Just reordered my B12 from Apohealth in Germany as I usually do.
It is held in Customs until I pay £37.95 in Import VAT and an £8 handling charge!
Anyone else experienced this??
Not only will the NHS not help me I am now expected to pay VAT on the LUXURY of self treatment!
I feel sick to my boots 😭😭😭
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UPDATE 7 December : I have paid the handling fee and the duty so delivery should be on Saturday. I will then take steps to attempt to reclaim the duty 🤞🤞
Thank you for all your input and knowledge sharing - literally a valuable lesson learned!😀
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UPDATE 9 December : Consignment arrived. Good news one box use by date is 05/2026 😁 second box use by date is 03/2024 😭 Clearly an issue with stock control!!
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Wwwdot
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I had no idea as I am a rookie to this. I am using 100 ampules now every 25 days and hubby has B12 injections too so I ordered two boxes of 100 so we didnt go short over Christmas.
What a plonker I am as it didn’t occur to me. I didn’t get free or reduced postage, it just didn’t occur to me!
Oh well. I will pay and try an appeal to reclaim from HMRC … not as if I have anything better to do 🤣🤣
I will know next time. And I will read your blog!!
I'm lucky. The medicine I buy from Germany is (like injectable B12) prescription-only in UK and non-prescription in Germany.
But I have to buy my own because there is only one UK product and is has been unavailable all this year and most of last, and won't be back until 2025! (If then - I don't trust anyone.)
But I can keep it down to less than £100 per order.
Mine is usually around £104 per order (100 ampules) depending on exchange rate. Like I said I only doubled up because of Christmas and New Year. I will know in future. Thank you. At least I have an explanation and a way forward.
that does seem to be a drastic charge. If you haven’t been charged before then check it’s not a scam. Contact the company you ordered it from. If the charge is correct then maybe you should think about a local health salon that offers this service.
Even for orders within price limits they hold meds to ransom. I ordered 5 items under £15 from the US before the limit increased to £135. I was sent a ransom card for all five. Royal Fail blame customs, & vice versa. After sending off the complaints forms I was still over £50 out of pocket.
I’m really sad on your behalf Wwwdot . I’m afraid it’s not a scam b It’s unwise to order goods worth over £135 The tax is one of the great advantages of leaving the EU . When we were in the EU we were part of the single market , and goods could ne sent without filling up a customs form . That is over now .
I’m sure that you won’t be able to return those ampoules because the pharmacy won’t know how you have stored them. Too dodgy for a medical item . Apohealth used to send free of charge , but no longer . Try versandapo.de they also charge for delivery but the ampoujes are cheaper . You need google chrome for translation . Don’t order more than £135 worth
Really feel for you . Maddening for you. I’m afraid that Brexit has brought many disadvantages with it . This tax is but one .
That is correct - generally, within the EU, anything bought online can be returned within 14 days. But medications cannot, under any circumstances, be returned.
I decided to check my medicine there (they are my usual supplier) - and it is currently about 20% off. So have bought now to take advantage of that and make sure I have loads in stock.
Man, like this isn't hard enough. I hope that isn't a new thing. It's expensive enough shipping to the US. I just ordered some yesterday, I will let you know if it happens to me. Good luck. I hope this isn't a way to try to discourage us from buying it. 😔
I googled VAT on B12 from Germany. It seems there is a thread here on health unlocked that days over a certain amount I believe $198 they charge import duties.
Yes, nasty little catch. I thought I'd be able to order 3 boxes at £40 each but the postage was £18 this time, (previously around £12), so just £3 over the £135 meant I could only order 2 boxes 🙄
Yes that was my HAPPY trip to Salisbury in July to pick him up. He’s called Terry Thomas! Hubby and I were planning to travel the works when children left home but my mum is now here so modified plans to travel in UK for a few nights at a time!
I import my Thyroid medication from USA and I have to pay duty on this too. However if you write to the customs office ( address is on the form on the package) and explain that its medication for your own personal use, they will refund the taxes. However, the handling charge cannot be refunded unfortunately. It’s a pain but definitely worth it. Good luck!
I too fell foul of this last time I ordered, incurring nearly £100 extra in fees - VAT, handling plus additional delivery. My previous order had no added fees, (before Brexit was finalised). Thanks to helvella's info, I am now aware, but it was quite a shock at the time..
Does anyone buy B12 from Thailand? A seller there sells ampoules of cyanocobalamin, I've used them for Levo and they provided a good service. As I don't use B12 I've no idea what you're paying as far as I can see 100 would be £130 ish and you don't need a prescription. If anyone wants the website name for comparison, pm me. Interestingly, they used to send my Levo labelled as B12 lol
No, I was given the Apohealth link by the B12 Consultant I saw and I have tended to stick with it as it works - just the customs issue. I have approximately £17 headspace until I hit the £135 mark so I need to keep an eye on it as prices going up but I dont think the £135 limit will.
My order was $166 total. I think this is going to happen to me too. I order 15 boxes of 10 ampules and a 100 syringes. Totaling with tax and shipping 166.00. I won't order that much again knowing this. Plus it is going to be delayed because of it. It usually takes about 30 days to get here. 🥴Ugg. Just grateful to have this option anyway.
I received an email in German which by trial and error I ended up on the Royal Mail website where I was able to pay 😭😭 the duty. Then 24 hours later I received a card through the door from Royal Mail advising of the fee before delivery. The Royal Mail hold it for 21 days before returning to sender.
Do check that Apohealth did not include VAT on their invoice!
If they did, you have effectively been charged VAT twice. Obviously needs to be chased up.
If they didn't, work out how much they would have charged, and subtract that from what you are being charged.
It won't make any difference to how much it costs you in total but might make you feel slightly better.
(And because tax people are extreme pedants, I think you are being charged VAT - not duty. I know if it is going out of your pocket, it really doesn't matter what it is called. But if you are looking for information or discussing it with tax authorities, it might.)
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My experience of ordering B12 1mg/1ml Hydroxocobalimin March 2019
B12 ampules
B12 Ampoules 
B12 Ampoules
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