How much can I actually save with a customs consultant?

It depends on your volume, but we often find thousands of pounds in overpaid duty or missed relief opportunities in our first session, and long term will also drastically improve operational efficiency.

Do I still need a consultant if I have a freight forwarder?

Yes. Forwarders move the goods, but they aren't tax advisors. You are legally responsible for the data they submit. We make sure that data is correct.

Is my business too small for customs support?

Never. In fact, small businesses are often the most at risk because they don't have the spare cash to pay for unexpected HMRC bills.

What happens during an HMRC audit?

HMRC will check your records against your actual imports. We help you prepare for this so that your paperwork is flawless and the process is stress-free.

How do I know if I am overpaying on import duty?

We perform a full audit of your past shipments to see if you have missed out on relief schemes or used incorrect codes that led to overpayment.

Do you provide staff training?

Yes, we offer practical training for your team so they can handle daily customs tasks with confidence.

CUSTOMS DECLARATION SERVICE

Your declarations handled. Your compliance protected.

CDS
Fully compliant with HMRC's
Customs Declaration Service
Import & Export
Import, export, and special
procedure entries handled
15+
Years of UK customs
experience in our team

Every shipment crossing the UK border requires an accurate customs declaration, submitted on time, with the correct commodity codes and duty calculations. Readyset is a registered UK customs agent. We handle your import and export entries on CDS from classification to clearance.

Book a free consultation

Most businesses don't realise who is liable when a declaration is wrong.

Your freight forwarder submits the entry. But under HMRC's rules, you, the importer of record, are legally responsible for its accuracy. That means the liability for every incorrect commodity code, every underdeclared value, and every underpaid duty lands on you, not them.

    100%
    legal liability stays with you as importer of record
  
    C18
    HMRC post clearance demand issued when errors are found
  
    4 yrs
    HMRC civil audit window for customs declarations

WHY IT MATTERS

Getting declarations right pays dividends in more ways than one.

Accurate declarations protect you from HMRC penalties, but they also unlock savings your current agent is likely missing. Here is what changes when you work with a specialist.

✅ Compliance confidence

Every entry reviewed before submission. No scramble when HMRC comes calling.

💷 Duty savings identified

We check every entry for applicable reliefs. Many businesses are overpaying without knowing it.

⚡ Faster clearance

Accurate declarations mean fewer queries at the border and more predictable lead times.

📋 Audit ready records

Full declaration records maintained in HMRC compliant format and available on request.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

A complete UK customs declaration service, not just submission.

Most agents file what you give them. We review, classify, calculate, and advise before anything is declared to HMRC.

Import declaration preparation and submission

Full entry preparation and CDS submission for all UK imports. We manage the process from document review to clearance, ensuring accurate data from the outset.

Export declaration preparation and submission

Export entries completed and submitted ahead of movement, correctly coded, correctly valued, and compliant with the Customs Export Procedure.

Commodity code classification and verification

We classify your products against the UK Global Tariff and verify existing codes. Misclassification is one of the most common and costly declaration errors.

Duty and VAT calculation

Correct duty rates applied, preferential tariff rates under UK Free Trade Agreements identified, and duty suspension or deferment applied where legitimate.

Special procedure entries

Experienced in entries under Inward Processing Relief, Customs Warehousing, Temporary Admission and other special procedures, with correct CPC application throughout.

Post clearance amendments and HMRC queries

When HMRC raises a query or an entry needs amending after clearance, we manage the response. Records maintained and produced for audit without the scramble.

Duty relief identification

Every entry reviewed for applicable reliefs, from preferential origin under a trade agreement to suspension under a procedure you have not yet authorised.

Monthly compliance reporting

A monthly summary of all declaration activity: entries filed, duty paid, reliefs applied, and any compliance improvements flagged for your finance team.

HOW IT WORKS

From documents to clearance: our process.

We've kept this as low-friction as possible for your team. You send us the documents. We handle everything from there.

01
You send us the shipment documents
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or airway bill, and any certificates of origin or licences. We accept these via email, secure portal, or directly from your freight forwarder — whichever works best for your operations team.
02
We review, classify and prepare the entry
We check your documents against your customs profile, verify commodity codes, confirm the applicable duty rate and any relief, and prepare the full declaration for CDS. Any queries are raised with you before we proceed, not after.
03
We submit directly on CDS
As your registered customs agent, we submit under your EORI number. You receive confirmation of submission and clearance, along with the entry reference and any duty or VAT amounts due.
04
We maintain your records and report monthly
Every entry is stored in audit ready format. Each month you receive a declarations summary covering total entries, duty paid, reliefs applied and any compliance points flagged for the period.

ENTRY TYPES

All customs entry types handled.

Whether you're importing finished goods, exporting to international buyers, or operating under a special procedure, we handle the entry correctly.

