Customs Bill : Hello all, Has anyone else had a... - Thyroid UK

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Customs Bill

furcoatnoknickers profile image

Hello all,

Has anyone else had a large customs bill on receiving NDT? I had a 9 months supply ordered and have been charged a colossal £96! Really miffed as this didnt happen the last time I ordered. Perhaps sheer back luck? :-(

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furcoatnoknickers
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60 Replies
ITYFIALMCTT profile image
ITYFIALMCTT

It seems to be very unpredictable - in my area, we always seem to be charged even when something is within the normal variation of currency fluctuation but other people hardly ever seem to be charged in other places even when the items are well outside the allowances.

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to ITYFIALMCTT

ITYFIALMCTT, thank you for your response. Hmmm ... I wonder if now they have the address will it always happen?

TSH110 profile image
TSH110 in reply to furcoatnoknickers

@furcoatnoknickers only been clobbered once at same address I think checks must be random

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to TSH110

TSH110 hopefully next time I'll get a bit more lucky! :-)

I agree with others - very unpredictable. Sometimes, I receive shipments from third countries (outside the EU/EEA) without any problems, and sometimes I have to pay import duties amounting more or less to the price of the product...I guess it depends on whichever customs official gets to clear your shipment.

Bluecat101 profile image
Bluecat101 in reply to

l always get caught in the South here -unless its sent via Germany then all tax free

lucylocks profile image
lucylocks

Hi

I would quiry it, I have never been charged more than £22. but then again I have never bought more than 3 months supply.

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to lucylocks

lucylocks I have been informed it's 20% of the cost, sadly correct and very unlucky :-(

lucylocks profile image
lucylocks in reply to furcoatnoknickers

20% that's a lot.

I think if you buy the Thai NDT's you get away with not paying customs as they send it differently.

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to lucylocks

Lucylocks,

VAT is 20% on imports. Some sellers lie on the customs declaration by undervaluing the cost or by stating the goods are a gift. If HMRC don't believe the declaration they will still charge you 20%.

joydot profile image
joydot in reply to lucylocks

i dont remember paying it and i took a years worth

angela2510 profile image
angela2510 in reply to lucylocks

what is NDT

ITYFIALMCTT profile image
ITYFIALMCTT

How much was

the value of your order + the cost of the postage + duty

then + VAT on the whole amount?

Does £96 seem appropriate (in a manner of speaking) relative to that? Tho' £20+ might have been the handling charge. Did you get something like a receipt that broke down the charges for you?

gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abro...

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to ITYFIALMCTT

TYFIALMCTT I have just been informed it's 20% of the total, so £440 ... :-( it's correct and really unlucky.

Naomi8 profile image
Naomi8

I have ordered 3 shipments of NDT from USA & was told at the Royal Mail collection office the payment was for V.A.T,as there is no V.A.T on NDT in USA.Could be codswallop for all I know.What annoys me is the customs charge is £15 something,then RM charge £8 handling fee.I paid exactly the same fees for 100 grains & 200 grains.Odd

Not charged or stopped at customs when I bought from Thailand-luck?

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to Naomi8

Looks like luck, Naomi8 sadly, I have been informed it's 20% of the total :-(

furcoatnoknickers have just ordered some products from the US and it seems that VAT has to be paid plus customs charge depending on the value. VAT is payable on postage charge as well. This may help:

gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abro...

£96 sounds excessive, what was the value of the NDT?

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to

cinnamon_girl The cost was £440 - I have just been informed that it's a 20% charge which sadly, makes it correct.

in reply to furcoatnoknickers

furcoatnoknickers I recently bought some NDT from <not so subtle reference to site deleted> and wasn't charged VAT or handling charge. It really does seem random as to whether you have to pay extra.

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to

C-G,

24. Do not post advertisements, links or information of any sort whatsoever, on where or how to obtain UK prescription only medications without prescription. This includes online pharmacies who issue 'prescriptions' on the basis of the completion of a simple health questionnaire.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

in reply to Clutter

Sorry Clutter , thought my wording wouldn't have broken any Rules.

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to

Sorry cinnamon_girl, I didnt mean to get you into trouble.

in reply to furcoatnoknickers

You definitely didn't furcoatnoknickers , it was my mistake.

humanbean profile image
humanbean

What was the cost of the actual order plus postage?

There is the possibility that a mistake was made in the arithmetic. I would want it itemised and the calculations explained to me before I coughed up £96!

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to humanbean

humanbean, The cost was £440 - I have just been informed that it's a 20% charge which sadly, makes it correct.

