The independent observatory for US trade — ship movements,
customs records and policy events, measured and tested.
What United Kingdom actually pays on HS 8544.42
Importers of HS 8544.42 (other) from United Kingdom actually paid 21.17% on the taxed portion of the value in 2026-06 — 20.31% across everything shipped, taxed or not. Measured from official duty receipts, not the rulebook: the statutory MFN base rate on this code is 2.6%. Over the window the rate on the taxed portion moved 2.6% → 21.17%, with the largest single step +29.2pp in 2025-08. Measured from official US duty receipts · as-of 2026-06 · confidence: measured, not modelled. The HTS base rate is 2.6% — importers actually paid 21.17%, so the trade-war overlay added 18.6 pts, measured at the border (not a summed rulebook estimate). Reproduce exactly: tariff_story(hs: "8544.42", origin: "United Kingdom") · see it at trimtabist.com/tariffs
HS 8544.42. The schedule base rate is
2.6%; importers from United Kingdom actually paid 21.17% on the
dutiable value in 2026-06 — the trade-war overlay added 18.6 points, measured at the border. Measured, not modelled.
Over the window the collected rate moved 2.6% (2023-07) → 21.17% (2026-06), largest single step +29.2pp in 2025-08.
Landed cost vs the benchmark
United Kingdom's lower duty (20.31% vs 45.51%) lets it price up to 20.9% above China at the factory and still match on duty-inclusive customs cost. But on the LATEST measured prices, China actually lands cheaper — $17.94/kg vs $28.14/kg (duty in, freight out).
The trade-war measures that name United Kingdom or this sector
15 Chapter-99 measures name United Kingdom; scope mapping is partial (several annexes are PDFs) — absence never means exemption. They do not sum, and some are product-specific — the collected rate above is the composed truth.
Notice of Implementation of Additional Duties on Products of India Pursuant to the President's Executive Order measure 9903.01.84 · Federal Register citation+25%
9903.79.01 measure 9903.79.01+25%
Procedures for Submissions by Certain Steel and Aluminum Producers Committing to New U.S. Steel or Aluminum… measure 9903.82.04 · Federal Register citation+25%
Notice of Determination and Action Pursuant to Section 301: Enforcement of U.S. WTO Rights in Large Civil Airc measure 9903.89.10 · Federal Register citation+25%
Notice of Determination and Action Pursuant to Section 301: Enforcement of U.S. WTO Rights in Large Civil Airc measure 9903.89.13 · Federal Register citation+25%
Notice of Determination and Action Pursuant to Section 301: Enforcement of U.S. WTO Rights in Large Civil Airc measure 9903.89.16 · Federal Register citation+25%
Notice of Determination and Action Pursuant to Section 301: Enforcement of U.S. WTO Rights in Large Civil Airc measure 9903.89.19 · Federal Register citation+25%
Notice of Determination and Action Pursuant to Section 301: Enforcement of U.S. WTO Rights in Large Civil Airc measure 9903.89.22 · Federal Register citation+25%
In print: “What United Kingdom actually pays on HS 8544.42 (HS 8544.42)” —
Trimtab US Trade Ledger (TT-010 Duty receipts), US Census imports-for-consumption records — trimtabist.com/tariff/854442/united-kingdom