Coastguard pay cut plans dropped after volunteers threatened to quit
Plans to stop paying coastguard rescue officers for their time on call-outs and training have been dropped, after some threatened to quit over the move.
Transport minister Keir Mather told parliament on Thursday that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s plan to end hourly pay for attending incidents and training exercises would not go ahead.
He said he had listened to the views of coastguard rescue officers before reaching the decision.
Flint Coastguard Rescue Team, which covers the Dee Estuary, was one of a number of stations across Wales affected by the proposed changes.
More than 350 coastguards across Wales responded to a survey which found 37 per cent would be forced to reduce their hours or stop volunteering if the pay cuts went ahead.
The survey was carried out by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and its results were leaked to the GMB union.
Coastguard rescue officers have received around £11 an hour for attending callouts and training exercises, with a minimum payment equivalent to three hours, around £33, even if an incident was resolved quickly.
The MCA had moved to remove those payments after the Court of Appeal upheld a ruling in January 2026 classifying coastguard rescue officers as workers, rather than volunteers, for duties they could claim pay for.
The case was brought by former coastguard rescue officer Martin Groom, who challenged the MCA at an employment tribunal in 2022.
That tribunal initially found in favour of the MCA, but an employment appeal tribunal overturned the decision in 2024, a ruling later upheld by the Court of Appeal.
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 Coastguard Rescue Officers provide along our coastline, and we will be supporting them during this transition.”
The MCA said volunteers would still be able to claim some compensation for certain activities, and would continue to receive training, equipment, operational support, uniforms and personal protective equipment.
Nicola Savage, GMB National Officer, said:
“It was a scandal that these brave, life-saving workers would have their pay cut. But ministers have listened and done the right thing.”
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