The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has decided to stop paying coastguard rescue officers approximately £11 per hour for callouts, following a court ruling that classified them as workers entitled to benefits such as paid holiday. The move has sparked fears among seaside communities about the future of the service.
Local concerns over safety
Ray Wicks, a resident of Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex, expressed his concerns: "Where would we be without them? If the coastguard weren't in place, a lot of people would be in trouble." His neighbour serves as a coastguard volunteer. Wicks noted that the town is "heaving with people in the summer," many unaware of local beach dangers, and questioned what would happen if a vital emergency service was weakened.
Florist Bethany Coley said: "The coastguard is super important – especially with the weather getting hotter. They deserve to be paid because they do a job; we wouldn't be saying this about paramedics." Nikita Allcorn added: "I probably hear them going past mine at least 10 times a week – more so than the police. In a coastal town, they are just as important as the police."
Coastguard officer speaks out
Dr Kelly Stockdale, a coastguard rescue officer based on Scotland's east coast, has coordinated the national response to the MCA's plan. She said: "We do this job because we care about the communities we live in… there are real concerns about the future of the service long term and what that would mean for these communities." She urged the MCA to suspend its plans to stop remuneration in August and engage in talks.
Stockdale stressed that removing the £11 hourly pay would hinder workforce diversity, as many cannot afford to take large amounts of unpaid time off. She cited a search for a distressed woman who might prefer female officers, noting diversity is crucial for such emergencies. She also highlighted family pressures: "How would I answer to my teenagers when I just drop everything? The pay would buy you an ice-cream each to say 'sorry I missed you.'"
Legal background and MCA response
In January, Court of Appeal judge Lord Justice Bean upheld a ruling that coastguard rescue officers were workers, not purely volunteers, entitling them to minimum wage and other benefits. The case was brought by former officer Martin Groom and the GMB union. Instead of respecting worker status, the MCA opted to scrap pay. An MCA spokesperson said: "We deeply value and recognise the significant service coastguard rescue officers provide… The coastguard rescue service will continue to maintain a robust, effective search and rescue response."
Groom called the decision "political," stating: "I really believe it is purely on a basis of not wanting to give workers' rights." Some suggest the government could legislate to allow remuneration for emergency volunteers while preserving volunteer status. Coastguard rescue officers, with GMB support, will meet MPs in Westminster on 1 July.
