Chair's own expenses, by another trustee).

All trustee expenses will be reported in the annual accounts in line with Charity Commission requirements.

8. Review

This policy will be reviewed annually. Mileage rates will be updated in line with HMRC approved rates.