Import entries
→ Standard import declarations (H1)
→ Simplified frontier declarations
→ Supplementary declarations
→ Low value consignment entries
→ Customs warehouse releases
→ Inward processing entries
→ Temporary admission entries
→ End use relief entries
Export entries
→ Standard export declarations (B1)
→ Outward processing entries
→ Re-export declarations
→ Customs warehouse export entries
→ Temporary export entries
→ ATA Carnet support
→ Proof of export documentation
Special procedures
→ Inward Processing Relief (IPR)
→ Customs Warehousing (CW)
→ Temporary Admission (TA)
→ Outward Processing (OP)
→ End use relief
→ Freeport entries
→ CPC management

WHY READYSET

Your freight forwarder files declarations. We protect your compliance.

There are hundreds of customs agents in the UK. The difference with Readyset is the consultancy layer built into everything we do. We don't process entries in bulk at volume. We work with your operations team directly and take responsibility for what we submit.

Readyset brings a consultancy approach to every declaration. We go beyond submission, reviewing your documents, verifying commodity codes, and identifying duty relief opportunities as a standard part of the service, not an afterthought.

We work with businesses across the UK — from manufacturing and life sciences to aerospace and animal health. Wherever you are and whatever you import.

We verify, not just submit
We review your underlying documents and flag inconsistencies before the entry goes to CDS. That is where most errors are caught.
Named contact, not a helpline
You deal with the same person on every shipment. They know your commodity profile, your suppliers and your authorisations.
Independent of your forwarder
You can keep your existing freight arrangements. We take over the customs entry function only, at any volume.
Registered direct representative on CDS
Entries filed correctly and legally under your EORI number, with full audit trails maintained on every declaration.
15+ years UK customs experience
Our team has built customs departments from the ground up, established the first Freeport operation in the North of the UK, and supported clients through HMRC audits directly.

IS THIS RIGHT FOR YOU?

The businesses that benefit most from our declarations service.

Declarations is not a one-size-fits-all service. These are the situations where working with a specialist agent delivers the clearest return.

You are using a freight forwarder and want better compliance control
When declarations are handled by the company moving your freight, speed takes priority over accuracy. Switching your entries to a specialist does not change your logistics but it does give you an independent compliance check on every movement.
You have had an HMRC query, C18 demand or audit and want to get your house in order
We can take over your ongoing entries immediately and, where needed, conduct a retrospective review of historical declarations to identify and correct errors before HMRC finds them first.
Your import volumes are growing and your current setup is not keeping pace
We build a customs profile for your business covering commodity codes, regular suppliers and relief authorisations, so every new shipment is processed against an established framework rather than from scratch.

Not sure if our declarations service is the right fit? Book a free 30 minute consultation and we will give you an honest assessment, including whether a different service might serve you better first. Book a call →

RELATED SERVICES

Customs Declarations work alongside these procedures

The right declaration is just the start. Many of our customs declarations clients also benefit from the following authorisations, which we can apply for and manage on your behalf.

Frequently asked questions about Customs Declarations

No. We operate independently of your logistics and freight arrangements. Your forwarder continues to move the goods and we take over the customs declaration function only. Many of our clients maintain their existing forwarder relationships and simply separate out the compliance and declaration work.
CDS is HMRC's current platform for submitting UK customs declarations. It replaced the older CHIEF system in 2023. All import and export entries must now be submitted through CDS. Readyset is a registered direct representative on the platform and submits on behalf of our clients under their EORI number.
A C18 is a formal demand from HMRC for additional duty and VAT where an error has been identified in a previous declaration. They can be issued up to four years after the original entry in civil cases. If you have received a C18, or are concerned about the accuracy of historical declarations, contact us and we can review your declaration history and help you understand your exposure.
Onboarding is straightforward. We will need your EORI number, a completed authorisation to act as your direct representative, details of your regular suppliers and commodity profile, and any existing customs authorisations such as IPR or Customs Warehousing. For most businesses we can be operational within a few days of receiving these.
Yes. We handle import declarations, export declarations, and all special procedure entry types including Inward Processing Relief, Customs Warehousing, Temporary Admission and others. If your business moves goods in both directions we can manage the full customs entry function.
Most customs agents process declarations at volume with limited time to check the detail. Readyset brings a consultancy approach to every entry — reviewing documents, verifying commodity codes, identifying duty relief opportunities, and flagging anything that could cause a compliance issue before submission. You also get a named contact who knows your account rather than a general inbox.

Have a question not covered here? Book a free consultation and we'll give you a straight answer, no sales pitch, no commitment required.

Book a free consultation

GET STARTED

Ready to get your customs declarations right?

Book a free 30-minute consultation. We'll review your current setup, identify compliance gaps, and give you a clear picture of how we'd work together, with no obligation.

BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION

Or contact us directly: hello@readysetconsultancy.com · 0333 772 4176