Shipping to England
Door-to-Door Service
UK Customs Handled
Full & Part Loads
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International Removals to the UK is Simple with Removals.co.uk
Why Choose Us?
We bring household goods into the UK from over 100 countries across Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Asia.
- Full & part load containers worldwide
- Weekly road service across Europe
- Professional packing & wrapping
- Free quotes & home surveys
- Fully insured crews
- Over 25,000 completed moves
Wherever you are moving from, we will get your belongings to the UK safely and on time.
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Living in the UK
The United Kingdom comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and lies to the north-west of mainland Europe. It is a constitutional monarchy, with King Charles III as Head of State. The population is around 69 million, roughly a fifth of whom live in London and its suburbs.
The UK’s geography is varied, from the flat plains of the east to the hills of the Midlands and the rugged fells and mountains of the north. Its economy is weighted heavily towards services, though automotive and aerospace manufacturing remain significant. Since the UK left the European Union following the 2016 referendum, customs formalities apply to household goods arriving from the EU as well as from the rest of the world — paperwork we handle for you as part of every move.
Culturally the UK has been globally influential: football originated here, and writers such as William Shakespeare shaped what is now a global language.
How do I arrange a move to the UK?
Moving to the UK from overseas couldn’t be easier than with the help of Removals.co.uk — your hard work starts and ends with requesting a quote. We handle every detail door-to-door, no matter how big or small the move, so you can concentrate on the more important parts of settling into the UK.
We start by introducing you to your UK removals coordinator, who arranges your move, talks you through the best international removals options for your requirements and makes sure everything runs smoothly. We wrap, pack, load and deliver to the address of your choice, and we complete the customs paperwork and documentation needed for your removal into the UK.
What is included in your removals to the UK service?
Every removal to the UK we have completed has been different from the last, which is why we cater to the individual needs of each client and adapt the move to suit your time and budget.
Over the years we have refined the menu of services your move coordinator will explain in greater detail:
- A dedicated moving coordinator to organise your international removal to the UK
- Professional wrapping and packing in robust, industry-approved materials
- Items loaded into a shipping container and shipped to the UK
- Goods cleared through UK customs, delivered to your address and unpacked
- Customs clearance, freight charges, terminal fees, removal costs and insurance
How much do removals to the UK cost?
Moving internationally doesn’t come cheap, so Removals.co.uk aims to keep the cost of your move to the UK as affordable as possible. Whether you are sending a studio flat, a terraced house, a five-bed detached or an office, we have options to suit all budgets and cargo.
A part load lets you ship your goods to the UK inside a shared shipping container, and you are charged only for the space they occupy. This is the ideal choice for one-bed apartments and smaller homes. If you are shipping a whole office or a larger home, you can take a 20ft or 40ft container of your own and fill it as you wish.
Where you are shipping from, and your final destination in the UK, both affect the price — but your dedicated move coordinator will give you an itemised quote before you agree to anything.
What can I ship to the UK?
Removals.co.uk brings household and commercial consignments into the UK from more than 100 countries. We handle shipping cartons, crates, containers, cargo and household furniture of every kind — from a handful of boxes to the contents of a five-bedroom home. Whatever you need to bring to the UK, we are the international removal company for you.
What are the shipping methods for removals to the UK?
Removals to the UK via Air Freight
If you need your belongings in the UK in a hurry, air freight is the quickest way to move your possessions internationally. It is highly convenient, but it comes with a higher price tag. Your quote is calculated on the weight of the consignment, which makes it less economical for larger loads such as a full house move.
If you are sending a one-bedroom flat, a few boxes of clothes or a handful of furniture items to the UK and you need them urgently, air freight is an excellent option. Many customers combine the two methods — sending priority items by air and everything else by sea in a 20ft or 40ft container to keep costs down.
What happens on arrival also affects the price. You can collect your goods from the airport yourself, or have our teams deliver them to your new home anywhere in the UK.
Removals to the UK via Road Freight
Road freight is one of our most popular house removal methods to Europe, in particular for Removals to the UK. European removals road freight is a faster option than sea freight, far more economical than air freight and it can be used for removal consignments of all sizes to Europe. Whether you need to send a few boxes, bulky furniture pieces or your whole house removal to the UK – Removal road freight is suitable.
