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What is the Next Phase of TSS?

🔓HMRC is retiring the current TSS platform in 2026. Discover how the new private beta and public rollout impact your NI trade.

What is the Next Phase of TSS?

Summary: The current Trader Support Service (TSS) platform will be retired and replaced in the second half of 2026. A free-to-use successor system is under development, featuring a private beta pilot from July to October 2026, followed by a full public transition in Q4 2026. 

 

When Is the Current TSS Being Retired?

The countdown has officially begun, and no, this is not another false alarm. The current Trader Support Service (TSS) platform will continue operating normally for the next few months, but it is slated for permanent retirement once the transition concludes in late 2026. Development of the next-generation service is fully underway. They are actually building it before turning the old one off. The transition timeline rolls out across these specific phases:  


  • 19 May 2026: Official introductory webinars launch to brief users on the changes.  

  • July – October 2026: The Private Beta pilot phase opens for selected representative user journeys.  

  • Q4 2026: The Public Beta goes live, initiating the mandatory migration window for all remaining TSS platform users.  


What Changes Are Coming to the New TSS?

While the core customs processes remain unchanged, the user interface is undergoing a major overhaul based on recent user research. Mercifully, the system will remain completely free to use for both new and existing businesses.  


Early testing from participant panels reveals a massive shift away from clunky, traditional portals toward standard government digital infrastructure. The structural upgrades are designed to eliminate the endless clicking that often causes carpal tunnel syndrome among customs agents.  


Key Feature Upgrades in the 2026 Platform

Feature Upgrades

User Benefit & Functionality

"Second Chance" Summary Page

A unified verification screen showing arrival dates, times, and references in one location before final legal submission to HMRC.

Seamless Editing & Navigation

A dedicated "change" function allowing users to jump straight back to a specific data field and return without restarting the sequence.

Status-Based Dashboard Filters

Advanced capability to filter and search moving declarations specifically by status, such as "at risk" versus "not at risk".

Customizable UI Sections

Greater structural control allowing traders to hide irrelevant sections (e.g., pre-movement data) based on individual workflows.

Dashboard showing trade summary with "At Risk" status highlighted. Graphs display data trends. "Submit Declaration" button visible.
Dashboard view of a consignment tracking system showing a summary review with an accessibility error alert, consignment status, and relevant charts for active declarations and processing times.

Why Should You Join the Private Beta Pilot?

If you want a say in how your daily customs compliance looks, waiting until Q4 is a terrible strategy. The Private Beta running from July to October 2026 is actively scouting a representative sample of TSS users—including portal users and API integrations—to gather crucial feedback across all journey types.  


The pilot phase guarantees a dual-running window. This means the new system and the legacy platform operate simultaneously, so your cross-border supply chain suffers zero interruption. It gives your team a sandbox environment to iron out wrinkles before "the boys in blue" at HMRC start monitoring your data live on the live system.  


How Customs Manager Ltd Can Support You:

  • Expert Consultancy & Advice: Discuss the matters in this blog for your context. Schedule a free 1-hour consultancy call. Book at www.customsmanager.org → Book Expert Call.

  • UK Customs Clearance: We act as direct and indirect customs agents, helping you navigate the Brexit border so you can trade almost as you did in the old days.

  • Specialized Training: Get training on the next phase of the Trader Support Service (TSS) with live, on-demand (pre-recorded), and in-house options for you and your team. Visit www.customsmanager.org -> Events to see what’s coming up.

  • Superior Trade Intelligence & Weekly Briefings: Avoid wasting time doomscrolling on LinkedIn, dealing with AI hallucinations, or drowning in marketing newsletters. Access our expert-curated legal and local updates — one source, one place, the only place. Visit www.customsmanager.info to get a free 30-day trial with no obligations. No Credit Card, no sign-up, just the intelligence you want and like to read.


About Customs Manager’s Customs & Global Trade Intelligence Services

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About Customs Manager Ltd.

We aim to empower people with import, export, and transport responsibilities with helpful advice, insightful training, relevant trade intelligence, and EU, UK, and U.S. direct and indirect customs clearance services. We devote all our passion and energy to helping businesses grow faster cross-border.

Working with us means having your own multilingual Customs Manager on standby to help you trade effectively, efficiently, and, of course, compliantly wherever you want to go. Includes Brexit & U.S. Tariff support.


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Author: Arne Mielken | Expert Content Strategist, Lead Trade Consultant, and Managing Director at Customs Manager Ltd.  | Updated: 18.05.20

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