Tobacco — United Kingdom
What travelers need to know about tobacco in United Kingdom. What is legal at home can be a serious crime here — each rule links to its official source.
Tobacco in United Kingdom: prohibited — what is legal at home can be a serious crime here.
Smoking is banned in every enclosed workplace, public building and on public transport across the UK. There are no indoor smoking rooms — smokers go outside.
GOV.UK publishes a fine of up to £200 for smoking in the workplace (up to £50 in Scotland). Premises that fail to stop people smoking can be fined up to £2,500.
§ GOV.UKVerified Aug 17, 2026
Duty-free tobacco into Great Britain is ONE of: 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, 250g of tobacco, or 200 heated-tobacco sticks. You can split it — 100 cigarettes plus 25 cigars, for example.
Exceeding the allowance means tax and duty on everything in the tobacco category, not just the excess — 200 cigarettes plus 50 cigars means duty on both. Under-17s get no tobacco allowance at all and must declare any tobacco before arriving.
§ GOV.UK (HMRC)Verified Aug 17, 2026