Impact of industrial action on 1 February 2023 at UK ports and airports

27 Jan 2023

You may have seen reports that up to 100,000 civil service members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union will be going on strike on Wednesday 1 February 2023. HMRC members will not be taking part, but the industrial action will include UK-based Home Office members, including Border Force staff.

The industrial action is likely to impact the movement of goods through UK ports and airports on 1 February 2023, as well as those travelling to the UK from UK Border controls in Calais, Dunkirk and Coquelles in Northern France. There may also be some disruption on the morning of 2 February 2023 as business returns to normal.

APHA are aware of planned strike action and have therefore put plans in place to ensure that we minimise any impact to business-critical work. APHA is encouraging those who use its services to please plan ahead in case of delays. Details of how to get in touch around our various services can be found in the Contact APHA area of APHA’s GOV.UK pages.

What you can do

If you are able to move goods outside of this period, then we would advise that you do so.

If you cannot delay your movements then please be aware that the industrial action could lead to disruption and delays at ports and Inland Border Facilities (IBF). You should be prepared for these delays and check with your operator before starting your movement.

You can also check IBF site availability online here: Inland Border Facility - Site Availability - GOV.UK (hmrc.gov.uk)