Volunteers and the Law

by Denise Hayward, CEO, Volunteer Now

In Maritime and Coastguard Agency v Groom (2026), the Court of Appeal have upheld the Employment Appeal Tribunal’s decision that the employment status of a Volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officer would be that of a worker. This is based on payments received while undertaking that role during the call out period.

This case further underlines the need for clear practice around recognising the role volunteers play without conflating them with paid staff roles. Volunteers add value to the work of organisations in many vital ways, and they take part simply becuase they care about an issue or the beneficiaries of a service. It also underlines the need to recognise the important role volunteers play in way which do not cross the line into paid work.

For more details about similar cases, see the Volunteers and the Law Information Sheet.