Customs charges

KxMx

donnac2558 wrote: »

Yes, it does include the postage. Many do get caught out by this, the £15 includes postage costs.

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

Postage is only added to the calculation if the £15 threshold has been met.

As per your link:
VAT is added to goods over the value of £15
That VAT calculation includes the postage cost.
Thus, anything under £15 value is not liable for VAT.

molerat

$20 = £15.61 using the May HMRC rate so you were rightly charged according to the declaration by the sender.

If you wish to appeal it https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users#your-rights-and-obligations
see 3.6

Haffiana

Items under £15 do not have postage added.

Tealblue

Haffiana wrote: »

Items under £15 do not have postage added.

They do, or a lot of people would be selling goods for a few pounds and have postage costing hundreds! From gov.uk website:

You’ll be charged Customs Duty on gifts and other goods sent from outside the EU if they’re above a certain value.

The value includes:

the price paid for the goods
postage, packaging and insurance

shaun_from_Africa

Tealblue wrote: »

They do, or a lot of people would be selling goods for a few pounds and have postage costing hundreds! From gov.uk website:

You’ll be charged Customs Duty on gifts and other goods sent from outside the EU if they’re above a certain value.

The value includes:

the price paid for the goods
postage, packaging and insurance

If someone sold goods for a few £s and increased postage to cover it, HMRC would class this as tax evasion and charge on their estimated price.
If goods cost less than £15, the postage is not taken into account.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-trade-tariff-relief-from-customs-and-excise-duties-and-vat/uk-trade-tariff-relief-from-customs-and-excise-duties-and-vat

Consignments of negligible value

Regulation EEC 1186/2009 articles 23 and 28 and the Value Added Tax (Imported Goods) Relief Order 1984.

Notice 143.

Free of import duty and VAT, provided that certain conditions are met, and each consignment has an intrinsic value of £15 or less.

And the HMRC definition of "intrinsic value"
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users

Intrinsic value Means the price paid or payable for the goods excluding postage and packing and insurance costs.