Best Way to Send Gifts to Ukraine from the UK

Meest UK picks up your parcel from home or takes it at any drop-off point, and it reaches Ukraine in 5-9 business days. Want the full rundown on how to send gifts to Ukraine from the UK? Keep reading below. 

The holiday's coming up, and family's thousands of miles away. But that won't stop you from celebrating properly, right? Buying the gift is the easy part. Getting it there on time, without overpaying, is where Meest UK comes in. We've been shipping parcels from the UK to every corner of the world for over 35 years. Let's walk through how to send presents to Ukraine without even leaving the house. 

Why Send Gifts to Ukraine from the UK

It matters to people to stay part of the lives of those who aren't around. A box of sweets for a kid's birthday, a jumper for mum before winter, something warm for grandma that says: we haven't forgotten you. And wherever you are – London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, anywhere across Britain, sending gifts to the Ukraine from the UK is just something thousands of Ukrainians do every few months. They do love a celebration!

Your mum’s, dad’s or brother’s birthday? Your best friend finally getting that promotion they’ve been working towards? Or your parents celebrating another wedding anniversary? Maybe your bestie has just won a big tender and landed a seriously exciting contract. Surely that calls for a little celebration too!

We know how nice it is when sending a gift is simple, affordable and, most importantly, arrives on time. That’s why we’ve made delivery to Ukraine straightforward, with clear prices and the option to send your parcel right from home.

Best Gifts to Include in a Parcel to Ukraine

Your friend is a big English Premier League fan, and you’ve just spotted the new kit from his favourite team. Well, how can you not get it? If you already know how happy he’s going to be, that’s the gift sorted.

Gifts don’t have to be fancy. If you know what they like, branded clothes, shoes or accessories are a pretty easy choice. You can also add some chocolate, biscuits, tea, coffee or other favourite treats. It’s always nice to open a parcel and find a few things you really like.

Books are a safe bet too. You can pick something by their favourite author or a new release, like Kin by Tayari Jones or Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Or, if they’ve been talking about one particular book for ages, just get that one. They’ll probably be very happy you actually remembered.

And then there are the cosy things. A cushion with a funny message, a warm blanket, some nice socks or a pair of gloves – nothing fancy, but people are always happy to get stuff like this, especially when it comes from someone they love and reminds them of home.

The question of what gifts can I send to Ukraine usually pops up when the box is already half packed. So, there are a few things you’re not allowed to send internationally.

Good to remember! When sending children’s clothes or shoes, check the size using a Ukrainian size chart rather than a British one. They can be a couple of sizes apart, so that cute pair of shoes you picked out might not fit after all. 

What You Can and Cannot Send to Ukraine

You can send most things you buy in shops, as well as food in sealed, original packaging. But gift delivery to Ukraine from the UK has a clear list of things you can’t send internationally.

These include:

• Weapons and drugs
• Alcohol and tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vapes
• Cash, bearer securities and foreign currency
• Perishable food
• Passports and other identity documents
• Goods from Russia, Belarus or temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, as well as books and magazines published in Russia or Belarus or in Russian
• Used, unclean clothes and shoes

Sending a package to Ukraine and not sure if something can be sent? Just ask before you pack it. It’ll save you the hassle of sorting it out later. 

How to Pack Gifts for Safe International Delivery

Before you grab the tape, choose the right size box. For documents, a 32 × 24 × 1 cm envelope is enough. For a couple of books, go for a box around 23 × 14 × 4 cm. For shoes, you can use a normal shoebox, roughly 35 × 20 × 15 cm.

If you’ve got more to send, choose a larger box like 45 × 31 × 61 cm, up to 20 kg 61 × 51 × 46 cm, up to 30 kg, to safely hold everything). Leave yourself a bit of extra room rather than trying to squeeze everything in. Just keep in mind that both the size and weight of the parcel affect the delivery cost, so check them before sending.

And now, briefly, on how to pack gifts for sending to Ukraine:

• Choose a strong cardboard box that fits everything.
• Wrap fragile items separately in bubble wrap or paper.
• Fill any space inside with whatever you have, even an old T-shirt or newspaper.
• Seal the box well with strong tape, especially along the seams.
• If there’s something fragile inside, mark the box “Fragile” so it’s clear that it needs to be handled carefully.

When you register your parcel through the Meest Portal, you fill in all the shipping and customs details online, and the label and customs declaration are created automatically.

Each parcel also comes with basic cover – £50 for Express and £20 for regular delivery. If you’re sending something more valuable, you can add extra cover up to £800 for an additional 5% of the declared value.

How Much Can You Send to Ukraine Without Paying Customs?

You can send gifts from UK to Ukraine worth up to €150 in one parcel from one sender to one recipient without paying extra import duty. If the value is higher, you’ll have to pay extra: 10% duty on the amount over €150, plus 20% VAT on the amount over €150 together with the duty.

For example, if you declare gifts worth €200, that’s €50 over the limit. The duty will be €5, and the VAT will be €11. So you’ll pay €16 extra in total.

And it’s better not to play around with the declared value. Just put the real value of the items. It’s less likely to cause questions when the parcel goes through customs.

How to Send a Gift to Ukraine with Meest UK

Everything is done online, from creating the parcel to paying for delivery and getting your tracking number.

1. Weigh your parcel and measure the box.
2. Create your parcel in the Meest Portal and enter the weight and size.
3. Describe what’s inside and add the value of each item.
4. Enter the sender’s and recipient’s details.
5. Choose how you want to send the parcel: drop it off or have a courier collect it from your home.
6. Pay for the delivery online.
7. Get your tracking number and track your parcel online.

For tracking your parcel, you can use your Meest Portal account or the app. Or just enter your tracking number on the website to see where your parcel is and how it’s moving. And yes, those happy photos from the unboxing are definitely coming back your way.

How Much Does It Cost to Send Gifts to Ukraine? 

For most gift parcels, delivery will cost around £10–£25, depending on the weight and size. As a guide, it’s from around £9.95 for parcels up to 0.5 kg, £18 up to 2 kg, £20 up to 5 kg, and £24 up to 10 kg.

There’s also an online shipping calculator you can use before sending your parcel. Just enter the weight, size and other details to see the price. You can change the weight or size and compare the options, so it’s easier to put together your parcel and keep the delivery cost within your budget. 

How to Drop Off Your Parcel and How Long It Takes

One of the nice things about Meest is that you can choose how to send your parcel. A courier can pick up the box from your home, or you can drop it off at one of more than 20,000 locations across the UK, including InPost, DHL, Evri, DPD, Royal Mail, and UPS.

Ground delivery from the Meest UK warehouse usually takes around 5–9 working days. With pickup and processing, the whole process usually takes around 7–10 days.

If anything is unclear along the way, Meest customer support is there to help and can usually sort things out in just a few minutes.

Send Gifts to Ukraine from the UK Safely and Affordably with Meest

Meest has been working for 35 years, and Ukraine is one of the destinations we know well and send parcels to regularly. When you’re sending a gift to family or friends, you want it to arrive on time, in good condition and without spending too much on delivery. That’s why we make sending gifts from the UK to Ukraine simple and affordable. 

Send a jacket from your mom’s favourite brand, a pair of shoes your bestie’s been wanting, books, sweets or other allowed gifts without overpaying for delivery. Pick a gift, pack it up and send it with Meest UK.

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