Severn class lifeboat breaks through a wave

What we do

With your support, we save lives at sea.

24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the RNLI is ready to save lives. Powered by courage, determination and the support of generous people like you. 

Our volunteer lifeboat crews provide a 24-hour rescue service in the UK and Ireland and our seasonal lifeguards patrol busy beaches. RNLI crews and lifeguards have saved over 144,000 lives since 1824.

We're more than just a rescue service - we influence, supervise and educate people too. Our Community Safety teams explain the risks and share safety knowledge with anyone going out to sea or to the coast. And our international teams work with like-minded organisations to help tackle drowning in communities at risk all around the world.

B class inshore lifeboat cruising with four crew members onboard

The lifeboat service

Our volunteer lifeboat crews are ready to launch 24/7. With 238 lifeboat stations around the coasts of the UK and Ireland, the RNLI has created a ring of safety to help protect and save those in peril at sea. 

Crew members come from all walks of life, with only 1 in 10 having previous maritime experience. But they all share one thing in common - a selfless, dedicated, commitment to saving lives at sea. And, thanks to your support, the RNLI can provide them with the training, equipment and craft they need to be lifesavers.

389 Lives saved by lifeboat crews in 2022

117 lives saved by lifeguards in 2022

16,476 people helped by lifeboat crews in 2022

23,204 people aided by lifeguards in 2022

Aran Islands RNLI’s Severn class lifeboat, David Kirkaldy 17-06, powering through rough seas

What does it take to launch?

Right now, RNLI lifeboat crews are ready to rescue
RNLI/Nigel Millard
A  female and male RNLI lifeguard stand next to a Ford pick-up watching the surf

Lifeguard service

Every summer, RNLI lifeguards patrol over 240 beaches around the UK and Channel Islands, keeping many people safe. They share vital safety advice, give first aid to those who need it, and are ready to rescue anyone who gets into trouble in the water.

RNLI lifeguards watch over a busy beach

Safety advice from RNLI experts

Find out how you can keep you and your loved ones safe in and on the water with the latest advice
Faisal (11) and Jamal (18) fish on the floodwaters after a monsoon. Cox s Bazar. Bangladesh. One inch of water international project.

International

Anyone can drown. No one should. Across the globe, 227 children under the age of 15 drown every single day. One person drowns every two minutes. The RNLI won’t stand by while this happens. 

Working with international partners and communities, we help deliver safety advice, training and equipment to help protect those most at risk of drowning, as well as working to raise awareness of the global drowning problem. 

Men on shore prepare to haul the lifeboat Elizabeth and Albina Whitley onto a Yorkshire beach.

200 years of lifesaving

2024 sees the 200th anniversary of the RNLI. Find out how you can help us celebrate this special milestone.

Explore the RNLI's lifesaving work

B class inshore lifeboat cruising with four crew members onboard
Lifeboats and stations
RNLI lifeboat crews protect hundreds of communities around the UK and Ireland.
Our search and rescue service
A  female and male RNLI lifeguard stand next to a Ford pick-up watching the surf
Lifeguards and beaches

Discover what our lifeguards do, how they train, and find your nearest lifeguarded beach.

Lifeguards and beaches
Faisal (11) and Jamal (18) fish on the floodwaters after a monsoon. Cox s Bazar. Bangladesh. One inch of water international project.
International
We share our expertise to help communities most at risk of drowning overseas.
Our international work
The RNLI Flood Rescue Team during swift water rescue training
Flood rescue
The RNLI Flood Rescue Team respond to emergencies at home and abroad.
Flood rescue
Children taking part in Swim Safe with the RNLI and Amateur Swimming Association (ASA)
Safety
We help you to stay safe through our water safety advice and initiatives.
Our prevention work