NDT custom charges

[Tanyaking]

Are custom charges ALLWAYS applied when you purchase NDT from outside the uk? Is there a way of avoiding them at all? It's ever such a lot on top of the already expense of the tablets.x

[Hidden]

I buy NDT from Thailand and there are no customs charges. I always buy the lower amounts in the foil packs so they turn up in just an ordinary envelope - not sure about the bottles perhaps someone else may be able to comment if that's what they order. I have only bought from this source but I believe there are customs charges for NDT coming from the US.

[Clutter in reply to Hidden]

Jan483,

The charges are levied on goods £15+ imported from outside of the EU.

[Treepie in reply to Hidden]

I ordered Thyroid S which came in a bottle inside a box.The package had been opened but i was not charged by customs.

[KarBon]

Hi Tanyaking. I've ordered 4 lots from States and each time has been different. Funnily enough my last order was for 6 months worth of NDT and it didn't get stopped by Customs. It seems hit or miss I'm afraid. It can be an expense on top but when you weigh it up against still being ill under an NHS system that's not working for you, it seems a price we have to pay (obviously ordering from Thailand is cheaper). Its very unfair, I know, especially when drug users and alcoholics get all the help they need (and that's ok), just a shame the Throid Nation gets ignored.

[radd]

Tanya,

There is a 20% VAT charge levied by HMRC on goods over £15 and a RM £8 handling fee for paying VAT on your behalf.

I recently paid £28.80 for NDT shipped from USA but read our purchases sometimes slip through the net..

[CarolineC57]

It seems to be the luck of the draw when buying NDT from the US - sometimes I get charged extra and sometimes I don't. Me and my husband jokingly say it's been held to ransom! We wait for the "ransom note" to be delivered by the postman, and then we have to go to the local delivery office to pay the ransom and get it released!

[108Optimist in reply to CarolineC57]

Sounds right!!! Lol

[CBann]

Hi sorry to jump in on this thread but am seriously considering moving on to NDT. I wondered if someone could tell me where they get it from. Thanks

[108Optimist in reply to CBann]

You might be able to search out another thread with the same question and find out who can provide the information privately to you. Its not allowed on public viewing to discuss. Because of the regs around it I guess?!!!

[Rapunzel]

My experience is similar to CarolineC57 with a touch of KarBon . radd has given you the full nine yards on what should happen, but I have had my HMRC take seriously undercalculated on a big order by a numpty RM employee...or maybe computer did it ? Who cares, that was a cheap one

It's an annoyance tho, I do understand Tanyaking . I'm afraid that I take the view that I'm blessed to be able to afford an alternative to the levo which was slowly killing me, and swallow it. Yes I could march on parliament but the conundrum for we hypos, with our often limited amount of energy, is where to spend every precious drop.

I hear you. Maybe some government of the future may change the tax and duties on imported medicine for personal use, but by so doing, they would by default acknowledge the imperfection of the NHS, no ? Isn't going to happen, then.

[helvella Administrator]

Do note that any attempt to avoid charges (i.e. VAT) on a parcel from outwith the EU - such as asking the sender to mis-describe the contents - could be treated as a criminal act.

The only legal way to be sure of not paying is keeping the real value below £15. Otherwise you might sometimes be lucky.

[Anthea55 in reply to helvella]

I got some supplements from US. One pack, no customs charge, which I didn't know about as I hadn't ordered from US before.

Thought I would save money by ordering 2 packs next time - wrong - got charged. I also got the impression that whoever put the value on the package included the postage, which doesn't seem quite right.

I'll avoid buying from abroad if possible.

Also annoying that the delivery firm couldn't give me any idea what time of day they would deliver - just morning or afternoon would have been helpful, but I had to hang around all day.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Anthea55]

If the value of the goods is over £15, then the VAT is calculated on the total of £15 plus postage and packing.

If the value of the goods is under £15, then there is no VAT to be calculated.

It looks to me as if this was determined as otherwise everyone could circumvent the VAT (or at least some of it) by charging an inflated postage and packing fee.

[Anthea55 in reply to helvella]

Thanks, helvella. That explains it.

[AnnT49]

Every time I've bought anything from the USA I've had to pay tax and customs charges, even though our postman claims that most get through without and he thinks I've been unlucky.

As the sender has to put the value of the goods on the parcel label and anything over £15 has 20% VAT and a customs handling fee added to it, I don't know how others avoid this.

My last order for NDT costing £38, actually cost me £68, once the postage, tax and customs charges had been added.

The first time I found out the hard way, when the VAT came to less than £1, but the custom handling fee was still £8. I've made sure it's been worth it since.

[matty220]

My experience is the same as a couple already mentioned. I bought my Thyroid-S from Thailand and they came in 2 bottles, in a box. It hadn't been opened and the amount on my credit card bill was exactly the same as the 'for sale' amount on the laptop screen. maybe it's just stuff from the US?

[Clutter in reply to matty220]

Matty20,

VAT is charged on goods costing over £15 plus the p&p imported from outside of EU.

[Glynisrose]

I was charged vat of £25 last time!

[fibrolinda]

Another who gets from Thailand full bottle in box and no charges from customs though opened once (out of three lots)and custom slip saying opened by customs, but no charges.

[DellFinium]

I wasn't been charged for a slim envelope of tabs from Thailand. Now I await Armour from the US, for which I paid £70-odd for 60 tabs @ 60mg - no idea what I'll be charged when I collect. There was no option to stay below £15, or I would have. Bizarre that they apparently charge for US but not Thailand - can anyone explain?