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply to furcoatnoknickers

:(

in reply to humanbean

Unfortunately humanbean, you can't collect your order from the post office until you cough up this fee.

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply to

I have a vague memory of having read a post from someone where the fee to be paid was calculated wrongly. I can't remember how that problem was resolved now. I imagine it isn't easy to get money back when they make a mistake.

One would hope that an itemised receipt would be given at the time of handing over the money. I've paid customs charges just once, but it was ages ago, and I can't remember what info I got on the transaction now.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

furcoatnoknickers,

Carriers other than Royal Mail usually have a steeper "customs clearance" charges.

The bill should have been 20% of the value, including postage, plus the carrier's charge. The value is often the amount declared by the sender, but if that is not believed by customs, they can make their own assessment. Any attempt by you to get someone to mis-declare the value, or state it is a "birthday present", is likely an offence in the UK. However, it is obvious that some vendors do this as a matter of routine.

It is very largely a matter of luck whether your package gets noticed or not.

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to helvella

Thank you for that info :-)

Thank you to all who responded to the customs fee. As NT was out of stock, I went for Armour and yes, it was £440. So now calculating 20% as 'helvella' has informed me - it seems correct - (albeit unfair.) This thyroid buisness is bloody expensive malarky :-)

BadHare profile image
BadHare

Bum!!!

Mine’s usually £18, for 100 2 grain WP.

Rapunzel profile image
Rapunzel

gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abro...

I think you were lucky not to get clobbered for customs duty @2.5% on top. Anyone importing over £135 including postage needs to be aware of this. Whoever works out my VAT/handling charge invariably gets in wrong in my favour all hail Royal Mail :D or not :x

I noticed the price of my NDT has gone up too. When I order my NDT I always get the little card that there is VAT to pay every time. In the past I got away with a few but not anymore. The 5 years I've been living here I get stung every time. Then for some reason my bank the last couple of times for another product has been milking it too, £4 for the transfer, then after that another £25 on top! It's happened twice now. Then of course there's the loss of over £100 to the Greek T3 supplier from May. If prices go up further I'll be back on levo!

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to

I know, it is frightening stuff. I ordered extra as I was a little afraid of it going out of stock as did Nature Throid. But I'll be damned if I'll back on that 'just have to go back to bed, I feel so ill 'levo'!

in reply to furcoatnoknickers

Where I order from you were limited to 2 bottles of NDT, we usually get 3. I must admit I find the whole ordering and waiting really stressful. I took levo for 2 years and it did absolutely nothing for me, when I took Armour the swelling in my face almost immediately lessened. I like Armour the best but it's so pricey!

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to

Me too. Really stressful - which of course is sooo bad for us anyway! I am with you, I recently switched back to Armour feel so much better than on NT. The price is outrageous - but I'll pay it to function better.

furcoatnoknickers profile image
furcoatnoknickers in reply to

Me too. Really stressful - which of course is sooo bad for us anyway! I am with you, I recently switched back to Armour feel so much better than on NT. The price is outrageous - but I'll pay it to function better.

in reply to furcoatnoknickers

I can't see how a change in drug company can cause such a hike in prices . Pretty soon they will go the same way as T3 and no one will be prescribing it. It's pure greed at the expense of sick people.

ashquar profile image
ashquar

You should not pay customs charges on medication that is life saving. You should get hold of the post office and complain. Make sure on the customs declaration it says medication. I had the same problem until I looked on the customs and excise website.

in reply to ashquar

ashquar do you have a link please?

Rapunzel profile image
Rapunzel in reply to ashquar

Wishful thinking? How do you contest the charges?

gov.uk/government/publicati...

I would be interested ashquar in knowing where it is stated that medicine from outside the EU is not subject to customs/VAT. I would imagine this petitioner would also be interested.

petition.parliament.uk/arch...

My packages containing US sourced NDT always clearly state that the package contains medicine. With one or two fortunate exceptions I am charged.

in reply to Rapunzel

Interesting Rapunzel especially the Petition that sunk without trace and can't help wondering why. <cynical mode>

Pretty certain that suppliers of my T3/NDT meds from various countries didn't actually state the content on the outside of the package.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to Rapunzel

Desiccated thyroid is, for tax/import purposes, classified as an animal derivative. Thus it is handled the same as leather or wool.

A number of years ago I contacted HMRC and that was their considered opinion.

I have not checked on liothyronine or other non-animal derived medicines.

