Volunteer and welfare rules

[Cluemeup]

I was wondering if anyone can advise on the rules regarding volunteering and claiming welfare assistance. My friend worked for Asdas fulltime in the evening for over 10years but over the last 2years she has been volunteering during the day for 4 days of the week for the privately run community drug and alcohol services. Long story short she was offered a fulltime job by them 3months ago and as a result she quite working at Asdas. Unfortunately things have not gone without a hitch and their has been a huge delay with her DBS checks and Her actually starting her new employment. All the while she has been still volunteering with them and Her grown up daughter has been Paying the rent and basically supporting her mother. Anyway she made an application for Universal Credit a short time ago to help further while all of this is sorted out and she actually starts to get paid for all the work she is carrying out but her application for Uc was turned down as they said she is not eligible because she left her fulltime job at Asdas. Please could someone advise us if they are correct to do this and if there are any other options available for support while she does this important work and starts the employment that she has been offered.
thanks

[echat11]

That is correct. All DWP decisions can be appealed. To be honest, it's 'ridiculous', it's hardly 'helping people into full-time work', which is the Government's tag-line.

There are other things that your friend could apply for dependent on circumstances -

https://www.gov.uk/budgeting-help-benefits/eligibility

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/...ancial-support