Taking cash in and out of the UK
Dear Mr. Bassie,
HOW MUCH cash am I allowed to take in or out of the United Kingdom when travelling? Any insight would be appreciated.
MB
Dear MB,
Persons must declare cash of £10,000 or more to United Kingdom (UK) Customs if carrying it between Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) and a country outside of the UK.
If persons are travelling as a family or group with more than £10,000 in total (even if individuals are carrying less than that), they are still required to make a declaration. However, if travelling to Northern Ireland and carrying more than €10,000 (or equivalent), persons must follow the rules for taking cash into Northern Ireland. Please note that the earliest that a declaration can be made is 72 hours before persons plan to travel.
TAKING CASH IN AND OUT OF NORTHERN IRELAND
Persons must declare cash of €10,000 or more if they are taking it between Northern Ireland and any non-EU country.
They must also declare cash of €10,000 or more if they are arriving in Northern Ireland from Great Britain. Persons do not need to declare any amount of cash when travelling the other way, from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.
If travelling as a family or group with more than €10,000 in total (even if individuals are carrying less than that), persons will still need to make a declaration.The Customs authorities may ask persons to fill in a cash disclosure form if persons send cash by freight, post, or parcel between Northern Ireland and any non-EU country. This includes if they send cash from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Types of cash to be declared
Persons must declare:
• notes and coins
• bearer bonds
• travellers’ cheques
• Cheques (including travellers’ cheques) that are signed but not made out to a person or organisation
If carrying cash in or out of Northern Ireland, persons must also declare:
• money orders
• gold coins, bullion or nuggets
• prepaid cards
WHAT IS NEEDED TO MAKE A DECLARATION
Persons will need to give details of who is carrying the cash, the owner of it and the recipient of it - including passport or ID document number, and address. They will also need details of the journey with any countries they pass through in transit, including flight numbers or ferry routes.
Persons will need to provide the amount and type of cash being carried; the source of the cash - the country it came from and how it was generated (for example, through earnings or sales.) In addition, they will be required to state how the cash will be used.
How to declare cash
If leaving the UK, persons must declare cash before they leave the country and if going to the UK persons can declare cash before they travel or as soon as they arrive in the UK.
DECLARING CASH BEFORE TRAVEL
Persons can declare online for
• cash you are carrying between Great Britain and any other country.
• cash you are carrying between Northern Ireland and a non-EU country.
• cash you are carrying from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Please be aware that if persons cannot use the online service, they may make their declaration over the phone. See below. Customer Service Group Telephone: 0300 322 9434 Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
DECLARING ON ARRIVAL IN THE UK
At UK Customs, persons should follow ‘Goods to declare’ or ‘Red Channel’ signs and tell a Border Force officer that they want to declare cash. Please note they may have to use a courtesy phone. Persons may be given a paper form to fill in or take the declaration themselves.
If there is no way to make a declaration at the port or airport on arrival, persons are advised to call 0300 322 9434 and make their declaration over the phone.
PENALTIES
Please be aware that if persons do not declare cash that they should have, all the cash they are carrying may be seized by a Border Force officer. In addition, they may have to pay a penalty of up to £5,000 to get it back. This can be taken from the cash before the balance is returned.
Any cash can be seized if customs authorities have reasonable grounds to suspect a crime. They can keep the cash for 48 hours - after that they will need a court order.
HOW TO APPEAL A PENALTY
Persons can write to the Fraud Investigation Service if they disagree with a penalty. They must state why they disagree with the decision that they have been given.
Please note that persons have 30 days to appeal from the date of the penalty notice. The appeal should be sent to:
Fraud Investigation Service FIS POC Operations - Cash Declaration Penalty Team S0079
Newcastle
NE98 1ZZ
All the best.
John S. Bassie is a barrister/attorneyat-Law who practises law in Jamaica. He is a Justice of the Peace, a Supreme Court-appointed mediator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a Chartered Arbitrator, the past global president of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (U.K.). Email: lawbassie@yahoo.com