Coastguards from across the UK gathered in Westminster on Wednesday to demand the reinstatement of emergency call-out payments, warning that morale is set to hit "rock-bottom" and response rates could plummet by as much as 90% if the cuts go ahead as planned in September.
Call-Out Payment Cuts Spark Protest
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is expected to remove the £11 per hour call-out payment for Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) from September, following a Court of Appeal ruling that classified their time on duty as "working" rather than voluntary. The change would effectively move CROs to a purely volunteer model, ending the modest remuneration they currently receive for time taken out of their main employment to carry out life-saving missions.
Ian Bugler, 52, a coastguard in Dorset whose family has served in the same team for nearly 150 years, told The Mirror: "I'm here to support the campaign for all the coastguards. I've been in the service for nearly 35 years and my family has been involved in the same team for nearly 150 years. I'm the fourth generation." He added: "The MCA has decided the coastguard rescue officers will be moved over to a volunteer model from September. Currently we get paid a little bit of remuneration for the hours we put in… it helps to offset the hours we put in. We take time out of our main employment to help people in need."
Impact on Response Rates and Morale
When asked about the potential impact of the cut, Bugler warned: "Morale will be rock-bottom. The response from coastguard rescue officers would probably drop by around 90%." Another coastguard, Dr Kelly Stockdale from Eyemouth, who met with MPs on Wednesday, expressed deep concern: "What we're really worried about is the impact it will have on service. We all live in coastal communities… we serve those communities, we're really worried that people will leave. We're really worried that the people who will leave have the skills that we need. We all work as a team. We rely on each other - even one loss has a huge impact on us."
Union Calls for Pause and Consultation
Nicola Savage, GMB National Officer, said: "Coastguards across the UK risk their own lives to keep us safe. The very least they should expect is paying for their time and expenses." She added: "CROs are a statutory emergency service - just like fire fighters or police officers. We wouldn't accept them not being paid and we shouldn't expect it for coastguards. GMB urges the MCA to pause, consult and listen to their concerns."
The coastguards are calling on the MCA to halt its plans and engage in proper consultation with members, amid fears that the pay cut could weaken the service and leave coastal communities vulnerable. The protest comes as part of a wider campaign by The Mirror to improve water safety, following a spate of drownings. The newspaper launched its 'Save Lives for Sam' campaign earlier this year, urging the government to take urgent action to prevent the deaths of 33 children—the size of a school class—in open water nationwide every year. In June, Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed the campaign, describing recent water-related deaths as "deeply concerning" and saying it was "hard to imagine" how parents must feel after losing their children in water tragedies during the recent heatwave.
