Guidance

Parcel delivery services and preparing for Brexit

Your business may need to make changes before the UK leaves the EU.

This guidance was withdrawn on

This page is out of date. It told you how to prepare for a no-deal Brexit.

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Visit Get ready for Brexit to find more detailed guidance on policy changes relevant to your sector.

Importing

Paying import VAT on parcels you sell to UK buyers

If the UK leaves the EU with no deal, sellers outside the UK (including within the EU) must pay the import VAT for any parcels worth £135 or less, sent to UK buyers after Brexit.

This will include parcels worth £15 or less as the existing Low Value Consignment Relief (LVCR) will no longer apply.

The import VAT can be paid by either:

  • using the online service to report and pay the import VAT due to HMRC
  • paying a parcel operator that offers a service to pay import VAT to HMRC

Read the guidance on import VAT on parcels.

Further information is provided in HMRC’s guidance on VAT for businesses if there’s no Brexit deal.

Preparing to move goods between Ireland and Northern Ireland

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, goods moving between Ireland and Northern Ireland will face different procedures compared to other UK-EU trade. This approach will apply until longer-term arrangements are made.

Read the guidance on customs procedures and VAT for goods moving between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Regulations and standards

Driving in the EU

UK hauliers can continue to use their EU Community Licence until 31 December 2019. You will not need any extra permits to transport goods in EU countries until 1 January 2020.

You will be allowed to:

  • journey to and from the UK, for example, a journey from the UK to Germany, or a journey from Italy to the UK
  • drive through EU countries to reach another EU country, for example, driving through France to reach Spain
  • do limited cabotage or cross-trade journeys – the rules on what you can do will change from the day the UK leaves the EU

Read the guidance on carrying out international road haulage after Brexit.

Your employees

Employing EU, EEA and Swiss citizens

Right to work checks

You should continue to carry out the same right to work checks on all EU/EEA and Swiss citizens, by using their passport or national identity card, until January 2021.

You will not need to distinguish between EU/EEA and Swiss citizens who were resident in the UK before or after the UK leaves the EU.

Find out how to check an applicant’s right to work and read the guidance on employing EU, EEA and Swiss citizens after Brexit.

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens living in the UK before the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens who are resident in the UK before the UK leaves the EU will be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to get settled or pre-settled status. This will mean they can continue to live, work and study in the UK.

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens must apply by 31 December 2020 if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

You can use the EU Settlement Scheme guidance for employers to give further information to your employees.

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens who arrive in the UK after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, EU, EEA and Swiss citizens arriving in the UK from Exit Day to 31 December 2020 can continue to come to the UK, to live, work and study without applying for a visa in advance.

After free movement ends, if they want to stay for longer than 3 months, they can read the guidance on staying in the UK to find out what they’ll need to do.

Irish citizens can continue to live, work and study in the UK, just as before.

From 1 January 2021, a new skills-based immigration system will launch.

For non-EU nationals, Brexit will not affect the application process for work visas.

Business travel

Check the guidance for travellers visiting the EU to find out what you need to do when going abroad for work.

Trade associations

Mail Competition Forum
Association of International Courier & Express Services (AICES)
Mail Carriers Association

Updates to this page

Published 27 February 2019

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