Contact us now for all your importing and exporting questions international@chamberelancs.co.uk or call us on 01254 356454

The 2025 to 2026 window to apply for duty suspensions is now open. The deadline to submit applications by is 11:59pm on Wednesday 4 February 2026. To apply for a new suspension, please see link below.

Are UK Import Duties affecting your competitiveness? Often overlooked by Buyers and Material Planners and therefore underutilised by UK importers, here we look at how applying for a UK Duty Suspension could help your business to become more competitive globally.

Can accessing a UK Duty Suspension really work for my business? It has for one local business, a member of both our International Trade Club and the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, while they wish to remain anonymous for competitive reasons, they’re eager to shed light on this opportunity for other businesses.

The Managing Director shared,

“You probably don’t remember this but 3 years ago the Chambers International Business Director Mandy Lockett gave me some good direction on applying for a Duty suspension. I applied for a duty suspension on one of our products last year and I got notified last month that my application was successful and was granted the suspension. It will save the company about £20k a year on import duties so worthwhile doing. The new window opens today so I am going to apply for another and if successful would save a further £10K – this whole process shows how the Government has actually listened to our business and then provided help to an SME where it is most needed. Thanks for the advice, Mandy. I was surprised at how easy the online process was and how quickly I was able to complete the application – it took me just 15 minutes to apply which is about the same amount of time it takes me to drink a coffee!!!!.”

Introduction

Duty suspensions are designed to help UK businesses remain competitive in the global marketplace. They do this by suspending import duties on certain goods, normally those used in domestic production.

These suspensions do not apply to other duties that may be chargeable like VAT or trade remedies duty, such as anti-dumping duty.

Duty suspensions allow unlimited quantities to be imported into the UK at a reduced tariff rate. Autonomous tariff quotas (ATQs) allow limited quantities to be imported at a reduced rate.

Duty suspensions and ATQs are temporary and can be used by any UK business while in force. They are applied on a ‘Most Favoured Nation’ (‘MFN’) basis. This means that goods subject to these suspensions or quotas can be imported into the UK from any country or territory at the specified reduced tariff rate.

Further reading https://www.gov.uk/guidance/duty-suspensions-and-tariff-quotas