How to sell to customers in United Kingdom

How people pay online

• Cards, used directly or through mobile wallets, remain the main way people in the UK pay online, alongside buy now, pay later, PayPal and new Pay by Bank services. 1
• Debit cards were used for 54% of all payments in the UK in 2025, 26.6 billion payments. 1
• 80% of UK adults bought goods or services online in 2025, and 22% used buy now, pay later at least once. 1

Taking payments from abroad

• Stripe accounts in the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland and most EEA countries can accept Pay by Bank from customers with UK bank accounts, charged in GBP (0.50 to 10,000 GBP by default). 2
• Through Stripe, Klarna is available to UK customers in GBP only when the seller's Stripe account is in the UK, the EEA or Switzerland; businesses elsewhere can only use Klarna with customers in their own country. 3

Import tax and duty on parcels

• Goods in consignments of £135 or less sold directly to customers in Great Britain have UK supply VAT charged at the point of sale, while consignments over £135 follow normal import VAT and customs rules. 4
• No customs duty is charged on non-excise goods worth £135 or less sent to Great Britain. 5
• The UK standard VAT rate is 20% and applies to most goods and services. 6
• The UK government has decided to remove customs duty relief on low-value imports, with the new arrangements starting by March 2029 at the latest and sellers made responsible for paying the duty. 7

Where to reach buyers

• YouTube reached 94% of UK online adults (46.3 million) and Facebook or Messenger 93% (45.9 million) in May 2025. 8
• Instagram reached 78% of UK online adults (38.5 million) and TikTok 56% (27.3 million) in May 2025. 8
• Facebook ads could reach 38.8 million people in the UK in late 2025 (55.6% of the population), Instagram ads 35.5 million (50.9%) and Snapchat ads 23.9 million (34.3%). 9

Marketplaces

• Amazon's sites and apps were visited by 90% of UK online adults in May 2025, making it one of the five most used online services in the UK. 8

Common questions

1. How do people in United Kingdom pay online?

   Cards, used directly or through mobile wallets, remain the main way people in the UK pay online, alongside buy now, pay later, PayPal and new Pay by Bank services. More on payments

2. Can a business outside United Kingdom accept the payment methods people there use?

   Stripe accounts in the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland and most EEA countries can accept Pay by Bank from customers with UK bank accounts, charged in GBP (0.50 to 10,000 GBP by default). More on taking payments

3. Do customers in United Kingdom pay import tax or duty on goods bought from abroad?

   Goods in consignments of £135 or less sold directly to customers in Great Britain have UK supply VAT charged at the point of sale, while consignments over £135 follow normal import VAT and customs rules. More on import tax

4. Where should a business advertise to reach buyers in United Kingdom?

   YouTube reached 94% of UK online adults (46.3 million) and Facebook or Messenger 93% (45.9 million) in May 2025. More on ads

5. Which online marketplaces are biggest in United Kingdom?

   Amazon's sites and apps were visited by 90% of UK online adults in May 2025, making it one of the five most used online services in the UK. More on marketplaces