help with calculating import charges

[Crono]

sorry to brother with this again...
but i really cant understand how does it work out...

the camera is US $149.99
shipping is US $36.35

is the import tax calculate as the total including the P&P?
is it still 15% now?
'cos i heard there will be 6% for importing to EU then there will be another 6% to get into UK... so confusing...

thanks very much for your help

[Ian Grant]

If you get charged import duty into the UK it's added to the item values & also the postage costs, first VAT and then the duty, it's cumulative. VAT is 15% Import duty around 3% it can vary but cameras etc fall into that bracket.

A rough rule of thumb is expect 20% for total import duties, however I've only paid duty twice on smaller packages out of about 40-50, so you may be lucky. That included 3 Speed/Crown Graphics, many lenses and 3 or 4 other cameras, all from the US.

Before VAT was reduced the most I ever paid was around 21%. in total on two 10x8 cameras. Some new items may be at the higher 6% rate on top of VAT

Ian

[Shangheye]

20% (when VAT was 17%) seems about right from my experience, though I have to admit I have never been able to get to the actual figures they charge. I wondered if they have varying levels of import duty based on what it is...

[Tom Kershaw]

I did read somewhere about a collection of volumes detailing how much duty a particular item attracts; however it may have been along the lines of in the basement of the local tax office...

Tom

[Ian Grant]

There's a table online somewhere published by Customs & Excise. There's no duty on Digital Cameras but duty on Fim cameras, work that one out

There's still VAT though

Ian

[Crono]

my god ... GAS is so bad...
i am looking at the F3
and i know it will be cheaper if i wait for a right one to come up

but whenever i sit in front of the computer
i want to press BUY IT NOW!!!

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Martin Aislabie]

In theory you pay 6% luxury import tax on the whole amount (inc shipping) and then VAT at what ever rate it is on the whole amount including the 6% luxury tax

However, if the whole package is less than a value (I think its something like £50) they don't bother charging anything - as its not worth their effort to collect such small amounts.

I have imported lots of stuff from the USA (very simple to do as the Shipping Agent does all the work) but never really understood when & how much I would be charged - I just smiled and paid up.

Good luck

Martin

[Ian Grant]

There's no consistency on what items get duty added to them, there's such a huge volume of International parcel post that a lot gets through without any Duty & VAT at all. Their seems to be an arbitrary cut off somewhere between £50 - £100 because of the time it takes to calculate & produce the paper work for each item, so in effect Customs & Excise look for larger & more valuable packages to maximise the revenue from each operative.

It also seems to vary depending on the location of the point of entry into the UK.

Ian

[BarryWilkinson]

The C&E have a 'hub' at Coventry where the charges are calculated. It's now rare to get away without paying duty on imported items, especially from the US. Unfortunately you also get a bill from the Royal Mail for handling the charge.

I am still trying to get my money back for vat levied on two photo books, plus the RM charge. There is no vat on books, so they made a mistake. However, trying to get my money back, including the RM charge is proving very difficult. Or at least they are being difficult!

[Martin Aislabie]

Good luck Barry

I tried to get the VAT back on imported books and failed miserably when I ran into a wall of total indifference - but you might have more luck

Martin