Independent lifeboat services in Britain and Ireland began to be established around the coasts towards the end of the 18th century in response to the loss of life at sea. More recently, independent services have been set up in response to the increasing popularity of coastal and river sport and leisure activities.
There are at least 84 (see tables below) and as many as 100[1] independent lifeboat services operating throughout Britain and Ireland, both 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 2018[2]), smaller independent services can be overshadowed when it comes to publicity and fundraising.[3][4]
Independent services are usually funded privately and most are registered charities; most operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Many currently-independent, RNLI-adopted and lapsed services pre-date the RNLI (founded 1824 as the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck).