Burnham-On-Sea Coastguards are among thousands of volunteer officers across the UK who may be impacted by changes that will see them no longer paid for attending emergencies, prompting warnings of possible reduced availability for call-outs around the country.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has informed its 3,500 volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) that from September they will no longer receive hourly remuneration for attending incidents, training sessions or operational duties.
The change follows a Court of Appeal ruling which found that volunteers receiving payments could legally be classed as workers rather than volunteers, something the service says it cannot support.
The announcement has caused frustration and concerns among teams nationwide, with some senior volunteers stepping down and others warning that the decision could lead to a significant drop in the number of trained responders available during emergencies.
One local Coastguard volunteer, who asked to remain anonymous, told us: “I’m shocked that a government-run service is now trying to make us like a charity. With all the jobs we do, all the time we give up, no sleep, out in all weathers, and meant to be the fourth emergency service to save lives — now it will change.”
“I won’t be able to just drop everything and go to a shout as it will impact my loss of earnings, which I can’t afford. We don’t do the job for the money, but what we do get just takes the sting out of the loss of earnings.”
Burnham’s Coastguard team responds to dozens of incidents each year along the Burnham-On-Sea, Brean and Berrow coasline as well as further afield, carrying out mud rescues, missing person searches and responding to water emergencies.
Volunteers say the loss of remuneration will make it harder for them to leave work at short notice, particularly during weekdays, and could place additional pressure on neighbouring teams.
Nationally, many CROs fear the decision could lead to an exodus of experienced volunteers, making recruitment more difficult and potentially increasing response times during life‑threatening incidents.
MCA announced its intention to move to a “revised volunteer model”. It said volunteers would still be able to claim some compensation for certain activities and would receive “training, equipment and operational support as well as uniforms and PPE”.
But the MCA added the changes would “maintain the choice and flexibility” which allowed volunteers to carry out duties alongside their main jobs.
An MCA spokesperson said: “This decision follows a legal judgment, which means we need to change how the service operates. This new model protects choice, flexibility and the ability for people to volunteer alongside their primary employment.”
“We deeply value and recognise the significant service CROs provide along our coastline, and we will be supporting them during this transition.”
They added: “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.”
