Richard_C
Established Member
No chance of travel at the moment, but in the past I have picked up the odd tool or bit of kit when I've been driving through France or similar. Got a few necessary bits for my 2CV once when they were hard to find in the UK. Those of a certain age will remember customs limits, X litres of wine etc., N cigars and suchlike and duty on almost anything else. I remember buying an ice axe in Andorra and managing to convince a customs man who did an 'open boot please' check that it was for personal use and had been used - evidenced by the dents on the shaft - so he reluctantly didn't charge duty on it.
Anyway, those days are back:
www.gov.uk/guidance/bringing-goods-into-great-britain-from-outside-the-uk-from-1-january-2021
You can bring in other goods worth up to £390 (or up to £270 if you arrive by private plane or boat). If a single item’s worth more than your allowance you pay duty or tax on its full value, not just the value above the allowance.
If you go over your allowance then you will pay customs duty on the total value of your goods. The rate:
You will also have to pay VAT at the standard UK rates.
It's a per person limit, you can't join them up so if you buy a fancy tool for £500 you can't say "ah but my wife owns half of it....." and split it over 2 allowances.
I guess anything you buy online/mail order from specialist retailers will attract the whole vat fee+handling charge palaver now as well. No idea what will happen in Northern Ireland with its open border.
Gosh I'm looking forward to all of this, the forms look delightful.
Anyway, those days are back:
www.gov.uk/guidance/bringing-goods-into-great-britain-from-outside-the-uk-from-1-january-2021
You can bring in other goods worth up to £390 (or up to £270 if you arrive by private plane or boat). If a single item’s worth more than your allowance you pay duty or tax on its full value, not just the value above the allowance.
If you go over your allowance then you will pay customs duty on the total value of your goods. The rate:
- is 2.5% for goods worth up to £630
- depends on the type of goods if they’re worth more than £630
You will also have to pay VAT at the standard UK rates.
It's a per person limit, you can't join them up so if you buy a fancy tool for £500 you can't say "ah but my wife owns half of it....." and split it over 2 allowances.
I guess anything you buy online/mail order from specialist retailers will attract the whole vat fee+handling charge palaver now as well. No idea what will happen in Northern Ireland with its open border.
Gosh I'm looking forward to all of this, the forms look delightful.