Travellers' allowances - 'Know before you go'

With the summer holiday season in full swing, small business owners, like everyone else, can hope for a few weeks away from the pressures of work, but that doesn't mean that they leave the long arm of HM Revenue & Customs behind.

HMRC is urging travellers to "know before you go" what the limits are for cigarettes, alcohol, tobacco and other goods brought back from abroad.

HMRC is also reminding travellers that some goods freely available in other countries are barred from entry into the UK.

Travellers should remember that:

• Any alcohol and tobacco goods, and all goods obtained from non-EU countries, brought into the UK by individual travellers must be for their own use only. If HMRC officers can demonstrate any intent to resell or any other commercial use, then those goods can be confiscated (as may any vehicle used to transport them);
  
• a wide range of restricted and prohibited goods are not allowed entry into the UK. The rules cover the obvious such as guns and drugs, but there are also rules governing the import of meat and other animal products, foodstuffs, seeds, plants and products made from rare or endangered species. Martial arts weapons, flick knives, pepper sprays and stun guns are also legally available in many foreign countries but are illegal in the UK.

Kevin Franklin, Director, HMRC Frontiers said: "As well as finding people with excess cigarettes or alcohol, every year we confiscate ivory, snakeskin and crocodile belts and bags, weapons, counterfeit designer goods, and meat and dairy produce.

"The people carrying these goods are often not determined smugglers - they are just completely unaware of the rules, only recently a traveller arrived at Newcastle Airport with a whole pig's head and trotters in his baggage!"

HMRC's advice to all travellers is:

1. Know before you go!

HMRC publishes guidance on travellers' allowances for all destinations on its website, or you can call the Customs National Advice Service on 0845 010 9000.

2. If in doubt, leave it out!

Some types of foodstuffs, plants, seeds and a range of other items are restricted or prohibited from entry into the UK. The best course of action is not to buy anything you are unsure of.

3. Use the 'Red Channel' or 'Red Point' phone

On your return to the UK, always use the goods to declare 'Red Channel' or 'Red Point' phone if you know you have excess goods, or are unsure about anything you have purchased abroad. You will have to pay any outstanding duty, but you avoid the risk of a penalty.

Details

Details of travellers' allowances

Non-EU Countries

Travellers returning from non-EU countries can bring back the following amounts without having to pay UK tax or duty.

• 200 cigarettes; or 100 cigarillos; or 50 cigars; or 250g of tobacco
  
• 60cc of perfume
  
• two litres of still table wine
  
• 250cc of eau de toilette
  
• one litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22 per cent volume; or 2 litres of fortified wine (such as port or sherry), sparkling wine or other liqueurs, and
  
• £145 worth of all other goods including gifts and souvenirs.

EU Countries

There is no limit on the amount of alcohol or tobacco products you may bring back from most EU countries for your own use. However, Customs officers are more likely to query their own use aspect when travellers bring back more than: 3200 cigarettes, 200 cigars, 400 cigarillos, 3kg tobacco, 110 litres of beer, 90 litres of wine, 10 litres of spirits or 20 litres of fortified wine (such as port or sherry).

There are limits on tobacco imports from some new EU member countries:

From the Czech Republic - 200 cigarettes or 250g of smoking tobacco or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos

From Estonia - 200 cigarettes or 250g of smoking tobacco

From Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia or Slovenia - 200 cigarettes

No limit on other tobacco products as long as they are for the traveller's own use.