How much does it cost to import from China to the UK?
Here's a real 40ft-container example, every cost included — not the vague 'it depends' answer you've been getting.
These are your numbers next: swap in your own products and the calculator re-runs every line for your shipment.
Save it as a real shipment →The five costs, in the order you'll pay them
Updated July 2026 · numbers from a real kitchenware shipment
Your supplier invoice, usually FOB — it covers the goods loaded at the Chinese port, nothing after. Typically only 60–65% of what you'll actually spend.
A 40ft container Shanghai → Felixstowe at July 2026 rates, plus marine insurance around 0.4% of cargo value. Air runs 4–6× per kg; courier more again.
Charged on goods + freight + insurance (CIF), at a rate set by each product's HS code — 0% to 12% for most consumer goods. Kitchenware here: 4%.
20% on the duty-inclusive value — tax on tax. If you're VAT registered it's reclaimable — and with postponed VAT accounting (PVA) you can declare it on your VAT return instead of paying it at the border at all.
Customs brokerage (~$385), port-to-warehouse haulage (~$285), plus the quiet ones — inspection, pallets, storage — that round to zero in most spreadsheets.
Common questions
Do I pay VAT on the shipping cost too?expand_more
Yes — import VAT is charged on the customs value (goods + freight + insurance) plus the duty. It's tax on tax. If you're VAT registered you reclaim it — and with postponed VAT accounting (PVA) you don't pay at the border at all; it's declared and recovered on the same VAT return.
Is it cheaper to ship LCL (shared container) for small orders?expand_more
Below roughly 15 m³, usually yes — you pay per cubic metre instead of a flat container rate. Above that the maths flips fast; run both through the calculator to find your crossover.
What paperwork do I actually need?expand_more
Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading as the core set, plus any product-specific certificates. Our free invoice generator produces a customs-ready commercial invoice.
Now run it on your own container.
The example above took four minutes to build — swap in your products and every duty, VAT and freight line recalculates for your shipment.