Businesses moving goods between Great Britain (GB) and Northern Ireland (NI) need to prepare for an important change to the Trader Support Service (TSS), with the new platform due to become mandatory from 20 October 2026.
The TSS was originally introduced following the UK’s departure from the EU to help businesses manage the customs requirements associated with moving goods between GB and NI. The service continues to support businesses operating under the Windsor Framework, but the platform used to deliver it is now changing.
What is changing?
From 20 October 2026, all new goods movements must be submitted through the new TSS platform. The existing TSS platform will no longer accept new movements from this date.
Existing TSS users are being migrated to the new service and do not need to register again. Businesses should, however, look out for their invitation and instructions and complete the necessary steps to access the new platform before the switchover.
The outgoing platform will remain accessible until 30 November 2026, allowing businesses to deal with outstanding declarations and retrieve information they need. After this date, access will end.
What should businesses do now?
With the switchover approaching, businesses using TSS should:
- Prepare for the new platform before 20 October. Look out for communications containing instructions on accessing and pre-enrolling for the new service.
- Check your business information. Make sure company details, EORI numbers, users, contact details, authorisations and relevant permissions are accurate and up to date.
- Familiarise yourself with the new system. Existing users can access a test environment to become familiar with the platform ahead of the changeover.
- Review outstanding declarations. Any outstanding Supplementary Declarations on the outgoing TSS should be reviewed and closed before access ends.
- Download the information you need. Businesses have until 30 November 2026 to retrieve information from the outgoing TSS portal.
Don’t leave the transition until the last minute
While the underlying customs processes and businesses’ legal and regulatory obligations are not changing, businesses that rely on TSS should make sure they are ready for the new platform ahead of 20 October 2026 to minimise the risk of disruption to movements between GB and NI.
If you are unsure how the changes affect your business, or need support with customs requirements for movements between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, our Indirect Tax team is here to help.
