The UK is Ireland's most common removal destination. Over half a million Irish-born people live in Britain, and AMC has been doing this route weekly for over 25 years.
What changed with Brexit is the paperwork. Irish people still travel freely between Ireland and the UK under the Common Travel Area with no visa, no work permit, no border check. But goods now cross a customs boundary, and the Transfer of Residence process needs to be done correctly or your shipment can be held. AMC handles all of that in-house.
The UK is large and its cities are genuinely different from each other. Where you land affects your cost of living, your commute, your industry access, and how long the adjustment takes.
The default destination, and the most demanding. London has the largest Irish community in Britain, the most direct flight connections, the most diverse job market, and the highest rents in the country. A one-bedroom apartment in Zone 2 (Zone 1 is central, Zone 6 is outer) runs £1,800-2,400/month. Transport costs, food, and services are all noticeably more expensive than anywhere else in the UK.
The London Irish community is large enough that you can find your feet quickly. There are Irish pubs, GAA clubs, Irish community networks, and Irish-founded professional associations in every part of the city. For career-first movers, London's job market depth in finance, tech, media, law, and professional services is hard to match anywhere else.
Consistently the most popular UK destination for Irish people after London, and increasingly so. Manchester has a large and established Irish community (Irish immigration to Manchester dates back centuries), a growing tech and digital sector, strong creative and media industries, and rents that are roughly half of London's. A comparable apartment costs £1,000-1,400/month in the city centre.
The city is also genuinely good for sport and nightlife in a way that London, despite its size, sometimes isn't. Many Irish people who've lived in both cities say Manchester is the better quality of life for anyone not specifically tied to London for career reasons.
The UK's second-largest city by population, and one of the youngest demographically in Europe. Birmingham has a large Irish community (particularly in Digbeth, Handsworth, and Sparkhill historically), a growing professional services and tech sector, and significantly lower costs than London or even Manchester. It's often underrated on first impression and overperforms on quality of life once you're there.
Direct trains to London Euston run every 45 minutes. Birmingham works well for people who need London access but can't justify London rent.
Scotland's capital and a genuinely beautiful city. Edinburgh has a strong financial services sector, a growing tech scene, a major tourism industry, and one of the UK's better quality-of-life ratings across most metrics. The Irish community in Scotland is historically large, particularly in the west (Glasgow) but well-established in Edinburgh too. Rents are lower than London and increasingly lower than Manchester.
The main caveat: the housing market in Edinburgh is competitive. New supply hasn't kept pace with demand, and finding a flat in desirable areas (Marchmont, Bruntsfield, Leith) can involve competitive offers over the asking price, much like Dublin.
More affordable than Edinburgh, bigger, and with a stronger Irish cultural presence. Glasgow's economy is built around finance, manufacturing, maritime, and a growing creative and tech sector. The city has been in the middle of a long regeneration and its centre is significantly more vibrant than it was 20 years ago. Rents in good areas run £900-1,300/month for a two-bedroom flat. Glasgow people are genuinely friendly & the reputation is accurate.
An increasingly popular destination for Irish people who want southern England without London prices. Bristol has a strong creative, tech, and aerospace sector (Airbus has a major facility nearby in Filton), good access to the countryside and coast, and a city culture that consistently ranks high in UK quality-of-life surveys. Direct flights from Dublin. Rents sit between Manchester and London.
The financial and legal capital of Yorkshire, and one of the UK's fastest-growing cities. Leeds has a significant financial services sector (HSBC, various banks and insurance companies have large operations there), a strong university presence, and rents that are noticeably cheaper than London or Bristol. It's underrepresented in the Irish destination conversation but worth looking at for anyone working in financial services, law, or professional services who isn't fixed to a specific city.
Ireland to the UK is one of the most established and well-served removal routes in Europe. AMC runs weekly departures. Here's how it works.
Dublin to Holyhead (Stena Line, Irish Ferries) is the busiest and fastest crossing, around 3.5 hours. Most truck traffic uses this route for deliveries across England and Wales. Holyhead puts you on the A55 into northern Wales and the motorway network toward Manchester, Birmingham, and London.
