Budget’s alterations to tariffs go further than frames

Tuesday, 22 November 2022 Mark Sutton

During last week’s Autumn budget UK bike industry ears will have pricked up when Chancellor Jeremy Hunt briefly mentioned suspensions of tariffs on bicycle frames, aluminium ones.

Then the line went quiet, other than for the statement “Following applications from business stakeholders, this measure will remove tariffs on over 100 goods for two years to help put downward pressure on costs for UK producers. The measure will remove tariffs as high as 18% on goods ranging from aluminium frames used by UK bicycle manufacturers to ingredients used by UK food producers.”

CyclingIndustry.news has spent the time since asking around to find out more detail and discovered that actually it’s not just tariff alterations on aluminium bicycle frames (in fact the changes do not uniformly apply to all aluminium frames) and in fact there are tariff adjustments on several bike components ranging tyres through brakes.

The changes that are to come into effect from January had a handful of UK lobbyists who made suggestions as part of the first post-Brexit application window.

Now published on the Government website is a full guidance to what’s changed. This won’t be the final opportunity for the bike trade to request reviews, either. A fresh application window will open some time in 2023.

There is of course plenty of small print, notably some specifics on size and weight limitations in respect of one application made by a UK manufacturer of children’s bikes. Items on the list must be put to use solely for the manufacture of bicycles (note the complications that can occur, if for example parts are imported under the guide of bike parts, but end up on eBikes).

The tariffs list and commodity codes in full

SUS_137	8714949011 8714949019	Brake levers: – with a length of 12.65cm or more but not more than 16cm – with a width of 3.2cm or more but not more than 3.5cm – with a depth of 0.9cm or more but not more than 0.95cm – with a weight of 0.089kg or more but not more than 0.095kg for use in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87.
SUS_139	8714963010 8714963090	Left and right Cranks and chain rings of aluminium: – with a length of 8.4cm or more but not more than 27cm – with a width of 1.55cm or more but not more than 16.5cm – with a depth of 3.5mm – with a weight of 0.14kg or more but not more than for use in in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87.
SUS_140	8714911035	Frames of aluminium: – with a length of 45.6cm or more but not more than 110cm – with a width of 21cm or more but not more than 56.5cm – with a depth of 10cm or more but not more than 15cm – with a weight of 0.5kg or more but not more than 2.1kg, for use in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87.
SUS_141	8714911035	Frames of aluminium: – with a length of 45.6cm or more but not more than 110cm – with a width of 21cm or more but not more than 56.5cm – with a depth of 10cm or more but not more than 15cm – with a weight of 0.5kg or more but not more than 2.1kg, for use in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87.
SUS_143	8714913039	Front forks of aluminium with a length of 44.4cm or more but not more than 65.5cm, for use in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87.
SUS_144	8714913089	Rigid front forks of aluminium with a length of 44.4cm or more but not more than 65.5cm, for use in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87.
SUS_145	8714930011 8714930019	Hubs: – with a length of 9cm or more but not more than 14.5cm – with a width of 4.9cm or more but not more than 6.7cm – with a depth of 4.1cm or more but not more than 6.5cm – with a weight of 0.153kg or more but not more than 0.452kg for use in in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87.
SUS_147	8714929000	Spokes: – with a length of 5.3cm or more but not more than 26.5cm, – with a width of 0.1cm – with a depth of 0.1cm – with a weight of 0.001kg, for use in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87.
SUS_151	4011500000	Rubber tyres: – with a length of 25cm or more but not more than 68cm – with a width of 24cm or more but not more than 68cm – with a depth of 4cm or more but not exceeding 5cm – with a weight of 0.29cm or more but not more than 0.87kg, for use in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87.