The Common User Charge (CUC) is a mandatory Defra fee for each commodity line in a CHED for SPS goods entering Great Britain via Dover or Eurotunnel: £29 on imports (£10 for low risk animal products and transits). It is paid, as a rule, by the party that submits the notification in IPAFFS (or by the party agreed with the agent), even if the goods are not selected for inspection.
Contents
Since 30 April 2024, every consignment of goods subject to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls entering the United Kingdom via the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel has been subject to a mandatory government fee — the Common User Charge (CUC). The charge is collected by Defra to cover the operating costs of the government Border Control Post (BCP) at Sevington. It applies to importers, freight forwarders and customs agents handling POAO goods, certain plants, and high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin.
What the Common User Charge is and why it was introduced
As part of delivering the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), the UK rolled out full SPS controls for imports from the EU from spring 2024. The government operates the BCP at Sevington (Kent), through which consignments routed for control from Dover and Eurotunnel are directed. The estimated operating costs of Sevington (£23.06 million for 30 April 2024 to 29 April 2025) are covered by the CUC. Sevington is shared ("common user") infrastructure — hence the name. Rates are set by Defra annually.
Who the charge applies to
The CUC covers only goods entering the UK via Dover and Eurotunnel. Other ports (Portsmouth, Harwich, Tilbury) set their own BCP charges — the CUC does not apply to them. The following are subject to the charge:
- Products of Animal Origin (POAO) — imports and transits
- High- and medium-risk A plants — imports
- High-risk food/feed of non-animal origin (HRFNAO) — imports
Common User Charge rates
Charged per commodity line on a single CHED (Common Health Entry Document), regardless of whether a physical inspection took place.
| Goods category | Movement type | Rate per line |
|---|---|---|
| POAO — low risk | Import | £10 |
| POAO — medium/high risk | Import | £29 |
| POAO — all | Transit | £10 |
| Plants — low risk / medium B | Import | No charge |
| Plants — medium A / high risk | Import | £29 |
| Plants — all | Transit | No charge |
| HRFNAO | Import | £29 |
| HRFNAO | Transit | No charge |
Caps (maximum charge per CHED)
- Max. for a medium/high-risk CHED: £145 (5 × £29)
- Max. for a low-risk POAO CHED and transits: £50 (5 × £10)
If a CHED contains goods with different risk levels, the highest-risk rate is applied to all lines.
Note: These rates match the GOV.UK page (last updated 7 May 2025). Defra reviews actual operating costs each year and may adjust rates, and that page does not confirm 2025/26 rates – before you calculate costs, check the current rates on GOV.UK. VAT is not added to the CUC.
Who is liable to pay
If you raise the notification yourself in IPAFFS, you are responsible for the charge and give your own billing details. Billing details (postal address, email, phone number) are entered in the first IPAFFS notification and become the default for later ones. If you use an agent, agree who raises the notification to avoid duplication and being charged twice.
- Animal products and HRFNAO: the importer and agent agree who pays. If the agent pays, they enter their own billing details; if the importer pays, the agent enters the importer's details, with the importer's permission.
- Plants: where a Delegation of Authority has been granted, the agent enters the importer's billing details in the notification, with the importer's permission.
- An agent handling several importers and using their own billing details pays the CUC for all of those notifications; using one importer's details could make that importer liable for notifications raised for others.
If incorrect billing details are used, Defra recovers the charges from the correct party. Not receiving an invoice is not a reason for not paying.
Invoicing and payment
Invoices are managed on behalf of Defra by Shared Services Connected Ltd (SSCL), which sends them from the domain @gov.sscl.com to the email address given in the billing details.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Monthly, for the previous month |
| Payment deadline | 30 days from the invoice date (even though the invoice says “immediately”) |
| Methods | Online payment, BACS transfer, phone (card), cheque |
How the CUC affects the cost of importing from the EU
The CUC is a fixed cost on every SPS consignment via Dover/Eurotunnel. Example: a consignment of medium risk animal products with a CHED containing 3 lines = 3 × £29 = £87. A maximum of 5 lines per CHED is charged, so the cap is £145. The CUC is separate from duty, Postponed VAT Accounting and port charges; separate charges for SPS checks (document, identity and physical) may also be levied by APHA or Ashford Port Health. Factor all of this into your landed-cost calculation. Wider context: when do goods need IPAFFS and exporting food to the UK.
How we can help
We help with UK–PL import and export clearances, including IPAFFS notifications for SPS goods, setting up CUC billing details and landed-cost calculations. Get in touch before your consignment reaches Dover.
Sources
- Common user charge: rates, eligibility and invoices — GOV.UK
- Border control posts and charges — GOV.UK
- Sevington BCP: estimated operating costs 2024 to 2025 — GOV.UK
Frequently asked questions
Does the CUC apply to every import from the EU into the UK?
No. It applies to commercial consignments of animal products, high risk food and feed of non-animal origin, and high and medium risk A plants that move through the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel. Other ports have their own BCP charges.
Is it always payable, even without a physical inspection?
Yes. The charge is due when the goods are eligible for SPS checks at Sevington, even if the authorities do not select them for checks. It is charged per commodity line in a CHED.
What is the maximum charge for one CHED?
A maximum of 5 commodity lines per CHED is charged: up to £145 for medium and high risk (5 × £29) and up to £50 for low risk animal products and transits (5 × £10).
Will the rates go up?
Defra reviews actual costs at the end of each year and may adjust the rates. The GOV.UK page, last updated on 7 May 2025, had not yet confirmed 2025/26 rates, so check the current position before you calculate.
How do you set up billing so the invoice goes to the importer?
The agent enters the importer's billing details in the IPAFFS notification, but must have the importer's permission (for plants, under a Delegation of Authority). Agree this before the first notification is raised.
Related guides
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