There are two removal road freight options that removal companies offer for Removals to the UK, a shared service or dedicated removal service to suit your needs and house size. Our shared house removal service provides flexibility to choose a collection window to suit you. However, because you will be sharing a moving van, your Removals to the UK will not begin its journey until the removal company van or truck is full. This is a cost-effective option as you will only pay for the space your household goods consume.
Our dedicated international removal service gives you total freedom to choose your exact moving date and time and you will pay for and receive a sole use removals truck to fill how you wish. This is a common road freight method for those moving larger homes, furniture items, boxes, vehicles and office spaces.
Our hard working removal teams and dedication means we are now proud partners of a number of worldwide shipping and house removal company organisations. Therefore, when you choose road freight for Removals to the UK, you will receive the same attentive and superior service as you would when moving house in the UK.
Removals to the UK via Sea Freight
For removals to the UK, sea freight is one of the most popular transport methods thanks to its cost-effectiveness and convenience. Shipping by sea can be a slow process, so we advise allowing ample time for delivery.
A shared container load is the ideal choice if you have a small consignment such as a one-bedroom flat, a studio apartment or a small office. Your goods are wrapped, packed and loaded into a shared 20ft or 40ft container bound for the UK, and you pay only for the space they occupy.
A dedicated container — 20ft or 40ft — is the recommended option if you are sending an entire home or a large commercial office. A 20ft container fits a three-bedroom home comfortably; a 40ft gives enough space to include a vehicle alongside your household goods.
We move goods into the UK from more than 200 origins worldwide, with Australia, Canada, the USA, South Africa, Hong Kong, Dubai, Spain, Greece and Cyprus among the most common. Through our partnerships with global shipping organisations, your belongings are delivered to the address of your choice anywhere in the UK by a team committed to a premium door-to-door service.
Why choose Removals.co.uk for your move to the UK?
- A dedicated move coordinator to keep the process simple and answer your questions
- Free, no-obligation quotes and home surveys
- Price match service, although we’re confident in our UK removal costs
- All-inclusive packing, shipping and delivery so you don’t lift a finger
- UK customs clearance and ToR relief paperwork handled for you
If you think we might be a little biased, read the feedback we receive from past clients in our reviews.
FAQs
What documents do I need for removals to the UK?
Make sure you have these ready before your goods sail:
ToR1 application — Transfer of Residence relief, applied for through HMRC before your goods arrive
Passport copy — photo and signature pages
Proof of UK address — tenancy agreement, mortgage or utility bill (no PO boxes)
Proof of overseas residence — showing you lived outside the UK for at least 12 months
Inventory list — detailed, valued and in English
Visa or BRP — if you are not a UK or Irish citizen
How does UK customs and Transfer of Residence relief work?
Household goods can enter the UK free of duty and VAT under Transfer of Residence relief. To qualify:
12-month rule — you must have lived outside the UK for at least 12 consecutive months
6-month rule — you must have owned and used the goods for at least six months before shipping
Apply before arrival — HMRC issues a unique reference number that must be quoted on the customs entry
12-month restriction — goods cannot be sold or lent out for 12 months after import
Without ToR — duty and 20% VAT become payable on the value of your shipment
Your move coordinator prepares and submits the ToR1 for you as part of the service.
Can I bring a vehicle or pet to the UK?
Bringing more than just boxes? Here is what else you need:
Vehicles — must be declared on a NOVA notification within 14 days of arrival, then registered with the DVLA and given an MOT before use
Vehicle duty — waived under ToR if you have owned and used the vehicle for at least six months
Pets — need a microchip, rabies vaccination and an animal health certificate or pet passport; they must travel with an approved carrier on an approved route
Plants and seeds — most need a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin
Hazardous goods — paints, aerosols, gas bottles and fuel cannot be shipped
What items cannot be brought into the UK?
These items are restricted or prohibited in the UK:
Alcohol and tobacco — not covered by ToR relief; duty and VAT apply
Meat, dairy and other animal products — banned from outside the EU
Weapons and firearms — strict licensing; replicas and certain knives are prohibited outright
Offensive weapons — flick knives, knuckledusters, pepper spray and stun guns
Endangered species — ivory, coral and some hardwoods are controlled under CITES
Counterfeit goods — seized and destroyed at the border