The key difference is that volunteering must not amount to unpaid work, or job substitution, and there should be no payment, other than reasonable travel and meals expenditure actually incurred (not an allowance for the same). There should be no contractual obligations on the volunteer, or on the organisation to provide it, and they should not enjoy any contractual entitlement to any work or benefits. When volunteering, the volunteer is helping a registered voluntary or charitable organisation, an organisation that raises funds for either of these, or a public sector organisation. Volunteering is not a substitute for employment, that is fulfilling a role that a salaried worker would normally fulfil.