Hiya Peeps,
This post applies to people in the UK only!
As I have mentioned before the UK HM Revenue and Customs look out for incoming international packages worth over £18 and any package above this value could be taxed (not to say it will but you will be taking the risk)
HOWEVER as of the 1st of November they are lowering the threshold to £15 (around $23 at today's exchange rate)
Remember this does not include P&P I took this from the HM Revenue & Customs site:
With effect from 1 November 2011, the threshold over which
commercially imported goods are subject to import VAT will reduce from
£18 to £15. However please note this change does not affect any other
Customs thresholds or reliefs.
This means that from 1 November 2011, commercial consignments of £15 or less, excluding alcohol, tobacco products, perfume or toilet waters, will be free from customs duty and import VAT.
Commercial consignments with a value exceeding £15 imported on or after 1 November 2011 will be liable to import VAT.
If you want to read more in depth click here
This is bad news for us importers of everything American and Indie but it is what it is I wanted to give you fair warning so you can shop accordingly
Feel free to still play postal roulette :) as not all packages get picked up but don't say I didn't warn you lovely people
Hope this was of some help x
Thanks for the news... as usual government is after money... there's a surprise :(
ReplyDeleteGood to know! So far I've not been taxed on anything I've ordered so I don't even know what the drill is. Do they hold it at the post office or something if you get charged VAT?
ReplyDeleteBooo! :( It wouldn't be so bad if you actually only had to pay the tax but they alwasy stick on that ridiculously expensive £8 processing fee >:(
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up!
It is rubbish I know :|
ReplyDelete@Liza what happens normally is your package will dissapear for a very long time they once had my Fyrinnae package for almost 3 weeks (on top of normal shipping time) then you will get a white card (lot like the sorry we missed you package ones) which will state you owe them money. You can pay online or go to the post office and pay there.
As Lillian says the actual tax isn't that much however Royal Mail stick on a "handling" fee of £8 which is what makes your once cheap package twice the price