Basic Barcodes and The Windsor Framework
From 30 September 2024, customers sending goods from GB to NI must provide additional data, depending on whether the parcel is a Business to Consumer (B2C), Consumer to Consumer (C2C), Consumer to Business (C2B) or Business to Business (B2B).
The Windsor Framework does not affect goods movements from NI to GB, from NI to NI or items of correspondence. Guidance can be found here.
How does it affect Basic Barcode customers?
You will not be able to use Basic Barcodes to send goods from GB to NI from 30 September 2024; parcels which do not have the required data may be stopped, returned, or held for inspection.
As a Basic Barcode customer, you currently login to Click & Drop and select the “Basic Barcodes” tab (see below).
Action Required
As a result of the Windsor Framework’s data requirements, to continue to be able to send goods from GB to NI you will need to use a compliant shipping solution, such as Click & Drop (Orders).
There is further guidance on how to create orders within the links provided under Click & Drop orders help.
What is the new data to be captured?
Depending on the type of parcel movement, the following new data must be provided in order to continue to send parcels (goods) from GB to NI from 30 September 2024.
| Consumer to Consumer (C2C) | Goods description (by item), weight (by item), value (by item, where known). |
| Business to Consumer (B2C)* Consumer to Business (C2B)* |
Goods description (and confirmation of goods categorisation, by item), weight (by item), value (by item), country of origin, returned goods indicator (C2B only). |
| Business to Business (B2B, UKIMS)* | Exporter / sender details (inc. EORI), importer / receiver details (inc. EORI), value (total, not by item), country of origin, gross mass, goods description (and confirmation of goods categorisation, by item), UKIMS number. |
The above data is indicative and subject to change in line with government guidance.
*Movements generated on third-party integrator or customers’ own bespoke shipping solutions may require the input of a commodity code; this will depend on how you or your third-party have set up the solutions.
For B2B movements, customers are strongly encouraged to apply for authorisation to the UK Internal Market Scheme (UKIMS). This authorisation can, alongside other criteria, enable you to declare goods ‘not at risk’ of onward transport to the EU (also known as ‘Green Lane’). The authorisation page can be found here.
For B2B movements, Royal Mail will initially move goods only on Royal Mail Tracked 48 and only where associated with a UKIMS registration. We recommend you familiarise yourself with the requirements around the UKIMS scheme. B2B movements will need to comply with Royal Mail’s Prohibited and Restricted lists and you, and the recipient will need to meet the relevant data requirements for this traffic type. If you have B2B goods to send which are not covered by UKIMS or are for next day delivery, we will be able to carry these goods on a Parcelforce Worldwide service.
Frequently asked questions
The Windsor Framework only affects customers sending goods from Great Britain (GB) to Northern Ireland (NI) from 30 September 2024. The new regulations do not affect goods sent from NI to GB or from NI to NI, or items of correspondence.
Yes. The regulations take effect from 30 September 2024.
Only parcels containing goods are covered by the Windsor Framework.
Business to consumer (B2C): Parcels sent by a business in Great Britain to a private individual residing in Northern Ireland for personal use.
Consumer to business (C2B): Parcels sent by a private individual in Great Britain to a business in Northern Ireland (for example, a customer returning an item to a shop).
Consumer to consumer (C2C): Parcels sent by a private individual in Great Britain to a private individual residing in Northern Ireland for personal use.
Business to business (B2B): Parcels sent by a business in Great Britain to a business in Northern Ireland.
The new UK Internal Market Scheme (UKIMS) allows registered businesses to submit reduced data sets when sending parcels from GB to NI. UKIMS registration indicates the parcels being sent are ‘not at risk’ of entry into the EU.
UKIMS-registered businesses will be required to submit a reduced data set compared to those businesses not UKIMS-registered.
The Windsor Framework requires certain data to be provided with the movement of goods to NI from 30 September 2024. Currently, Basic Barcodes labels do not provide sufficient data to meet this requirement.
You can use Click & Drop (Orders) for all your parcels. From 30 September 2024, all parcels to NI must use a compliant shipping solution, such as Click & Drop (Orders).
Some of the Basic Barcode products are not available within Click & Drop (Orders). The equivalent product codes:
SU1/2 24 -> STL / BPL / BPR
SU1/2 48 -> STL / BPL / BPR