most air ambulances as well as the rnli arent really that keen on govt funding. when you let the government fund you, then you need to let them tell you how you spend their cash. as the current round of austerity begins to bite, i bet there are more than a few folk glad that they arent reliant on handouts from westminster. can you imagine them cutting the air ambulance in london when they could slash funding in wales or scotland, the rnli always refused funding from the govt because they didnt want to be controlled and at the whim of party politics, keep control of your money and you keep control of your organisation. and as charitys, they still have financial advantages that come from various tax reliefs but without having to bow and scrape for it.