Brexit – Information

Your Knowsley Growth Hub is committed to helping you plan for the various Brexit scenarios you may face. 

Together Knowsley Chamber and Knowsley Growth Hub are here to support your queries regarding Brexit.  We regularly liaise with HMRC, other city region business organisations and Knowsley Council so that we can report back to you.

If you have any specific questions then call us on 0151 477 1356 or email info@knowsleychamber.org.uk

CLICK HERE for the latest update on BREXIT documentation from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

HM Government have created a Brexit Action Plan. You can save or print the action plan and then fill it in to see how prepared your business is for Brexit and what other steps you may still need to take. Click here… Brexit Action Plan

Prepare your business or organisation for Brexit – in just 7 small steps

GOV.UK has an online tool to help businesses prepare for the UK leaving the EU.

Businesses can use the Triage Tool to find out what you may need to do to prepare for Brexit. The tool looks at, what’s changing in your industry and information on specific rules and regulations.

All you need to do is click on the Triage Tool and answer seven simple questions to get guidance relevant to your business or organisation.

The questions are fairly simple, covering basic business issues and only require tick box responses. It takes only a few minutes to complete.

Once you have ticked all the relevant boxes the tool lists the Brexit guidance for your business in relation to the information that has been published so far.

The documents will allow your business to prepare for Brexit. Including information on:

• What your business may need to do to prepare for the UK leaving the EU.
• What’s changing in your sector
• Information on specific rules and regulations

HMRC Funding

HMRC has funding available for customs intermediaries, traders and hauliers who complete, or intend to complete, customs declarations following the UK’s exit from the EU. The funding can be used to upskill employees, make IT improvements or hire new employees to manage customs declarations and processes.  The application window is currently open and will close on 31 January 2020, or earlier once all funding is allocated, so businesses are encouraged to apply early.

For more information, please visit the dedicated customs intermediary grant website https://www.customsintermediarygrant.co.uk/ or call the helpline on +44(0)28 9041 5471

Preparing for EU Exit

We will be updated on any changes to customs and VAT procedures if there is no deal, for example:-

• getting a UK Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number
• Transitional Simplified Procedures for customs
• customs facilitations
• moving goods within the EU using the Common Transit Convention
• further controls for exports
• changes to accounting for VAT
• VAT registration checks
• EU VAT refunds

You can also source updated information from here:-

https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/page/brexit/business-brexit-checklist

While some companies are already planning for the challenges and opportunities ahead, Chambers of Commerce believe that all firms – not just those directly and immediately affected – should be undertaking a Brexit ‘health check’, and a broader test of existing business plans.

Time spent thinking through the changes that Brexit may bring to your firm could yield real dividends in future. While the final settlement between the UK and the European Union is still to be negotiated, there are steps that businesses of all sizes can take now to start planning ahead.

The checklist below has been prepared in response BCC survey findings, which suggest that a significant number of firms are either watching and waiting – or taking no action at all. We hope you find it useful as a basis for business planning at both operational and Board level. Below are the key areas in which you should consider possible changes, and resources which can help you plan.

Business is done better together and you don’t have to navigate Brexit alone. Contact your local accredited Chamber of Commerce to find out how your Chamber can support you.

 Employing EU citizens

Changes to areas include movement of people, settled status and qualifications.

Importing, exporting and transporting

Changes to areas include importing or exporting goods, moving goods across borders, haulage permits, customs and tax.

Operating in the EU

Changes to areas if your business operates in the European Union.

Regulation and standards for products and goods

Changes to areas if you sell physical products or goods in the UK.

Businesses can access a tariff calculator which provides information on tariffs and other import measures applied to a given product imported into the EU.

http://madb.europa.eu/madb/euTariffs.htm

GOV‌.UK – The best place for businesses to find information about the UK leaving the EU

HMRC has produced a range of communications resources to help businesses prepare for the possibility of leaving the EU without a deal. This includes:

• Step-by-step guides to importing and exporting
• Guidance for businesses that trade with the EU
• Letters to support EU-only traders
• Key messages on the UK border.

We would like to remind you that all these documents are available on our dedicated GOV.UK communications resources page and are designed to support businesses through this period of change.

We have also issued a Partnership Pack for stakeholders, which contains information for stakeholder groups to share with clients and members.

WITHOUT AN EORI NUMBER YOU WONT BE ABLE TO TRADE WITH THE EU POST BREXIT

The Chancellor announced in August that HMRC is stepping up efforts to ensure businesses are ready to trade post-Brexit by automatically enrolling companies in an important customs system and doubling the numbers registered.

If businesses do not have an EORI number post-Brexit, they will be unable to continue to trade with EU Member States. An EORI number is an Economic Operator Registration and Identification number. An EORI number is a European Union registration and identification number for businesses which undertake the import or export of goods into or out of the EU.

HMRC WILL ALLOCATE EORI NUMBERS TO ALL POSSIBLE TRADERS

As many traders as possible will be automatically allocated an EORI number to enable them to trade smoothly once the UK leaves the EU on 31 October.

Every business will need an EORI number to move goods into or out of the EU after Brexit. HMRC is sending letters to all possible VAT-registered businesses over the next two weeks to advise them of their assigned UK EORI number.

If your business is not VAT-registered, you still need to register for an EORI number. Getting an EORI number is an easy process that takes 5-10 minutes. Get started here http://bit.ly/EORINorth