If you’re arriving in Great Britain — England, Scotland or Wales — from anywhere outside the UK, you’re allowed to bring in a set amount of alcohol, tobacco and other goods without paying any UK tax or duty on them, provided they’re for your own use or as gifts, not for resale. Go over any of these limits and you don’t just pay duty on the excess — you pay it on the entire category. Here’s exactly what the current personal allowance covers, verified against the official GOV.UK guidance, and what happens if you bring in more than it allows.

This is general travel guidance, not customs or legal advice, and allowances can change. Always check the current rules on GOV.UK’s Bringing goods into the UK for personal use page before you travel.

Alcohol Allowance

You can bring in both of the following without paying duty:

• Beer: 42 litres
• Still wine: 18 litres

Plus one of the following:

• Spirits and other liquors over 22% ABV: 4 litres, or
• Fortified wine (port, sherry), sparkling wine and other alcoholic drinks up to 22% ABV: 9 litres

That last allowance can be split between the two categories — for example, 2 litres of spirits and 4.5 litres of fortified wine, each using half your allowance. If you bring in 19 litres of wine, you pay tax and duty on all 19 litres, not just the 1 litre over the limit. There’s no alcohol allowance at all for travellers under 17.

Tobacco Allowance

Unlike alcohol, tobacco allowance is limited to one category only — you can bring in one of the following, not a full amount of each:

• 200 cigarettes, or
• 100 cigarillos, or
• 50 cigars, or
• 250g of tobacco, or
• 200 sticks of tobacco for heated tobacco devices

Like alcohol, this can be split within the category — 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars, for instance, is half of each and stays within the limit. But bringing in 200 cigarettes and 50 cigars means you’ve gone over, and you’ll pay duty on both, not just one. There’s no tobacco allowance for travellers under 17.

Other Goods: The £390 Allowance

Beyond alcohol and tobacco, you can bring in other goods — souvenirs, electronics, perfume, clothing and similar — worth up to £390 without paying duty, reduced to £270 if you’re arriving by private plane or boat rather than a scheduled commercial service. This is a per-person allowance: you can’t pool it with travelling companions to cover one expensive item that exceeds the limit on its own, and you can’t combine several people’s allowances to bring in a single higher-value item.

If You Go Over Your Allowance

The rule that catches people out most is that exceeding an allowance means paying duty and tax on the whole category, not just the amount over the limit. Bring back 43 litres of beer against a 42-litre allowance, and you pay tax on all 43 litres. If your goods do exceed your allowance, you’re required to declare them — either online in advance (from up to 5 days, or 120 hours, before you arrive) or in person at the border on arrival, using the red channel or a red-point phone if there’s no green channel available. Undeclared goods, and potentially the vehicle used to transport them, can be seized.

What You Cannot Bring In At All

Some items are banned outright, regardless of value or personal allowance, and can lead to seizure or prosecution rather than simply a duty bill. These include controlled drugs; offensive weapons such as flick knives and knuckledusters; counterfeit or pirated goods; and indecent or obscene material. Meat and dairy products from outside the EU are also restricted, though small quantities of some animal-derived foods, like honey, may be permitted — check the specific rules for food products before packing them.

One genuine trap worth flagging specifically for US and other non-UK travellers: pepper spray, mace and similar self-defence sprays are classified as prohibited firearms under the Firearms Act 1968 in the UK, not as a permitted personal-safety item. Carrying one, even in checked luggage and even if it’s legal where you live, can lead to confiscation and prosecution. Leave it at home entirely rather than assuming it counts as an ordinary good subject to the £390 allowance.

Northern Ireland Is Different

If your trip includes Northern Ireland rather than only Great Britain, the rules genuinely differ depending on where you’re travelling from. Arriving in Northern Ireland from an EU country, there’s no fixed limit on the alcohol or tobacco you can bring in for personal use — you’re simply more likely to be asked questions by a customs officer above certain indicative levels (for example, 800 cigarettes or 110 litres of beer). Arriving in Northern Ireland from outside the EU, the same personal allowances as Great Britain apply. If your itinerary crosses between Great Britain and Northern Ireland at any point, it’s worth checking GOV.UK’s Northern Ireland-specific guidance directly rather than assuming the Great Britain limits apply throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much alcohol can I bring into the UK duty-free?

You can bring in both 42 litres of beer and 18 litres of still wine, plus either 4 litres of spirits or 9 litres of fortified/sparkling wine (or a split between the two). Exceeding any category means paying duty on all of it, not just the excess.

Can I bring both cigarettes and cigars into the UK?

Only if you split your single tobacco allowance between them — for example, 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars. You cannot bring the full 200-cigarette allowance and the full 50-cigar allowance at the same time; tobacco allowance covers one category, not each separately.

What is the UK’s £390 allowance for?

It covers other goods beyond alcohol and tobacco — souvenirs, electronics, clothing, perfume and similar items — brought in duty-free, reduced to £270 if arriving by private plane or boat. It’s a per-person limit that can’t be pooled with travelling companions.

What happens if I go over my duty-free allowance?

You must declare your goods, either online up to 5 days before arrival or at the border, and you’ll pay duty and import VAT on the entire category you’ve exceeded, not just the amount over the limit. Undeclared goods over the allowance can be seized.

Can I bring pepper spray or mace into the UK?

No. Pepper spray, mace and similar self-defence sprays are classified as prohibited firearms under UK law, regardless of your duty-free allowance. Carrying one can lead to confiscation and prosecution, even if it’s legal in your home country.

For more on planning the practical side of your trip, see our guide to whether you need a visa to visit London or how to prepare for a trip to London more generally. Browse the full Plan Your Trip collection for more, or see our England guide for the wider country beyond London.