Your Easy Guide to Customs and Tax Refunds at Heathrow Airport 

Heathrow Airport is Located in London, and When you are traveling to Great Britain (England, Wales, or Scotland) from abroad, you are entitled to bring in a specific quantity of goods without incurring taxes or duties. This is referred to as your allowance.

When importing goods, you must:

How to Exceed Your Allowance at London Heathrow Airport

Exceeding your allowance requires the following steps:

  • Declare your goods either online before your journey or at the border upon arrival. 
  • Pay taxes and duties on all items within that category. 
  • Failure to declare your goods may result in seizure.

The Alcohol Allowance Varies Based on the Type of Alcohol at London Heathrow Airport 

  • Beer: up to 42 liters. 
  • Still wine: up to 18 liters.

Additionally, you can bring either:

  • Spirits and liquors over 22% alcohol: Up to 4 liters.
  • Alcoholic beverages up to 22% alcohol (excluding beer or still wine): Up to 9 liters.
  • Fortified wine (e.g., port, sherry). 
  • Cider

You have the option to split the latter allowance. For instance, you could bring 2 liters of spirits and 4.5 liters of fortified wine (both half of your allowance).

For Tobacco, You're Allowed to Bring in One of the Following Options:

  • 200 cigarettes
  • 100 cigarillos
  • 50 cigars
  • 250g of tobacco 
  • 200 sticks of tobacco for electronic heated tobacco devices

You have the flexibility to split this allowance. For example, you could bring in 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars, each constituting half of your allowance.

Note: You can not bring tobacco if your age is under 17

What You Can Bring and How to Stay Within Limits at London Heathrow Airport 

For other goods, you're permitted to bring items worth up to £390 (£270 if you arrive by private plane or boat).

  • If you surpass this allowance, you're required to pay taxes and duties on the entire value of the goods, not solely on the amount exceeding the allowance.
  • Exceeding your allowance may result in having to pay import VAT and customs duty.
  • When you bring things into Great Britain from the EU (European Union), you don't have to pay taxes or duties if they're within your personal allowances. But if they're more than what you're allowed,
 

You need to:

  • Pay any customs duty, excise duty (for things like tobacco or alcohol), and import VAT.
  • When you tell customs about what you're bringing, you need to list each thing you bought. But if everything you bought was made or grown in the EU, and you bought them in an EU country and are bringing them from there, you might not have to pay customs duty. To get this zero rate of customs duty:
  • You need proof that what you're claiming is true for each thing you're claiming it for.
  • You might need to show this proof to a Border Force officer if they ask.
  • The amount of proof you need depends on how much all the things you're claiming this zero rate for are worth.
 

Simplified Guidelines for Declaring EU Goods: Understanding Proof Requirements

If everything you declare is worth less than £1,000, you can use simpler proof for each item:

  • A label or packaging showing it's from the EU.
  • Evidence that it was hand-made or grown in the EU, like a note from the person or business you bought it from. If a Border Force officer asks, you'll need to show this proof. If you can't, you'll have to pay customs duty.
 

If What You Declare is Worth More Than £1,000, You Need Better Proof that Each Item is from the EU:

  • An invoice or document from the seller that says what you bought, where and when you bought it, and has a 'statement of origin'. This statement confirms that the item's material is from the EU and might include the seller's registered exporter number if what you declare is worth over £5,500.
  • You can also use documents or records showing that the item follows the rules of origin in the EU. The 'importer's knowledge' part of the proof of origin guide explains how to do this. You might need this proof if you're bringing things for yourself or your business.
  • Again, if a Border Force officer asks, you'll need to show this proof. If you can't, you'll have to pay customs duty.

Know Before You Go: What You Can't Bring into the LHR Airport 

There are some things you're not allowed to bring into the UK. If you try, customs will take them away.

 

These things include:

  • Drugs that are controlled by the government.
  • Weapons that are made to hurt people, like flick knives,.
  • Sprays you use to protect yourself, like pepper spray.
  • Animals and plants that could become extinct.
  • Diamonds that were gotten illegally. 
  • Things like books, magazines, movies, or DVDs that are not appropriate.
  • Meat and dairy products that people bring for themselves from most places outside the EU.
  • Some things are restricted, like guns, bombs, and bullets. You need a special permit to bring them into the UK.

Also, some food and plants are restricted if they:

  • Have bugs or diseases.
  • It is not for your use.
  • Were not grown in the EU.
  • If you bring things that are copies of movies or music without permission, they might be taken away, and you could get in trouble.

Refund Tax At Heathrow Airport

As of January 1, 2021, the VAT refund scheme for visitors outside the EU, known as the Retail Export Scheme (RES) or tax-free shopping, has been discontinued by the UK government. This means that tax-free purchases at airports, ports, and Eurostar stations are no longer available for travelers to non-EU countries. Additionally, VAT refunds for purchases made in British shops and items taken home in luggage are no longer permitted. However, overseas visitors can still buy items VAT-free in-store and have them sent directly to their overseas addresses.