UK Government drops plans to scrap payment for Coastguard volunteers

Planned cuts to Coastguard officer pay have been paused following public and political backlash.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) previously announced plans to scrap hourly payments for Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) – trained, on-call volunteers who are the frontline during maritime emergencies.

Volunteers historically received hourly remuneration – currently £11 an hour – for emergency callouts and training exercises around the UK’s coast.

The removal of payments was set to go ahead at the beginning of September after the Court of Appeal ruled volunteers are legally classified as employees entitled to a minimum wage.

Union leaders, politicians and veteran Coastguard officers warned that the cuts would pose a serious threat to island communities.

Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, Labour’s maritime minister Keir Mather said the plans would not go ahead.

The decision will be paused for further assessment and feedback to ensure a fair settlement for volunteers. A permanent legislative solution is also being studied.

He said: “We want to ensure that CROs (Coastguard rescue officers) are treated with dignity, respect and that they are empowered to carry out the incredible duties that they do.

“Having listened to the testimonies from CROs first hand, I can confirm that the plans to move to the expenses-only volunteer model from September 1 will not go ahead, and that current arrangements will remain in place.

“I look forward to working with the honourable lady (Helena Dollimore MP, Labour, Hastings & Rye) and my other colleagues to make sure that we get this right.

“In the longer term, the Department of Transport will explore options for how Coastguard Rescue Officers can continue to be rightfully recognised and rewarded and have the flexibility to continue to serve their communities.”

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: “We have listened to Coastguard Rescue Officers and heard the strength of feeling on how changes would affect them. We have agreed with Ministers to pause plans to move to a revised volunteer model.

“The work of the service is vital to keeping people safe, and this pause gives us the time to engage extensively with our hard-working officers, understand more deeply the potential impact of any changes, and ensure their views help inform the decisions we take on how to shape the service going forward.”

Nicola Savage, GMB National Officer, said: “This is a richly deserved win for GMB’s coastguards, who took their campaign across the UK and into the corridors of power.

“It was a scandal that these brave, life-saving workers would have their pay cut.

“But Ministers have listened and done the right thing.”

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, led a parliamentary debate on the issue at the start of July, followed by an Urgent Question last week and a question to the Prime Minister on Wednesday.

Reacting to the U-turn, he said: “This is a major win for Coastguard volunteers today.

“The Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s damaging plans would have put public safety at risk up and down the country and particularly in island communities – so there was no alternative but to organise, campaign and secure a reversal. The response from CROs has been incredible, and it has fuelled our efforts in Parliament, from a debate earlier in the month, to an Urgent Question last week, to a question directly to the Prime Minister on the issue yesterday.

“I have to give credit to the minister for Maritime, Keir Mather, for his work on this issue. He was clearly presented with something of a ‘done deal’ by the MCA, but he took the time to listen to MPs and Coastguard officers, recognised their deep concerns and responded.

“We are not wholly out of the woods yet, but the direction of travel is the right one. Now we have to secure a permanent settlement that works for Coastguard volunteers and protects the service for future generations.”