Our parents and grandparents might have just hopped on the ferry to England, taken a friend’s recommendation for a boarding house and started looking for work. We live in a very different world now. Brexit has changed the process for importing personal effects to the UK. To avoid customs duty on personal belongings, you need to file an application for Transfer of Residence Relief with HM Revenue and Customs when you are shipping personal effects to the UK.
The privileges of the Common Travel Area only apply to Irish and British citizens. Others moving from Ireland to the UK need to investigate their options for gaining residency there, even if they are family members of an Irish or British citizen. The Common Travel Area arrangement covers the right to live, work and study there; it does not affect import tax or customs.
UK Customs Relief for Personal Belongings
You can find the Transfer of Residence Relief form, instructions and contact information for the helpline on the UK government website. This is a task to put towards the top of your moving checklist. First, it helps to understand a few key points about bringing personal effects to the UK after Brexit.
· The Transfer of Residence Relief application must be filed and approved before you ship your belongings.
· Write out a comprehensive list of exactly what you are shipping. You must specify the large and/or valuable items, such as a television or refrigerator, but don’t need to detail each individual article of clothing, DVD or book. You will need to photograph your belongings and submit JPEGs or PDFs with your application.
· Your application needs to include an address where you will reside in the UK and proof such as a rental or mortgage agreement or a hotel booking.
The UK Transfer of Residence Relief application includes more than that. Leave yourself adequate time for this very detailed step of the process to move to the UK. (This process doesn’t apply if you are moving to Northern Ireland.)
Your Options for Shipping Personal Effects to the UK
When you are getting quotes from personal effects shipping companies, it is vital to make sure you are comparing quotes for the same thing. Ask for quotes for both air and sea freight. Find out if the price includes collecting your items from your home or if you would have to get them to the shipping company. Spratt Personal Shipping offers a door to door service, saving you the hassle of transporting your shipment.
When you want to make your move to the UK as easy as possible, contact us for details about our door to door shipping service. We know moving abroad isn’t simple, even if it is just our nearest neighbour. But we’re here to make it as easy as possible, so why not call us today?
