The Labour government has reversed its decision to stop paying volunteer coastguards for attending emergencies, a move announced Tuesday by Transport minister Keir Mather. The plans, which would have transitioned to an expenses-only model in September, were dropped following significant opposition from coastguard volunteers and coastal Members of Parliament.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Mather stated that the government had listened to the concerns of Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) and confirmed the proposed changes would not proceed. "We want to ensure that CROs are treated with dignity, with respect and they are empowered to carry out the incredible duties that they do," Mather said.
He added that "Having listened to the views and testimonies of CROs first hand, I can confirm that the move to the expenses-only volunteer model in September will not go ahead, and that current arrangements will remain in place." Mather declined to comment on his confidence in the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) leadership, which had initially claimed the plans had volunteer support.
"When those on the ground raise concerns of the scale that we’ve seen and when the evidence base proves insufficient, it’s absolutely right that we pause and that we engage again," Mather explained, emphasizing the need to ensure the system respects CROs and is correctly implemented.
The current arrangement allows CROs to claim approximately £11 per hour for attending incidents, training, and operational duties. The MCA had proposed the shift to an expenses-only model after a court ruling determined that volunteers receiving hourly pay were classified as workers, granting them employment rights.
This proposed change had ignited fury among volunteers, leading to immediate resignations from some senior officers and warnings that a quarter or more of the volunteer force might quit or reduce their hours. The Coastguard relies heavily on approximately 3,500 volunteers who cover 11,000 miles of British coastline. A significant reduction in volunteers could potentially lead to hundreds of incidents going unaddressed, endangering lives.
Parliamentary representatives expressed relief at the government's decision. Tory MP Joe Robertson, representing Isle of Wight East, welcomed the minister's reconsideration, calling it a "major win for coastal communities." Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael, who represents Orkney and Shetland, stated the plans "would have put public safety at risk up and down the country and particularly in island communities."
The GMB trade union, which represents some coastguard volunteers, also hailed the outcome. Nicola Savage, a national officer for the union, described it as a "richly deserved win for GMB’s coastguards, who took their campaign across the UK and into the corridors of power."