Volunteer risk is rising fast – here’s how brokers can protect charity clients

Recent headlines have shown how quickly volunteer challenges can become reputational crises. And at one heritage railway charity in Wiltshire, things have been going off track.

Three volunteers were stricken from their leadership roles at Swindon and Cricklade Railway in summer 2025, following explosive claims of misconduct. Trustees slammed the individuals for internal tensions, operational failings, and potential misuse of charity assets, in a local PR storm for the charity.

We’ve seen more egregious cases of volunteer risk in recent years, with major scandals hitting the likes of Oxfam and Red Cross. But the case at Swindon and Cricklade Railway shows how in an evolving threat landscape, all charities are vulnerable to volunteer risk. It’s a reminder that every charity, regardless of size, must actively assess its volunteer engagement to protect its people, assets, and mission – and brokers can help with that.

The Charity Commission has warned that human capital risks, from volunteer management to governance oversight, are now among the top issues facing the sector. So, what do you need to know about managing charities’ volunteer risk?

Volunteer shortages are creating greater risk

The UK’s volunteer base is shrinking. In 2013, over a quarter of adults volunteered monthly. By 2024, that figure had fallen to just 16%.

Fewer hands mean more pressure on those who remain and on charity leaders who must maintain safety, compliance, and service quality with stretched teams without cutting corners.

Trustees are under legal duty to ensure volunteers are properly managed and protected – a task that becomes harder when recruitment pipelines are thin and resources tighter than ever.

The risk environment is changing, fast

Volunteer challenges interact with several emerging risks reshaping the sector in 2026, including:

• Evolving regulations such as Martyn’s Law (Terrorism Protection of Premises Act 2025), which introduces new safety and security obligations for charities hosting public events. Volunteer stewards and helpers at events may gain a role to play in compliance.
• Cybersecurity and data privacy issues will increasingly fall into volunteer duties. Many will handle digital records or donor information remotely, which could be a risk to phishing attempts by cybercriminals or devices being lost.
• AI tools are driving great value in the sector, but it introduces governance and data risks if not properly supervised by trained staff or volunteers. 

Evergreen human risk factors remain

Changing societal, technological, and regulatory factors introduce new risk. But human risk remains a constant.

Burnout, unclear boundaries, and lack of role clarity can expose both volunteers and charities to harm. A tired volunteer might make an error in medication handling, a new trustee might miss a compliance duty, or a volunteer coordinator might overlook an emerging safeguarding concern.

To manage these challenges, charities should:

• Conduct regular risk assessments covering volunteer activities, including lone working, data handling, and public events.
• Ensure clear role descriptions and training so volunteers understand responsibilities and limits. A volunteer agreement can be very helpful for defining boundaries and expectations – setting guidelines and parameters, but without implying any ‘contractual obligations’. A signed and dated document record will help to defend its position in the event a volunteer is injured in activity outside their agreement.
• Maintain strong communication channels that make it easy for volunteers to report incidents or concerns.
• Offer support and recognition to sustain morale and retention.
• Review clients’ insurance cover to ensure protection against volunteer-related liabilities.

Where to be insured, and why it matters

Even with the best policies and preparation, things can go wrong. Accidents, safeguarding incidents, cyber breaches, or trustee missteps can all carry serious legal and financial consequences. That’s where brokers providing comprehensive insurance plays a critical role.

Our Charities Combined solution provides tailored protection for charities and community groups with a turnover of up to £2m. It offers cover for key exposures, including:

• Public and products liability: safeguarding against claims from volunteers or the public.
• Employers’ liability: protecting against injury claims from staff or volunteers.
• Professional, management, and entity defence: ensuring trustees and managers are supported in complex legal scenarios.
• Fidelity, cyber, and property cover: protecting assets and data in a digital-first environment.

Charities also gain access to practical extras such as business and legal helplines, through our Business Hub, ensuring support when it’s needed most.

By combining robust governance, ongoing training, and comprehensive insurance, charity leaders can safeguard both people and purpose, keeping their operations running on rails.

With over 30 years’ experience supporting the third sector, we understand the unique risks charities face and offers specialist protection built around the people behind the mission.

Discover quick quotes, digital underwriters, and expert support from our charity specialists: