Sourcing pewter alloy ingots from China

UK duty on pewter alloy ingots

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 October 2026, heading 8001 covers unwrought tin. Pewter alloy ingots fall within the tin alloys line, 8001 20 00 00. The table shows different intended uses sharing this tariff line.

The supplied tariff record gives 0% duty for tin alloys from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls. Chemical supply responsibilities still need checking separately.

Confirm the commodity code using the alloy composition and imported form. See the wider tin ingots and solder wire guide. For the illustrative order, use the duty and VAT guide.

Specify the pewter composition and casting use

Specify tin, antimony and copper content, permitted lead and other impurities, ingot dimensions and weight tolerances. State the intended casting process and whether the finished product will touch food or drink. Request a certificate of analysis for each melt batch and retain an approved casting sample.

UK REACH registration applies to substances in mixtures, so check registration responsibilities for the constituent substances before importing into Great Britain. A safety data sheet is required when a hazardous chemical is supplied for workplace use. Ask the supplier for composition and hazard information matching the actual alloy.

For drinking vessels or plates, agree composition testing and obtain migration evidence for the finished casting. An ingot analysis alone does not show how a finished vessel performs. See the pewter and tin articles guide.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 3 tonnes of pewter alloy ingots for a casting business, illustrative under 8001 20 00 00, invoiced at £108,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £109,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £109,500, so it is £21,900. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Composition: compare each melt certificate with the agreed alloy and send representative samples for laboratory testing, including lead and specified impurities.

Traceability: match ingot markings, bundle labels and packing documents to the melt batch and its certificate.

Condition: inspect for excessive oxide, embedded debris, oily contamination and wet packaging before accepting material for melting.

Casting trial: compare fill, surface finish and polishing behaviour with the approved sample. Record findings through the quality inspection process.

What goes wrong

A generic pewter description leaves composition open to substitution. Mixed melt batches, certificates for a different batch and contaminated remelt material can produce inconsistent castings. Appearance alone cannot confirm the alloy.

Keep suspect bundles separate, test them against the purchase specification and trace discrepancies to the melt batch before using the material. Agree how rejected alloy will be replaced and how repeat batches will be checked.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.