Common User Charge (CUC) invoices will be issued from 22:00 on 5 August!
Common User Charge (CUC) invoices will be issued from 22:00 on 5 August!.
Companies that imported sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) goods on or after 30 April 2024 and that were eligible for inspection at the Sevington Border Control Post (BCP) will receive their first digital CUC invoice by email on 5 August from 10pm from Shared Services Connected Limited (SSCL).
The first digital invoices will be issued by SSCL from 10pm on 5 August for charges incurred between 30 April 2024 (the date of introduction of the new SPS controls under the UK Border Target Operational Model (BTOM)) and 31 July 2024. Subsequent digital invoices will be issued and emailed monthly in arrears covering typical user charges for the previous month.
Organisations will receive invoices from the email address O2C.mail@gov.sscl.com with the message title 'Defra invoice'.Shared Services Connected Limited (SSCL) will manage CUC's billing, payment and payment recovery processes on behalf of Defra.
The invoice states that payment is due "IMMEDIATELY". You are encouraged to pay immediately as fees are charged in arrears. However, bill payers, including agents acting on behalf of businesses, will have up to 30 days from the date on the invoice to pay normal usage charges. Payment for invoices dated 5 August will be due by 4 September 2024.
Detailed and up-to-date guidance on CUC, including how to set up payments and how to pay a CUC invoice, is available on GOV.UK.
From 9am on 6 August, the SSCL should be the first point of contact for any queries relating to CUC invoices, including queries about the amount that companies have been charged and their ability to pay on time. Details of how to contact the SSCL will be included on the invoice.
Webinar on CUC invoicing and compliance
13 August Defra Stakeholder Engagement and Readiness Team will host a CUC webinar. The webinar will cover:
- invoices and the information contained therein
- how to set up payments
- ways of paying the invoice
- who to contact in the event of queries about invoices or payment problems
Register for a webinar on invoicing and CUC compliance.
Link to registration:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/common-user-charge-invoicing-and-compliance-tickets-948854307777