Rosslare to Pembroke (Irish Ferries) and Rosslare to Fishguard (Stena Line) serve moves to south Wales, the west of England, and Bristol. The crossing takes around 4 hours.
For Scotland, goods typically travel via Dublin-Holyhead and then north on the M6/M74. Direct Belfast services from Dublin and Larne are available for Northern Ireland moves.
Your shipment shares a truck with other customers heading the same direction. Collected in Ireland, consolidated at AMC's Naas depot, and delivered to your UK door. For studio flats, one or two-bedroom apartments, or anyone not moving a full house, groupage is the standard option.
Timeline: 3-5 days from collection. The UK is AMC's most frequent route. Routine departures mean you don't wait long for a groupage slot.
Your own vehicle, your own load. Right for 3-bedroom houses or larger, or when your move date is fixed and you need certainty on timing. Typically 2-4 days door-to-door. More expensive but precise.
For very large moves where sea freight makes sense. Direct sailing from Dublin or Rosslare to Liverpool or Felixstowe. Transit time is longer than the ferry route but allows for more volume and optional port storage at the UK end. Useful when your UK address isn't ready and you need a holding solution.
This section is worth reading fully before your move. It's the part most people don't understand until it causes a delay.
The Common Travel Area means Irish and British citizens move freely between Ireland and the UK with no border checks. That applies to people. It doesn't apply to goods.
Since Brexit, household goods crossing the Irish Sea are crossing a customs frontier. Ireland is in the EU customs territory. Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) is not. Northern Ireland has a separate arrangement under the Windsor Framework and remains more aligned with the EU for goods. Moving to Northern Ireland is considerably simpler from a customs perspective.
For moves to Great Britain, the mechanism that keeps your belongings duty-free and VAT-free is called Transfer of Residence Relief (ToR1).
Personal effects, household goods, and items for your private use are imported free of UK customs duty and VAT under ToR1 relief, provided you meet the conditions.
The conditions are:
New items, items still in original packaging, commercially purchased goods, and vehicles don't qualify under ToR1.
The ToR1 application process
Your ToR1 application is submitted online to HMRC before your goods arrive in the UK. AMC's customs team handles this as part of the move, we prepare the application, compile the supporting documents, and submit on your behalf. You don't need to navigate HMRC directly.
What we need from you to file the ToR1:
Once HMRC approves the application, we receive the customs authority reference and your goods clear the border without duty.
Goods arrive at the UK border without the right customs entry: they're held. The release process takes days and sometimes longer, depending on the severity of the error. AMC has processed hundreds of ToR1 applications. We know the documentation requirements and the specific formats HMRC expects. Getting this right is why you use a customs-experienced removal company rather than a general courier.
Alcohol and tobacco
These are subject to UK excise duty regardless of ToR1 relief. If your shipment includes a wine collection or significant spirits, they need to be declared separately and duty is assessed. Don't pack them in with general household goods and hope for the best.
Moving your car to the UK is manageable but involves several steps. Here's the sequence.
Within 14 days of your vehicle arriving in the UK, you must notify DVLA of its arrival by completing a NOVA notification at vehicleenquiries.service.gov.uk. This is an online process. NOVA doesn't mean you've registered the car. It notifies DVLA the vehicle exists on UK roads. You'll receive a NOVA certificate, which you'll need for the next step.
If your car is more than 3 years old, it needs a valid MOT to be driven and registered in the UK. A current NCT certificate from Ireland is not accepted as an equivalent. You need a UK MOT. Book this at any MOT-approved garage. Cost: around £50-60. If your car passes, the MOT certificate is issued on the day.
After NOVA and MOT, you pay VED (road tax) to register the vehicle for UK roads. The amount depends on the car's CO2 emissions. For most modern petrol or diesel family cars, VED runs £180-400/year. Electric vehicles are currently exempt. Pay online at gov.uk/tax-your-vehicle using the NOVA certificate and MOT certificate.
Apply to DVLA for UK registration using form V55/5 (for used vehicles imported from outside the UK). Bring the V55/5, your Irish vehicle registration (V5C equivalent), NOVA certificate, MOT certificate, proof of your UK address, and your UK insurance certificate. You receive a UK registration number and can get UK plates made up at any sign shop.
