By July 2021 all companies importing or exporting goods from the UK will have to complete customs declarations. This will be a significant challenge for many businesses and the government has three grant schemes to help businesses prepare.

Recruitment grant

A £3,000 grant for recruiting new employees who will manage the customs declaration process. A further £12,000 may also be available to cover the salary costs for each new or redeployed employee.

• Training grant

A grant of up to £1,500 per employee towards the cost of external customs declaration training courses. It will also cover the cost of internal training, up to a limit of £250 for per employee.

• IT improvements

The grant covers 100% of the costs relating to your IT expenditure to improve the efficiency of making customs declarations.

Who can apply

To be eligible your business must meet one of the descriptions below

• complete or intend to complete customs declarations on behalf of your clients
• be an importer or exporter and complete or intend to complete declarations internally for your own goods
• be an organisation which recruits, trains and places apprentices in businesses to undertake customs declarations.

In addition, your businesses must:

• have been established in the UK for at least 12 months before the submission of your application and when the grant is paid
• not have previously failed to meet its tax obligations

How to apply

Customs Grant Scheme 

UKFT is committed to supporting the UK fashion and textile industry as the UK leaves the EU. If you have any specific concerns on the Implementation Period or on any other Brexit-related issue, please do get in touch at info@ukft.org.