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Trader Support Service switch: what small firms should do before 20 October

Pen-and-ink illustration of a small business owner checking shipping papers beside parcels and a delivery van, with a small Union Jack

Small businesses using the Trader Support Service (TSS) to move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland have a date to put in the diary. HMRC says a new TSS platform will take over on 20 October 2026. From that date, movements handled through TSS must be submitted on the new platform; the current one will stop accepting new movements.

For a firm that ships only occasionally, this is easy to miss until the next order is ready to leave. The useful preparation is to make sure the right person can access the new service and knows which movements they handle through it.

Who needs to prepare?

The change matters to businesses already registered for TSS, including traders and hauliers using it for relevant goods movements between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. TSS is a free service that can help with customs and safety and security declarations where they are required. HMRC’s service guidance explains who can use it.

HMRC says existing users will be migrated and will not need to register for TSS again. That does not remove the need to complete the new platform’s access steps. If a courier or customs agent handles your declarations, confirm which service they use and who will make the submission. Do not assume every parcel or every business has the same declaration requirement.

Our earlier guide to Northern Ireland goods movement checks covers the wider questions about routes, registrations and goods information. This new deadline is specifically about the TSS platform used to submit movements.

The dates that matter

HMRC says existing TSS users will start receiving invitation emails from 1 October, with instructions to pre-enrol and access a test environment. It is asking them to pre-enrol before 20 October. Movements taking place on or after 20 October must be submitted through the new platform, and the old platform will not accept new ones from that date.

These are platform dates, not a change to the customs rules themselves. HMRC says legal and regulatory obligations remain the same. A small firm should still check the requirements for its actual goods and route, especially if it also uses another intermediary or sends different types of parcels.

Four practical checks

  • Identify the account owner. Work out which colleague receives TSS messages, who can approve account changes and who submits or checks movements. Include a backup person if one employee is usually responsible for all dispatch paperwork.
  • Watch for the invitation. From 1 October, look for HMRC’s instructions and follow the official TSS guidance if you are unsure about a message. Use the GOV.UK service page as a starting point rather than relying on an unexpected link in an email.
  • Update access and details. HMRC says users will need a new password on the new platform and should check their business details and permissions. Ask anyone who submits on your behalf whether their access or workflow also needs updating. HMRC estimates that updating a profile could take roughly five to 30 minutes, depending on the business and the information available.
  • Try the test environment. Once HMRC provides access, have the person who handles real movements familiarise themselves with the new screens. Note where they find shipment information, who reviews it and what they will do if a submission cannot be completed before goods leave.

If you have dispatches around 20 October, agree a cutover plan with the staff member or intermediary responsible. Check which platform is appropriate for the movement date and leave time to resolve account access before a vehicle or order is waiting.

If you need help

HMRC’s TSS guidance lists a contact centre for questions about the new service: 0800 870 8173, open 8am to 5.30pm, seven days a week. Check the current GOV.UK page before calling in case those details change. HMRC says guidance and support will be available during the move.

This week, make a short list of the movements your business currently puts through TSS, confirm who owns the account and put the October dates into the dispatch calendar. When the invitation arrives, complete the access steps and use the test environment. A little preparation now is more useful than discovering an account problem at the point of shipment.

Sources: HMRC’s 22 September announcement and its Trader Support Service guidance, checked on 23 September 2026.

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