The government has announced that you do not have to pay import duty and VAT on medical supplies, equipment and protective garments during the coronavirus outbreak. 

This applies to those items brought into the UK from non-EU countries during the coronavirus outbreak.

• state organisations, including state bodies, public bodies and other bodies governed by public law
• other authorised non-state bodies

You can get relief on imported goods for free circulation that are:

• for distribution free of charge to those affected by, at risk from or involved in combating the coronavirus
• to be made available free of charge to those affected by, at risk from or involved in combating the coronavirus outbreak, while remaining the property of the organisations importing them

The relief will apply to imports of protective equipment, other relevant medical devices or equipment for the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

You can find the COVID-19 Commodity Codes List you can claim relief on here.

Goods imported into the UK for donation or onward sale to the NHS are also eligible for this relief and can be imported free of import duty and import VAT.

You can also claim relief if you’re a disaster-relief agency and are importing goods for free circulation to meet your needs during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

If your goods are loaned, hired out or transferred to an organisation eligible for the relief, the relief will remain in place as long as the conditions continue to be met.

The relief applies until 31 July 2020.
ou can get relief on imported goods for free circulation that are:

for distribution free of charge to those affected by, at risk from or involved in combating the coronavirus (COVID- 19)

to be made available free of charge to those affected by, at risk from or involved in combating the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, while remaining the property of the organisations importing them

The relief will apply to imports of protective equipment, other relevant medical devices or equipment for the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

You can find the COVID-19 Commodity Codes List (CSV, 6.01MB) you can claim relief on.

Goods imported into the UK for donation or onward sale to the NHS are also eligible for this relief and can be imported free of import duty and import VAT.

You can also claim relief if you’re a disaster-relief agency and are importing goods for free circulation to meet your needs during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

If your goods are loaned, hired out or transferred to an organisation eligible for the relief, the relief will remain in place as long as the conditions continue to be met.

The relief applies until 31 July 2020.