Independent lifeboats in Britain and Ireland

Independent lifeboats in Britain and Ireland is a list of lifeboat services which are not part of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), (Est. 1854), or its predecessor, the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) (Est. 1824), even though the RNLI is itself independent.

There are about 80 (the number can fluctuate - see the tables below) independent lifeboat services operating throughout Britain, Ireland and the Channel Islands, on coasts and inland waterways, comprising around a quarter of the lifeboat services in the UK and Ireland.

Because the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) owns and operates the majority of lifeboat stations (238 in 2025), smaller independent services can be overshadowed when it comes to publicity and fundraising.

Independent services are usually funded privately and most are registered charities; they are supported by amateur radio; most operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Some of the independent stations have achieved 'Declared Facility' (DF) status from HM Coastguard, or 'Declared Resource' from Irish Coast Guard, just as they would call on the RNLI.

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