The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has published Guidance: MIN 734 (M+F) Amendment 2, a notice dated 25 September 2026 that draws attention to the charity and welfare support available to seafarers, fishers, retired seafarers, cadets and their families across the United Kingdom.
The notice, issued by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, is presented as an amendment to the existing MIN 734 series and is described in the publication title as Amendment 2; it highlights the network of charitable and welfare services intended to support people working at sea and those connected to them. The guidance does not, in itself, create new statutory duties but serves as a signpost to existing welfare provision and support mechanisms for the maritime community.
The beneficiaries listed in the notice are explicitly broad: serving seafarers, commercial and small-scale fishers, those who have left the industry, cadets in training and household members who rely on maritime incomes. By grouping these categories together the notice signals an inclusive approach to welfare that covers active service, retirement, apprenticeship and family support without specifying particular providers in the text supplied to this report.
Scope and purpose
The published item functions primarily as a reference document that collates and draws attention to sources of help rather than setting out policy changes or regulatory measures, according to its descriptive heading. Readers are directed to the guidance as a practical route to identify welfare options available within the UK for people and families affected by occupational, health or financial issues associated with maritime employment.
Who it is for and how it may be used
The notice is intended for a wide readership within the maritime sector including seafarers, fishers, cadets, employers, welfare officers and family members, as well as maritime welfare organisations and advisors who assist those groups. It can be used by practitioners to locate relevant charitable support and by individuals seeking assistance, though the guidance itself will contain the detail needed to make specific contact or to confirm eligibility for particular services.
Publication of Amendment 2 reiterates the continued presence of charitable and non‑statutory welfare provision in the sector and acknowledges the role of such support for the wellbeing of maritime communities. The MCA’s notice therefore operates as a centralising reference intended to improve awareness of available services among those who might need them and among professionals who advise them.
For seafarers, fishers and their families the practical value of the guidance lies in its consolidation of signposts; for employers and welfare officers it offers a single reference point when directing crew, trainees or ex‑service personnel to assistance. The text supplied for this article does not list individual charities or operational contact details, so users seeking names or procedures will need to consult the full guidance published by the MCA for the precise information and contact routes.
The appearance of Amendment 2 on 25 September 2026 is a reminder that welfare provision remains a living part of maritime governance and community support in the United Kingdom, and that periodic updates to guidance are used to keep references current. Those who require the specifics named in the notice should consult the MCA publication directly to establish which organisations and services are signposted and how to access them.
Agencies, employers and representative bodies in the sector are likely to continue using the MCA’s consolidated guidance as a baseline reference when advising personnel and families on welfare options, and the notice underlines the continued interdependence of statutory bodies and charitable providers in supporting the maritime workforce.