UK duty-free allowances 2024. When traveling to UK, you are allowed to bring in a certain amount of tobacco or alcohol, for your personal use or to give away as gifts, without paying UK duty or taxes. However, you need to be aware that, after Brexit, the regulations governing the limits on how much tobacco or alcohol you can bring to the UK for personal use have undergone significant changes. Here we’ll provide you with the most up-to-date information on UK duty-free allowances for 2024. CZYTAJ PO POLSKU: Ile alkoholu i tytoniu można wwieźć do Wielkiej Brytanii po Brexicie
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UK duty-free allowances 2023
How much tobacco can I bring to the UK after Brexit?
If you’re travelling to Great Britain (England, Wales or Scotland) from outside the UK, you can bring in one of the following without paying tax or duty :
- 200 cigarettes
- 100 cigarillos
- 50 cigars
- 250g tobacco * (including shisha tobacco)
- 200 sticks of tobacco for electronic heated tobacco devices
(Tobacco products include herbal smoking products. The allowance on cigarettes includes all types of cigarettes – normal, herbal or a combination of both.)
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You can split this allowance, so, for example, you could bring in 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars (both half of your allowance), provided that you do not exceed your total tobacco allowance. If you bring in goods over your allowance, you must pay UK taxes on all of the goods in that category, not just those above the allowance. (For the duty-free allowances when travelling to Northern Ireland, see below).
How much alcohol can I bring to the UK after Brexit?
How much alcohol you can bring to the UK for what is considered 'personal use’ depends on the type of alcohol. Under the 2023 UK duty-free allowance rules, if you are arriving in (Great Britain (England, Wales or Scotland) from abroad,
You can bring in BOTH:
- beer – 42 litres AND
- wine (still) – 18 litres
Additionally, you can also bring in EITHER:
- spirits and other liquors over 22% alcohol – 4 litres OR
- sparkling wine, fortified wine (for example port, sherry) and other alcoholic drinks up to 22% alcohol (not including beer or still wine) – 9 litres
You can split this last allowance, so, for example, you could bring in 14.5 litres of fortified wine and 2 litres of spirits (both half of your allowance), provided you do not exceed your total alcohol allowance. (For the duty-free allowances when travelling to Northern Ireland, see below).
If you go over your alcohol allowances you must declare all your goods and pay tax and duty on all the goods in that category.
Be aware that you cannot combine your alcohol and tobacco allowances. For example: you cannot bring more alcohol back if you do not bring any tobacco.
How to declare alcohol or tobacco over the allowed limits to UK Customs
Transporting larger quantities of alcohol or cigarettes is possible only after reporting it to UK Customs and paying excise duty: violations of the rules are subject to severe penalties.
If you exceed the total amount of the alcohol or tobacco allowances you must declare your goods:
- online before you travel or
- at the border when you arrive.
Your goods could be seized if you do not declare them.
You can declare your goods online up to 5 days (120 hours) before your scheduled arrival in the UK. When declaring your goods, you can also calculate and pay any taxes and duties you owe. The customs and excise duties paid online are calculated using simplified rates.
Alternatively, you declare the goods to UK Customs upon arrival at a UK port or airport, by using the „Red Channel” to officially declare any quantities of alcohol or tobacco that exceed the personal use limits. You will be asked to pay the relevant tax or duty, but you will not be able to take advantage of any simplified rates.
Tobacco and alcohol UK duty-free allowances if you’re under 17
Alcohol and tobacco allowances are only available to those aged 17 and over. This means if you are under 17 you can bring alcohol and tobacco to the UK for your own use but you must declare them before you arrive in the UK.
UK Duty-free allowances: arriving in Northern Ireland
The rules on alcohol and tobacco allowances when arriving in Northern Ireland depend on whether you’re travelling from the European Union (EU) or another country.
If you’re travelling to Northern Ireland from an EU country, the rules are the same as before Brexit: you do not need to declare or pay tax or duty on any goods as long as you transport them yourself for your own personal use or to give away as a gift, and as long as you have already paid duty in the country where you bought them.
Although there are no limits to the alcohol and tobacco you can bring in from EU countries, you’re more likely to be asked questions if you have more than the following amounts:
- 800 pieces of cigarettes
- 200 pieces of cigars
- 400 pieces of cigarillos
- 400 e-cigarette cartridges
- 1 kg of tobacco
- 800 sticks of tobacco for electronic heated tobacco devices
- 110 litres of Beer
- 90 litres of Wine
- 10 litres of Spirits
- 20 litres of Fortified wine (for example sherry, port)
If you’re traveling to Northern Ireland from outside the EU, the same rules for Great Britain apply.
Sources: Gov.uk, UK Border Force