A group of volunteer-based charities have called for the government to introduce paid statutory volunteering leave. 

The organisations, including the Scouts, Girlguiding, St John Ambulance and the Sea Cadets, say the move could reverse the decline in volunteering numbers.

A letter to Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, signed by the nine organisations and six MPs, warns the falling number of volunteers has left some local services at risk.

It says if the government introduced 35 hours per year of paid statutory volunteering leave, it could give employees the breathing space to discover and engage in volunteering, empower people to be part of their local communities and enhance charities’ ability to make a difference.

“This simple act could also create avenues for funding the sector without further imposition on government finances – for example, supplementing a leave policy with a volunteering levy for those who aren’t able to take part,” it says.

“This could be modelled on the apprenticeship levy, which means that broadly speaking, large employers who didn’t offer this volunteering leave would instead need to pay into a common pot to help support volunteering across the country.”

It says affordability for smaller businesses could also be addressed through a right to request statutory volunteer leave.

“Volunteering leave is already a key part of many workplaces, so legislating for it more widely would help raise that standard of experience for all employees across the country and be a powerful demonstration of the government’s commitment to enabling and empowering civil society,” the letter says. 

Organisers are urging people to sign an online petition backing the idea.