£50m to Boost UK Customs Intermediaries

£50m to Boost UK Customs Intermediaries

The Government recognises the challenges facing customs intermediaries in supporting existing and new clients following the UK's departure from the EU. In response, the Customs Grants Scheme has been created to help businesses build capacity and improve efficiency in completing customs declarations.

Customs intermediaries from across the UK can now apply for a share of £50 million of new funding to increase their capacity to make declarations ahead of 2021.

This programme will award the following grants to help meet the upfront costs of employee training and IT improvements.

Recruitment grants of up to £15,000 per new employee or apprentice to cover the associated costs of recruitment and gross direct salary cost.
Training grants giving applicants up to 100% of the cost of training for its employees, up to a limit of £1,550 for each course.
IT Improvements grants providing 100% of the costs relating to IT expenditure to improve the efficiency of making customs declarations.

Applicants must use the funding to cover the recruitment and salary costs of new employees, where the new employee started on or after 12 June 2020, who will help the business complete customs declarations.

Businesses must be established in, or have a branch in the UK when the grant is paid. Applicants can apply for just one of the grants, or all of them.

The scheme closes for applications on 30 June 2021 or earlier if funding is fully allocated.

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