The UK government has reversed its decision to stop paying volunteer coastguards for attending emergencies, a move that had threatened to significantly reduce the service's volunteer base. Ministers announced they would drop the plans following threats of mass resignations and strong opposition from coastal Members of Parliament.
Transport minister Keir Mather stated in a House of Commons statement that the plan to shift to an expenses-only model in September would not proceed. He confirmed that current payment arrangements would remain in place, emphasizing a commitment to treating Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) with dignity and respect. "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 said.
Mather did not directly address confidence in the leadership of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the government body that had proposed the changes. He indicated that when frontline concerns are raised at a significant scale and the evidence base is insufficient, it is appropriate to pause and re-engage.
Currently, CROs can claim approximately £11 per hour for attending incidents, training, and other operational duties. The proposed change followed a court ruling that classified volunteers as workers, entitling them to employment rights. The government's initial plan to cut pay and move to an expenses-only model had sparked considerable anger, with some senior volunteers resigning and warnings that a quarter or more might quit or reduce their hours.
The Coastguard service relies heavily on approximately 3,500 volunteers who cover 11,000 miles of the British coastline. A significant reduction in volunteers could have jeopardized the response to hundreds of incidents, potentially endangering lives.
Members of Parliament from various parties welcomed the government's U-turn. Tory MP Joe Robertson described it as a "major win for coastal communities" and a sensible decision by the minister to block the "brutal decision against its own brave frontline workers." Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael called it "a major win for coastguard volunteers," adding that the abandoned plans "would have put public safety at risk up and down the country and particularly in island communities."
The GMB trade union also celebrated the outcome, with national officer Nicola Savage stating it was a "richly deserved win for GMB’s coastguards, who took their campaign across the UK and into the corridors of power."