How to avoid paying import tax?

[gossi the dog]

Customs duty and then VAT on the cost of the item plus duty.

[superstarbeejay]

I work in Business Fraud Investigation, on the Customs (which is taxes) side. Import duty is more concerned with Excise (trade entering and leaving the country), which is where the guys are stationed at ferry ports etc.

It was around ?50 several years ago. Obviously I don't keep abreast of the varying thresholds anymore, as it's not really in my field. Please excuse me for that. I'm well aware off the top of my head that it's Public Notice 702 though, so do check that out if you wanna know more.

Haha! And finally, why on earth would I lie about working for HMCE??? It's hardly the best chatup line or icebreaker at a party is it!!!! lol

Fair play for the reply but if I claimed I worked for the traffic police, which i don't, and then claimed that the national speed limit was 100 mph, don't you think people would question my authenticity?

[Rhys]

Fair play for the reply but if I claimed I worked for the traffic police, which i don't, and then claimed that the national speed limit was 100 mph, don't you think people would question my authenticity?

Haha! I think there's a bit of a difference in scale there... but a valid point anyway mate! Nice one!

P.S. I will now hold you responsible as having informed me when I next get stopped! lol

[Salsa Party Animal]

Can you ask Gordon Brown to raise the limit for import from 18 pounds to 100 pounds

[gossi the dog]

Fat Gordon won't do that!

TBH I'd be more than prepared to pay VAT on everything I import from outside the EU. It's the ridiculous handling charge that annoys me.

[buster_broon]

Fat Gordon won't do that!

TBH I'd be more than prepared to pay VAT on everything I import from outside the EU. It's the ridiculous handling charge that annoys me.

tbh i totally agree

?4 for royal mail

and normally around the ?12 mark for every other company/courier

[Lyris]

Fat Gordon won't do that!

TBH I'd be more than prepared to pay VAT on everything I import from outside the EU. It's the ridiculous handling charge that annoys me.

Likewise, I can stomach the tax but the charges in total are much too high.

[Mayhem]

Handling charge is one thing; paying VAT on the cost of shipping (essentially a service you've paid for in a foreign country) is what really takes the piss! Any idea why they do that Rhys?

[Salsa Party Animal]

Because they want to make money from you for paying the bill

[Rhys]

Handling charge is one thing; paying VAT on the cost of shipping (essentially a service you've paid for in a foreign country) is what really takes the piss! Any idea why they do that Rhys?

Good question mate. Customs isn't directly in control of who charges you VAT. It is the VAT registered business themselves that will charge you or not. If they are VAT registered, which 99% are, then they will charge you VAT on all transactions as a matter of course. Simple as that.

The only reason that apparent overseas company would charge you VAT, is either because they have premises based in the UK, or that they are infact originally run from the UK by a parent company, and are supplying services from abroad which are coordinated from UK shores.

By the way, Royal Mail postal services are exempt of VAT. Any other courier must charge VAT though, as they are supplying taxable delivery services.

TBH I'd be more than prepared to pay VAT on everything I import from outside the EU. It's the ridiculous handling charge that annoys me.

Umm, just to clarify this situation... VAT is charged within the UK on transactions from VAT registered business to private individuals (and businesses.)

It is Import Duty which is charged when goods over ?18 are brought into the country from outside the EC. That is not charged by the overseas companies directly, but should be declared by the customer as they are classed as an importer. But hey, as far as the man in the street is concerned, it's all tax. At the end of the day, the idea is that the acquisition of taxable goods to be used or 'enjoyed' in this country, incurr either VAT, import duty or both.

You may find that you won't always get a parcel from abroad stopped on entry into the UK, but sooner or later you probably will. Just one of those things

[DjSatansfury]

Doesnt the "?18" include Shipping as well though? Which i think was the previous (previous) posters point?

[Mayhem]

I get charged VAT on the shipping on ANYTHING that I get sent from overseas outside the EU regardless of the origin: private individual, PlayAsia, Play etc. How can private individuals living in say the US have anything to do with VAT? Answer, they don't. They're not registered. Whoever it is here in the UK are the ones having a laugh...

[Rhys]

Only a UK VAT registered company can charged VAT. Simple as that.

If you suspect that any overseas companies are incorrectly charging VAT to you, then by all means PM me with details. I will take it further and let you know the outcome.

But you are right, a US company has nothing to do with UK VAT.