Brexit Trade Cost Calculator — UK-EU Tariff & NTB Impact
Estimate how much Brexit adds to a UK-EU trade transaction: enter your trade value and sector to see the import or export duty under the UK Global Trade Tariff, non-tariff barrier costs (regulatory compliance, rules-of-origin checks, border delays) and customs administration overhead.
Product sector
Trade direction
%
Tariff duty + non-tariff barrier costs + customs administration
Cost split
9.5% overheadOriginal trade value
91.3%
Tariff duty
5.9%
Non-tariff barriers
2.3%
Customs admin
0.5%
- 1
Import/export duty (tariff)
1,000,000 × 6.5% ÷ 100 = 65,000 - 2
Non-tariff barrier cost
1,000,000 × 2.5% ÷ 100 = 25,000 - 3
Customs admin cost
1,000,000 × 0.5% ÷ 100 = 5,000 - 4
Total additional Brexit cost
65,000 + 25,000 + 5,000 = 95,000
How does this calculator work?
Post-Brexit UK-EU trade incurs three cost layers: import/export duty at UK Global Trade Tariff MFN rates (0–16% depending on sector), non-tariff barrier costs (2–5%), and customs administration (0.3–1%). Enter your trade value and sector to see the total overhead. Rates shown are 2021 MFN figures and are editable estimates.
Formula
How this is calculated
When the UK left the EU Single Market on 1 January 2021, goods traded between the UK and EU became subject to customs formalities for the first time since the early 1990s. The UK now applies its own Global Trade Tariff (UK GTT) to EU imports at Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rates — except for goods qualifying under the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which secured tariff-free access for goods that meet the rules-of-origin requirements. Where TCA origin rules are met the tariff falls to zero; where they are not, or for service sectors, MFN rates apply. The rates in this calculator are 2021 MFN averages for broad sectors — actual rates depend on the 10-digit commodity code.
Beyond tariffs, non-tariff barriers (NTBs) are a significant cost: customs declarations, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks on food and agri-goods, mutual-recognition gaps for standards and certifications, and rules-of-origin documentation all impose time and money. The Office for Budget Responsibility and academic studies (CEP, NIESR) typically model NTBs at 2–6% of trade value depending on sector. Financial services face the highest NTB burden because EU passporting rights were lost. Customs administration — broker fees, staff time, EXS/import declarations — adds a further 0.3–1% for most shipments.
This calculator sums the three components to give a headline overhead percentage and absolute cost. It is an estimate for planning and modelling purposes. Actual costs vary with commodity codes, rules-of-origin compliance, Incoterms, and the evolving post-Brexit regulatory landscape. Values are shown for both directions (UK importing from EU, or UK exporting to EU) because the tariff is levied by the importing country.
Frequently asked questions
No — goods that meet the rules-of-origin requirements under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) are tariff-free. However, non-qualifying goods and most services face MFN tariffs or non-tariff barriers, and all goods still require customs declarations and may require SPS checks.
Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) are costs beyond import duty: regulatory divergence, customs documentation, phytosanitary checks, lost mutual recognition of standards, and border delays. For sectors like food or financial services they can exceed tariff costs. Studies suggest NTBs add 2–6% to affected goods trade.
No — the Northern Ireland–Republic of Ireland trade route is governed by separate rules under the Windsor Framework (2023). Goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland follow specific arrangements. This tool covers GB-EU mainland trade only.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Brexit Trade Cost Calculator — UK-EU Tariff & NTB Impact [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/brexit-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Brexit Trade Cost Calculator — UK-EU Tariff & NTB Impact." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/brexit-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Brexit Trade Cost Calculator — UK-EU Tariff & NTB Impact," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/brexit-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_brexit_calculator, title = {Brexit Trade Cost Calculator — UK-EU Tariff & NTB Impact}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/brexit-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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