UK REACH is the chemicals law that applies in Great Britain, meaning England, Scotland and Wales. It was copied from EU REACH when the UK left the EU, but it now runs separately, with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as the agency instead of ECHA.
An EU REACH registration does not cover imports into Great Britain. If you import into both markets, you need cover under both systems. Northern Ireland stays under EU REACH.
Where the two systems differ
- Regulator: HSE runs UK REACH and its IT system, Comply with UK REACH. ECHA runs EU REACH through REACH-IT.
- Registrations: UK REACH registrations are separate legal records. A GB importer needs its own registration, or cover from a GB-based Only Representative appointed by the non-UK manufacturer.
- Transitional deadlines: many substances already on the GB market when the UK left the EU are still in a transition period, with full data due by set deadlines. EU REACH has no equivalent transition left.
- Lists over time: the GB candidate list, authorisation list and restrictions can now diverge from the EU's as each regulator makes its own decisions.
The current deadlines
As of October 2026, the transitional registration deadlines were extended by The REACH (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/849. It was made on 16 July 2026 and came into force on 6 August 2026.
The previous deadlines of 27 October 2026, 2028 and 2030 moved to 27 October 2029, 2030 and 2031. The first date covers the highest-tonnage substances, at 1,000 tonnes a year or more, and the most hazardous ones. Lower tonnage bands follow in the later years.
These extensions apply only to substances that already qualified for the transitional arrangements, usually through a grandfathered registration or a downstream user import notification made in 2021. A substance new to the GB market needs a full registration before import. Check the current dates and your own eligibility on HSE's UK REACH pages or on legislation.gov.uk.
Deadlines have moved before, so do not plan purchases around the last possible date. A supplier that cannot answer basic GB questions today is unlikely to be ready later.
What this means for an Indian supply chain
Ask your Indian manufacturer two questions: does it have an EU Only Representative, and does it have a GB Only Representative? Many have one but not the other. If only the EU is covered, the GB importer carries the duty.
The GB importer of record is legally responsible under UK REACH. For your own position, confirm with HSE's helpdesk or a regulatory adviser. The EU side is covered in what EU REACH requires and what an Only Representative does.
Next step
We collect the regulatory evidence for each market you sell into, as part of supplier checks. To map your products against both systems, book a free sourcing review.