Movement Assistance Scheme: get help with moving agrifood goods to Northern Ireland
Get advice and help to meet new requirements if you're a trader, and understand how you can claim money back if you provide an inspection and certification service.
- From:
- Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
- Published
- 2 March 2021
- Last updated
-
1325SeptemberMarch20242025 — See all updates
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
Documents
Sample invoice
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Details
The Movement Assistance Scheme means that if you’re:
- a trader moving agrifood goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, you do not need to pay for some inspections and certificates or some other costs you incur because of the Northern Ireland Protocol and subsequently the Windsor Framework
- an official veterinarian or other certifier, you must not charge for some inspections, certificates and some other costs, such as a scrapie or Brucella ovis test – you can invoice the government up to a set amount
The following types of goods are included in the Movement Assistance Scheme:
- live animals and animal products
- plants and plant products
- some categories of high risk food and feed not of animal origin
- organic products
TheFollowing the decision to extend MAS beyond its original closure date in December 2023, the scheme haswill beennow extendedclose towith 30effect from 30th June 2025.
Find out about labelling requirements under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme.
Updates to this page
Published 2 March 2021
Last updated 1325 SeptemberMarch 2024
2025
+ show all updates
-
Sign up for emails or print this page
Details
The Movement Assistance Scheme means that if you’re:
- a trader moving agrifood goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, you do not need to pay for some inspections and certificates or some other costs you incur because of the Northern Ireland Protocol and subsequently the Windsor Framework
- an official veterinarian or other certifier, you must not charge for some inspections, certificates and some other costs, such as a scrapie or Brucella ovis test – you can invoice the government up to a set amount
The following types of goods are included in the Movement Assistance Scheme:
- live animals and animal products
- plants and plant products
- some categories of high risk food and feed not of animal origin
- organic products
TheFollowing the decision to extend MAS beyond its original closure date in December 2023, the scheme haswill beennow extendedclose towith 30effect from 30th June 2025.
Find out about labelling requirements under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme.
Updates to this page
Last updated
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2025-05-21 16:27
Amended ‘Certifiers: detailed guidance on getting reimbursed’ – changed how much you can claim from a flat rate of £150 excluding VAT plus testing costs for each non-equine EHC, to a flat rate of £75; and changed a flat rate of £325 excluding VAT for each equine EHC, to a flat rate of £162.50.
2025-03-25 09:30
We’ve amended the amount that official veterinarians or certifying officers can claim for export health certificate service costs. We’ve also amended information relating to the costs for export health certificates when moving live animals or animal products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
2024-09-13 16:02
Added a link to the Movement Assistance Scheme terms and conditions in the ‘Certifiers: claim money for inspecting and certifying goods’ guidance.
2024-05-01 09:00
Updated the documents with new fee information.
2023-09-29 19:45
The closing date for the Movement Assistance Scheme has been extended to 30 June 2025.
2022-10-21 16:21
Added a link to the reimbursement of Brucella ovis testing costs application form.
2022-09-20 12:18
Updated the example of a test included in the MAS, Brucella ovis. Updated the guidance for traders on how to claim for Brucella ovis testing costs under the MAS. Updated the guidance for certifiers on how to claim for Brucella ovis testing costs and support attestations under the MAS.
2022-04-01 15:38
We’ve added how to claim some scrapie qualifying status costs back if you have scrapie qualifying status.