New Duty Free Allowances

boro_red

I've been expecting to see an announcement about an increase. Hansard (Government paper) says there will be an increase in allowance regarding the amount of goods brought back into the UK eg. from £140 to £290 as of 1/12/08.....has anyone seen anything...

sturll

boro_red wrote: »

I've been expecting to see an announcement about an increase. Hansard (Government paper) says there will be an increase in allowance regarding the amount of goods brought back into the UK eg. from £140 to £290 as of 1/12/08.....has anyone seen anything...

Hansard is only a record of what has been said in Parliament, it doesnt mean it is what beckons us.

boro_red

Thanks for that...I know this has been in the pipeline for ages something to do with authorisation from the bods in Europe...better be careful when i come back from the US then....

sturll

boro_red wrote: »

Thanks for that...I know this has been in the pipeline for ages something to do with authorisation from the bods in Europe...better be careful when i come back from the US then....

Oh, if you'd have said you ewre returning from the US id have said what i normally do.... Dont worry about. 12 times in two years mate, never seen a single customs guy.

Just remember - go green

itsnever2lateisit?

Dont know about increases, but I was told by a French customs official on the Swiss border in October that the cigarette allowance would drop to 40 from 200 from 1/12/2008

jackieblack

Is this what you saw? I saw it too!

Extract from a debate earlier this year, Lord Davies of Oldham (Deputy Chief Whip (House of Lords), HM Household; Labour)

"My Lords, on 28 November 2006 European Union Finance Ministers agreed to raise the tax-free allowance for travellers entering the EU by air and sea to €430. This equates to about £290, which doubles the current allowance. However, the implementing EU directive was adopted only on 20 December 2007 and the earliest date that the increased allowance may be introduced is 1 December this year, 2008. The increase in the allowance will come into effect from that date."

jackieblack

Also, found this on thedibb forum:

I emailed HM Customs to enquire about the proposed increase in the duty free allowance, the reply I received today stated
"We have been advised that people travelling outside the EU will benefit from new and increased duty free allowances when they return to the UK after 01 December 2008.
In particular, the allowance for 'other goods' will rise from £145 to £300. Covering a range of items including souvenirs, electrical goods and also now perfume, this allowance will further increase to £340 on 1st January 2009."

jackieblack

Increases now confirmed - this from HMRC website -


From 1 December 2008, when travelling from a non-EU country (including the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar) you can bring the following into the UK for your own use without paying UK tax or duty:

• 200 cigarettes; or 100 cigarillos; or 50 cigars; or 250g of tobacco
• 4 litres of still table wine
• 16 litres of beer
• 1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22 per cent volume; or 2 litres of fortified wine (such as port or sherry), sparkling wine or other alcoholic beverages of less than 22 per cent volume and
• £300 worth of all other goods including perfume and souvenirs.

If you have any more than these allowances you must declare the goods in the red channel or use the red point phone. If you do not, you are breaking the law and we may prosecute you.
From 1 January 2009, the other goods allowance will increase again from £300 to £340. However, there will be no further increases to any of the other allowances.
Additionally, from 1 December you can combine some of your alcohol or tobacco allowances, and there is a lower other goods allowance for passengers travelling by private plane or boat for pleasure purposes.