Keeping a modern fleet of lifeboats ever-ready to go to the rescue from 236 stations is an expensive business. Add to that crew training, running a lifeguard service on more than 180 popular beaches and campaigning for water safety, and the pounds start to add up.
It costs around £385,000 a day to run the RNLI, all of which is generously donated by the public. This might sound like a lot, but we think the 22 people rescued a day (on average) are worth it. Below is a breakdown of the costs of our rescue kit; for more detailed information see our annual report.