Bluecat101 profile image
Bluecat101

Crumbs- that is massive and unreasonable. l have just had pay £16 on a months supply of Dr Nuzum's Super EArth Energy which l am hoping will help and that cost about $50. There is always an £8 Royal Mail 'handling' charge which is exasperating, and import/VAT goes on any value over £16 or £18. Camergoon reduced it down from £18. l get the odd T-shirt from Animal Rescue in States and end up with price almost doubled. Nobody cares what we have to pay or if it is medicinal. BUT if the sender is bright and it comes 'via Germany' then extra taxes are avoided. Only happened about 2x and when l ask sender to do this, they say its not up to them

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to Bluecat101

£15 (not £16).

Bluecat101 profile image
Bluecat101

You are not forced to collect the item - then it will be sent back and eventually refunded

BadHare profile image
BadHare

Unfortunately, the customs bill.

Thyroid17 profile image
Thyroid17

I always get a customs bill (only missed twice in as many years now). Usually around £31.77 for three month supply, this includes a (new??) Post Office handling charge of around £9ish. It's bad enough I'm forced to pay for meds so I can continue to work but custom and PO handling charges are an insult to injury.

Bluecat101 profile image
Bluecat101 in reply to Thyroid17

Agree - and seems nothing we can do about it

lesley2134 profile image
lesley2134

I bought £175 worth of Dr Lowe's tablets (trying to work by forum rules and not mention -forgive if I get it wrong) from the US a couple of months ago. Started at $181, then went to $221 with US postage. I then had to pay £62 to Royal Mail to get them. Irritating to have to pay VAT on a $40 US postal charge!! But earlier post is correct, you have to pay if its over £135 in value - next time, I'll buy the single packets, lose the 'bulk discount' and hopefully avoid the Customs Charges. There's no exemption for 'medication' or 'vitamins'.

Its all random - sometimes you'll win, sometimes you'll get 'caught'. However if value is under £135 there should be no problem.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to lesley2134

You are liable to VAT if the value is over £15 unless it is a gift. Over £135, you are liable to duty (usually 2.5%) even if it is a gift.

I think the reason for values to include postage is that any other approach could result in vendors putting on unfeasibly low prices and high postage in order to avoid taxes.

lesley2134 profile image
lesley2134 in reply to helvella

thanks - i hadn't understood, despite trying very hard !!!!!

ThyroidThora profile image
ThyroidThora

Hiya,

Yep, I've had to pay a customs charge too! I buy my NDT from the USA every month but the manufacturer has stopped making my dose in 1 month (30 days) and 100 days supply. So, I have had to buy 100 tablets in a lower dose and 100 tablets in another dose to try and get the right daily dose. This has meant that the cost is more than the £15.00 customs limit and so I was charged nearly £30.00 to collect my meds from the local mail sorting office. This has made it quite expensive to buy my meds and I'm on a limited income due to losing my job to thyroid cancer hence me needing NDT to prevent the cancer returning.

It sucks!!!

TT x

t3rcam profile image
t3rcam

I have been clobbered a few times but not that much! I asked the delivery guy about it the last time & he said that if goods were coming from America there was a way of doing it to avoid paying the import taxes..........I THINK you have to set up a mail box in the US & send the goods to yourself as a gift. Sorry I don't know any more than this.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to t3rcam

If you did that, it is possible it would be considered as an offence under UK law. Just as it can be if you ask a vendor to mis-represent the contents or value of a package - or say it is a gift when it is not.

I am not being censorious - just pointing out one possible pitfall.

christa1 profile image
christa1 in reply to helvella

my thai NDT got send as medication for aquarium fish by suggestion of the supplier. to avoid extra taxes and avoid customs. I live in Australia.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to christa1

Of course, that would NOT be an offence under UK law. :-)

However, technically, it probably is an offence under Australian law. If you didn't know that was going to happen, unlikely to be an issue. Thereafter, could be regarded as colluding with the company to avoid Australian taxation.

For clarity, I repeat:

I am not being censorious - just pointing out one possible pitfall.

christa1 profile image
christa1 in reply to helvella

I thought it was funny to, in a not so funny way. they explained, that the NDT might not go through customs otherwise.

btw

I am not ordering the THYROID-s again. 1000 tabs are a lot, even when taking 2 every day it will take almost 2 years to get through it.

that is a long time for just wanting to try out something else!

ThyroidThora profile image
ThyroidThora in reply to t3rcam

Thanks for your reply but it sounds a bit tricky so I'll just have to pay the customs charge.

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