When the UK left the European Union on 1st January 2021 it brought about a new set of tax and customs rules for businesses that trade goods or services across EU borders.
As a result, the Government announced an SME Brexit Support Fund – a new grant that established businesses in the UK can use for training or professional advice worth up to £2,000.
What is the grant for?
Businesses can apply for up to £2,000 in total through two types of grants:
Grant for Training: The grants can be used to provide training on the following:
-How to complete customs declarations
-How to manage customs processes and use customs software and systems
-Specific import and export related aspects including VAT, excise and rules of origin
Grant for Professional Advice: The grant can be used to get professional advice, so your business can meet its customs, excise, import VAT or safety and security declaration requirements.
Who is it for?
The grant is aimed as businesses that have been established in the UK for at least 12 months (or hold authorised economic operator status). The business must have no more than 500 employees and a turnover less than £100m.
The business must already or intend to import or export declarations internally for its own goods. If the business uses someone else to undertake that process on their behalf the grant could be used for advice around the supply chain.
Due to the focus of the grant being Brexit training and advice, it is limited to businesses that only import or export between Great Britain and the EU or move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This means businesses that import and export around the world to non-EU countries will not be entitled to the grant, regardless on the impact of Brexit.
If a business has previously not met tax or customs obligations, they will not be eligible.
Deadline
Businesses have until 30th June to submit a claim for the grant. However, £20m was initially promised for this fund and HMRC have said that if all the funding has been allocated sooner than the deadline, they will close the application process.
Use this link below fi you wish to apply: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/grants-to-help-small-and-medium-sized-businesses-new-to-importing-or-exporting