Brexit: House movers to NI may need customs declaration

People moving house from GB to Northern Ireland now need, in some circumstances, a customs declaration for their possessions.

The change is a result of the new Irish Sea border. A customs declaration is needed if you are using a removal company.

If you are personally moving your possessions, for example in your car, a declaration is not needed.

Northern Ireland is continuing to enforce EU customs rules at its ports.

This is as a result of its specific Brexit deal, known as the Northern Ireland Protocol.

That means there are new processes for bringing goods into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

• Five steps that led to an Irish Sea border

• IT systems for post-Brexit trade 'up and running'

• 'Problems' in week one of post-Brexit GB-NI trade

The government published guidance on house moves on Friday.

It states that If you are using a removal company or someone else to move your belongings, they need to register for the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS).

It is the IT system that generates the permission for goods to move across the Irish Sea.

The advice also suggests removal companies should sign up to the Trader Support Service (TSS).

The TSS is a free system that can be used to complete the customs declaration.

There are no new processes for people moving from Northern Ireland to GB.

The most recent official figures, from the NI Statistics and Research Agency, suggest that 11,400 people moved to live in Northern Ireland from elsewhere in the UK in the year to June 2019.