From September, Coastguard Rescue Officers will no longer receive the £11-an-hour they earn during call-outs
05:00, 26 Jun 2026
Bill Wright, 67, described the decision as “disgusting”(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A decision to strip Coastguard volunteers of pay received when responding to emergencies has been slammed as “disgusting”. From September, Coastguard Rescue Officers will no longer receive the £11-an-hour compensation they receive for time spent on call-outs and training.
The move was announced just days after volunteers from Crosby Coastguard Station rescued 100 people in a single incident. The ECHO reported that HM Coastguard rescued the group, who were at risk of being cut off by the tide on a sandbank off the Crosby coast, on bank holiday Monday (May 25).
It was one of a number of callouts on that day alone, which included responding to a woman who had fallen and injured a hip, rescuing a woman from the mud, and assisting six teenagers caught in a rushing tide on the most dangerous part of the beach.
Days later, on June 1, the Marine and Coastguard Agency told the Coastguard Rescue Service that Coastguard Rescue Officers, many of whom are volunteers balancing their duties with full-time jobs, would no longer receive their £11-an-hour pay from September.
Speaking close to Crosby Coastguard Station on Thursday (June 25), Sandra Worsley, 62, of Netherton said: “They are an emergency service and we do need them. They are the lifeline for rescuing people out there. Why they’re not getting paid from September is beyond me. It’s a terrible thing to hear.
Sandra Worsley, 67(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“These are volunteers and I think it’s an incredible job that they do. With the number of incidents on the beach with all this mud, it’s invaluable for them to be here.”
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the decision was a consequence of a court ruling and “not something we wanted to do”.
Speaking on Crosby beach Bill Wright, 67, from Litherland, described the decision as “disgusting”. He said: “They are there to save lives. What if they weren’t there at all?
Bill Wright, 67(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“I think it’s ridiculous that the coastguards won’t be getting paid,” said Mr Wright, adding that £11 an hour is “a pittance in this day and age”.
Bill Coleman, 77, of Aughton, told the ECHO on Crosby beach: “The coastguards should be paid because they are an emergency service. The police, ambulance, and fire brigade get it. They should have a medal because they are doing an exceptional job. They’re risking their lives.”
An employment tribunal in 2024 and subsequent Court of Appeal decision in January ruled that Coastguard volunteers are workers, and that they are therefore entitled to benefits including paid holiday.
Bill Coleman, 77(Image: Liverpool Echo)
The GMB Union said Coastguard volunteers have always received compensation for their time, and described the Marine and Coastguard Agency’s decision as “reprehensible”.
The employment tribunal hearing was regarding a coastguard officer, Martin Groom, whose membership was terminated in a meeting where a trade union official was not allowed to be present.
Mr Groom claimed this was in breach of the Employment Relations Act 1999, but to rely on the act had to prove he was a worker and not a volunteer.
Lynsay Mackay, GMB Scotland, told the GMB Congress in Blackpool earlier this month: “When someone is lost, injured or in danger on our coastline, nobody asks whether the person coming to help is a volunteer or a worker.
HM Coastguard Search & Rescue on Crosby beach in 2024(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“They ask: is someone coming? For generations, Coastguard Rescue Officers have made sure the answer to that question is yes.
“If we want a strong, resilient Coastguard for the future, we must make sure that those who step forward are supported, not penalised. If you save lives, you deserve respect. If you carry out work, you deserve rights.”
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: “After careful consideration, we are moving the Coastguard Rescue Service to a revised volunteer model, to best protect the future of the service.
“This decision follows a legal judgment, which means we need to change how the service operates. This is not something we wanted to do but is a consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling.
“This new model protects choice, flexibility and the ability for people to volunteer alongside their primary employment.
HM Coastguard Search & Rescue at Crosby Beach in 2022(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“We deeply value and recognise the significant service Coastguard Rescue Officers provide along our coastline, and we will be supporting them during this transition.
“The Coastguard Rescue Service will continue to maintain a robust, effective search and rescue response, ensuring the highest quality of service and levels of safety.”