Guidance

Certifiers: claim money for inspecting and certifying goods

Updated 13 September 2024

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

The Movement Assistance Scheme means that if you’re a certifier you must not charge for inspecting and certifying some agrifood goods or tests to issue export health certificates (EHCs). You can claim back costs up to a set amount.

The following types of goods are included in the Movement Assistance Scheme:

The scheme also covers movements to Northern Ireland via the Republic of Ireland.

The scheme will close on 30 June 2025.

You must follow the Movement Assistance Scheme terms and conditions for any claims you make under the scheme.

There is separate guidance for traders.

Live animals and animal products

If you’re an official veterinarian or other certifying officer, you need to invoice the government for some of the costs of the certification service you provide. You must register on Export Health Certificate (EHC) Online to claim back your costs.

The government will reimburse a flat rate of:

• £150.00 excluding VAT for each non-equine EHC
• £325.00 excluding VAT for each equine EHC

EHCs certified with a signed date of 30 April 2024 or earlier will be reimbursed up to the cap if invoiced within 90 days.

You can invoice the trader for the remaining amount if the total cost is more than these limits.

Testing for scrapie disease

You can claim a flat rate of £150 (excluding VAT) for the costs relating to testing sheep for scrapie disease. You must do this test to get an EHC if a trader does not have scrapie qualifying status.

The certifying OV should invoice the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) finance team, not the trader, for the costs of the test.

Testing for Brucella ovis

To get an EHC for uncastrated rams you must carry out a test for Brucella ovis.

For tests carried out in Great Britain, you can claim a flat rate of £150 plus VAT for the cost of test administration and £34 plus VAT for the cost of the test. The certifying OV should invoice the APHA finance team, not the trader, for these costs.

For tests carried out in Northern Ireland, traders must pay you for the test and cost of test administration and apply to be reimbursed by APHA using the Brucella ovis reimbursement application form.

Support attestations

You can claim up to £150 excluding VAT for support attestations. You should send your invoice to APHA.

Get started and carry out checks

You need to register on EHC Online.

You’ll be notified of new certification requests on EHC Online.

After your first request, you’ll be contacted by Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) with details of how to receive payment. You’ll then be given a purchase order number by email, which you can use when raising invoices.

Follow the current inspection process to perform an EHC check. If the goods pass inspection, you can sign the certificate as you do now.

You’ll need to sign in to EHC Online after the inspection to confirm that the:

• checks have been completed
• details are in line with the certification you’ve provided on the EHC

Get a reimbursement

For Great Britain to Northern Ireland certificates, you should consolidate your invoices into regular batches, at least monthly.

You need to make sure the invoices include the:

• individual Great Britain to Northern Ireland EHCs which have been certified
• cost of each certificate
• purchase order number provided to you by APHA

You’ll need to email the invoices to [email protected] for reimbursement.

You’ll receive a payment in your bank account held on file.

Read guidance about invoices on the Vet Gateway.

Plants and plant products

Government inspectors must not charge for:

• inspecting and certifying goods
• some of the costs incurred in getting a certificate to move plant and plant products
• an inspection fee when you first register with plant health exports audited trader scheme (PHEATS)
• auditing or monitoring fees for exporting fruit, vegetables and cut flowers from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
• International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) sample testing and certification for all individual seed lots moved from Great Britain to Northern Ireland

Organic products

Organic control bodies must not charge for inspecting and certifying the goods. Instead, you can invoice the government for the costs.

Organic control bodies can continue to charge traders for importer and exporter licensing. If traders move goods outside of Great Britain, they’ll need to pay for an exporter licence. Businesses based in Northern Ireland that receive goods from Great Britain will need to pay for an importer licence.

Traders can claim these costs back if they have only moved organic goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Traders can claim the costs back one year after they paid their registration fee.

High risk food and feed not of animal origin (HRFNAO)

Local authorities must not charge for inspecting and certifying HRFNAO products:

• listed on Annex 2 of regulation 2019/1793
• originating from countries listed on Annex 1 of regulation 2020/1158

Certifying goods to be exported from Great Britain to EU and non-EU countries

You should continue to invoice traders for certificates for Great Britain to EU and Great Britain to non-EU countries as normal.