Your Irish car insurance policy is not valid for long-term UK residency. Contact your insurer before you move. Most Irish insurers provide 30-60 days extension cover for UK use during a move, but you need a UK policy established as soon as possible after arriving. Irish no-claims bonus is accepted by most UK insurers.
Your Irish licence is valid in the UK and can be used indefinitely. There's no legal requirement to exchange it for a UK licence. That said, some UK insurers charge higher premiums for non-UK licences. Worth comparing quotes with and without the exchange.
AMC can transport your vehicle with your household goods or separately. We provide guidance on the DVLA process and can recommend NOVA agents if needed.
The Common Travel Area covers people, not pets. Since the UK left the EU pet travel scheme, the requirements for moving animals from Ireland (EU) to Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) changed.
What your dog or cat needs for Great Britain:
Ireland is on the UK's approved pet travel list, so there's no quarantine for correctly documented pets.
Important: the AHC is single-use. Each trip to Great Britain requires a new certificate from an official vet. Keep this in mind if you plan to travel back and forth with your pet during the move period.
Northern Ireland follows EU pet travel rules under the Windsor Framework. Travel from Ireland to Northern Ireland with an EU pet passport still works as it did before Brexit. If you're moving to Northern Ireland specifically, the process is considerably simpler.
AMC doesn't transport live animals but can point you toward specialist pet relocation services on the Ireland-UK route.
The UK equivalent of your PPS number. You need it for employment, benefits, and the tax system. Apply through the UK government website (gov.uk). Applications are handled via the Department for Work and Pensions. The process involves an online application and sometimes a phone call to verify your details. Processing takes 2-4 weeks; you can work while waiting as long as you've applied.
NHS GP registration is free and available to all UK residents. Find your nearest NHS GP practice at nhs.uk/service-search and register in person. Bring photo ID and proof of your UK address. You don't need a referral from a previous doctor or any Irish medical records to register, though sharing your medical history helps your new GP understand your background.
Most UK banks require proof of UK address and identity. The address requirement can be tricky in the first weeks before you have utility bills in your name. Monzo, Starling, and other neobanks are easier to open with just a passport and UK address, and many Irish people use these as a bridging account while establishing their UK banking history. Once you have payslips or a UK utility bill, mainstream banks (Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC, NatWest) open accounts quickly.
Every property in the UK (outside Northern Ireland, which has rates) pays Council Tax, a local authority charge covering local services. Once you're in your property, contact your local council to set up your account. Single occupants get a 25% discount. Students are exempt. If you're renting, confirm with your landlord whether it's included in your rent,. most rentals don't include it.
Irish citizens living in the UK can vote in UK local elections and can vote in UK General Elections in England, Scotland, and Wales (a relatively recent change). Register at gov.uk/register-to-vote once you have a UK address. It takes about 5 minutes.
The UK is AMC's most frequent route, which means more competitive groupage pricing and faster turnaround than most international destinations. These figures are a guide — your quote comes from a survey.
Prices are for collection in Ireland, ferry crossing, UK customs clearance (ToR1), and delivery to your UK address. Packing service, vehicle transport, specialist items, and ToR1 customs documentation are quoted separately.
London deliveries requiring a congestion charge permit, ULEZ compliance, or access via a narrow city-centre street may attract a small additional charge. Flag your exact delivery postcode at the survey stage.
A. Price depends on volume, access, and ferry route. Get an exact quote via our free video survey.
A. Typical door-to-door transit is three to four days, subject to customs clearance.
A. No. Personal effects owned six months+ are duty-free under ToR rules. We file the paperwork.
A. Yes. Boxes and wardrobe cartons can be dropped a week or more before loading.
A. You can, but self-packed cartons aren’t covered by insurance. Professionally packed boxes give full cover.
A. We’ll store goods until you get your keys, then deliver at your convenience.
A. No. A valid Irish NCT is not accepted in place of a UK MOT. You'll need to book a UK MOT at an approved garage once your car arrives. Most modern cars that passed their NCT will pass the MOT with no issues.
A. HMRC typically processes ToR1 applications within 3-10 working days. AMC submits the application before your collection date so the clearance is in place before your goods reach the UK border. Don't leave this to the last minute, submitting the week before your move doesn't always give enough processing time.
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