Customs yes, paperwork no
The UK is outside the EU, so a declaration is mandatory for every parcel. You enter all data online at booking - postal forms CN22 and CN23 are not needed for courier delivery.
After Brexit every parcel to the UK goes through customs, but for the sender that means two extra fields in a form, not a round of office visits: declaration data is entered at booking, the commercial invoice is prepared by YouSend, and the entry into the country is filed by the carrier. Gifts under 39 GBP are free of charges.
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After Brexit every parcel to the UK goes through customs, but for the sender that means two extra fields in a form, not a round of office visits: declaration data is entered at booking, the commercial invoice is prepared by YouSend, and the entry into the country is filed by the carrier. Gifts under 39 GBP are free of charges.
Four facts that define shipping a parcel to the UK in 2026.
The UK is outside the EU, so a declaration is mandatory for every parcel. You enter all data online at booking - postal forms CN22 and CN23 are not needed for courier delivery.
A gift from one private person to another worth up to 39 GBP is charged neither import VAT nor duty. The key is to mark the shipment honestly as a gift and state the real value.
Parcels worth up to 135 GBP are not charged customs duty. Above the threshold the recipient may be billed import VAT and duty - the carrier sends the invoice before delivery.
If you sell goods up to 135 GBP to UK buyers, British VAT is collected at the point of sale under HMRC rules - the seller must be registered for UK VAT. Personal shipments do not require this.
What the recipient pays depends on the value of the contents and on whether it is a gift or goods.
A gift between private persons worth up to 39 GBP passes without import VAT and without duty. A gift means a one-off shipment for an occasion such as a birthday or a holiday, and not paid for by the recipient. Goods and commercial shipments do not qualify for this relief.
Customs duty is not charged on parcels worth up to 135 GBP. VAT depends on the scenario: for a gift of 39-135 GBP import VAT may be billed to the recipient, while for goods sold to a buyer British VAT is collected by the seller at checkout - then nothing extra is due at the border.
For parcels worth more than 135 GBP the recipient is billed import VAT - the standard rate is 20% - and duty, whose rate depends on the commodity code. The carrier sends the recipient an invoice, usually online, and delivers the parcel after payment.
Thresholds are based on the value of the contents you state in the declaration. Understating it is not worth the risk: customs can set its own value on the goods, and a mismatch ends in delays and reassessment.
The declaration is built from the normal order form - there is no separate customs step for the sender.
In the order form describe the contents item by item in English: what it is, what it costs, how many pieces. For a gift, mark it in the shipment purpose.
The system builds a commercial invoice from your data and passes it to the carrier - FedEx receives the documents electronically, and UPS receives them together with the label. CN22 and CN23 are not needed: those are postal channel forms.
A UPS or FedEx courier comes to your address - home, office or warehouse. You print the label from your account and stick it on the box.
The carrier handles customs processing in the UK. If VAT or duty is due on the value, the recipient receives an invoice - after payment the parcel is delivered. Customs statuses are visible via the tracking number.
All customs data is entered in the normal order form. Check it before shipping - accuracy determines how fast the parcel crosses the border.
The commercial invoice is generated from this data automatically. A private sender does not need an EORI - only a business recipient needs one for the import.
Since Brexit the UK has tightly restricted imports of products of animal origin, even in personal parcels. Check the list before packing.
UPS and FedEx express rates deliver in 1-3 business days from pick-up, FedEx economy rates in 4-6 business days. Customs processing usually fits within these times when the declaration data is complete.
For a gift under 39 GBP - nothing. For a gift worth 39 to 135 GBP the recipient may be billed import VAT, above 135 GBP - VAT and duty. The shipment must be honestly marked as a gift and go from one private person to another.
For goods up to 135 GBP British rules require collecting UK VAT at the point of sale - the seller registers with HMRC for that. The buyer then pays nothing extra at the border. Above 135 GBP taxes are charged on import. How to handle your tax obligations is a question for HMRC or a tax adviser; the delivery and the declaration are on us.
No. CN22 and CN23 are postal channel forms. UPS and FedEx courier shipments travel with a commercial invoice, which YouSend builds from your order data and passes to the carrier.
Private senders and recipients - no. An EORI or UK VAT number is only needed by a business recipient: add it to the order so the import clears for the company without delays.
Assessed charges are billed by the carrier to the recipient - usually a link to online payment before delivery. Once paid, the parcel moves on. Warn the recipient that such an invoice may arrive if the value of the contents is above the thresholds.
Customs may question the figure and set its own value on the goods: the parcel is held, charges are reassessed, and in the worst case the contents are seized. An honest value is the fastest way across the border.
You pack the parcel, describe the contents and give us the recipient details. We build the commercial invoice, pass it to the carrier and arrange courier pick-up at your address. The UK import is filed by the carrier, and the whole journey is visible via the tracking number.
Price UPS and FedEx delivery with up to 65% off: the declaration is built from the order form and the customs entry is filed by the carrier.
Price delivery to the UKStill have questions? Message a manager — we will help you choose the right option.
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