Receiving cigars as a gift

[AlexG]

So a mate of mine from home wants to send me some cigars as a gift for my birthday coming up, i read on the hmrc website (section 2.5 http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsP...ument#P64_5957) that they are exempt from UK tax etc, how do i prove that they are a gift? I cant exactly prove i didnt pay for them can I? is there some form or something, i had a poke around the website, couldnt find anything...

[Drewmidorn]

Interesting question.... I wonder if he has to declare them as a gift at his end?

[AlexG]

thats what i was thinking...

[cj121]

From reading around, whilst gifts of cigars in the post (assuming Allowances are not exceeded) are exempt from import VAT and Customs duty, they remain liable to Excise Duty, which runs at ?208.83 per kilo

most countries have a declaration form to fill out, re gift, and yes your mate would do it his end.

[DavidD]

Your friend has a choice. He can be completely open and declare a gift of cigars when HMRC almost certainly will levy Excise duty on the package as cj has explained and the postman will require paying on the doorstep. d

[tippexx]

He can be completely open and declare a gift of cigars when HMRC almost certainly will levy Excise duty on the package

As I understand it, casual and Christmas gifts are subject to UK Duty. Wedding, Anniversary, Births and Birthdays are not. Proof may be required though!

[PoohBore]

And the post office / parcel force slap on their slice as well (greedy bastards)

[monkey66]

And the post office / parcel force slap on their slice as well (greedy bastards)

Yup, they all add 'handling fees', pretty sick.

[DavidD]

Oh dear, I see my previous post has been edited - for a perfectly valid reason - I will try to be a good boy in future !

[TJCoro]

Been there....

Oh dear, I see my previous post has been edited - for a perfectly valid reason - I will try to be a good boy in future !

As me wise, ol' pappy, Pappy Coro used to say: "It is better to learn from our mistakes, than to never learn at all."
Now, we all know that makes no sense, but you get the point.


Perro, el Perro


Haha! I liked his other saying: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again."


Ah sey one, mon!

[Eddie]

It appears to have changed, previously you could have a handfull sent duty free as a gift. No mention on the hmrc site now