‘It’s a horror show’: Business consultant slams Brexit for slowing down exports to the EU

18 November 2022, 12:13

'I'm lucky if they're there now within six months'

Since Brexit, this business consultant is having to fill “93 to 102-page documents” to get products to companies in Europe, with the shipping taking up to six months.

One of Nick Ferrari’s callers explained how Brexit has massively increased the amount of paperwork for UK-EU exports slowing the whole process down.

Elliot in Greenwich told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC: “I’m a business consultant, I work with companies in London to look at trade links since Brexit - unfortunately, it’s a horror show.”

“We haven’t been able to find new relationships outside of the EU”, he continued. “There’s been no transitional period, it happened overnight.”

The business consultant added: “For me to get the product to these companies in Europe, I’m filling in 93-102 page documents.

“It used to be that I could get the products made and transferred within a week. I'm lucky if they're there now within six months.”

Elliot set out the conundrum being faced by businesses following yesterday’s Autumn Statement delivered by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

READ MORE: James O’Brien’s instant reaction to Autumn Statement

“I can see why businesses are furious about paying more taxes”, he said. “As much as they love paying their staff more money, they want to see their staff prosper, having to face the challenges of paying more tax as well as increasing staff wages…

At that moment he realised it would “...at the same time put some of their staff over another tax threshold, so actually it will put their staff in a worse situation because they will be paying more tax as a result!”

Here he was referring to the tax rises brought in by Jeremy Hunt, which include the threshold for the top rate of tax being reduced from £150,000 to £125,140.

Other major announcements from the Autumn Statement include benefits and pensions going up by 10.1% in line with inflation from next April, the living wage will rise to £10.42 per hour, and electric vehicle owners will have to pay road tax from 2025.

Elliot said: “I think it’s a typical situation where we went from one extreme budget where everything was being taxed - to the polar opposite!

“The country has not been prepared for this properly. It’s come as a shock factor and as a result, we’re just not in a safe position.”

Nick asked: “Do you see any glimmers of hope?”

“To be honest Nick I don’t”, came the business consultant’s reply.

This is not the first caller to mention the same issue.

Steve in Tottenham, who handles UK-EU trade, told Tom Swarbrick: “I can spend half a day filling in paperwork”.

Products used to be able to arrive in the EU the day after he requested deliveries, but now “by the time they collect it, by the time it’s delivered, long-story short, one month!” he exclaimed.