[Home](/)/[Resources](/resources)/UK REACH HSE Registration UKChemicals # UK REACH: HSE Registration, SVHC Duties, and Post-Brexit Chemical Obligations Brexit created a parallel chemicals framework that many electronics manufacturers still haven't fully mapped out. UK REACH is not just EU REACH with a different logo — the Candidate Lists are diverging, the registration system is separate, and Northern Ireland adds another layer. Here's what you need to know to stay compliant on both sides of the border. Copy Link[Share on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=https%3A%2F%2Fkrono-labs.com%2Fguides%2Fuk-reach-hse-registration) At a glance Regulation UK REACH (retained EU law) Administrator HSE Registrations Required for 1 tonne+ per year SVHC UK Candidate List (separate from EU) ## How UK REACH works for electronics manufacturers ### UK REACH vs EU REACH UK REACH is a retained and amended version of EU REACH that applies in Great Britain — England, Scotland, and Wales — following Brexit. Northern Ireland remains subject to EU REACH under the Windsor Framework, which means companies selling into both Great Britain and Northern Ireland must manage compliance under two separate regimes. While UK REACH mirrors EU REACH in structure, it is evolving independently as HSE and ECHA update their respective frameworks. ### Substance registration under UK REACH Any company manufacturing or importing 1 tonne or more of a substance per year into Great Britain must register it with HSE. Companies that previously relied on EU REACH registrations had an extended transitional period — with the key deadline being October 2023 — to complete UK REACH registrations. New substances and new manufacturers entering the GB market must register before manufacturing or importing above the 1-tonne threshold. ### UK SVHC Candidate List HSE maintains a separate UK SVHC Candidate List that started from the EU ECHA Candidate List at the point of Brexit but has since diverged. ECHA and HSE update their respective lists independently. A substance newly added to the EU Candidate List does not automatically appear on the UK list, and vice versa. Electronics manufacturers must check both lists if they sell into both markets — relying solely on the EU list will miss UK-only additions. ### SVHC notification and supply chain communication The UK Article 33 equivalent requires suppliers of articles containing UK-listed SVHCs above 0.1% w/w to notify business customers with substance name, CAS number, location in the article, and safe use information. Consumers can request this information and must receive it within 45 days. There is currently no UK equivalent of the ECHA SCIP database — the SCIP obligation applies in the EU but not yet in Great Britain. ## Steps to manage UK REACH compliance 01 Identify all substances manufactured or imported into Great Britain at 1 tonne or more per year — these require UK REACH registration with HSE if not already registered under the transitional arrangements; substances below 1 tonne per year do not require registration but may still require notification if they are SVHCs. 02 Verify that existing UK REACH registrations are current in the UK REACH IT system — companies that transferred EU REACH registrations during the transition period should check that their registration dossier reflects current tonnage bands, uses, and safety data; outdated dossiers may need updating. 03 Screen your products against the UK SVHC Candidate List published on HSE's website — this list is separate from the EU ECHA Candidate List and must be checked independently; download the current UK Candidate List directly from HSE and cross-reference against your material declarations. 04 If UK-listed SVHCs are present above 0.1% w/w in your articles, prepare customer notification content aligned with the UK Article 33 equivalent — include substance name, CAS number, location in the article, and safe use or disposal guidance; establish a consumer request response process with a 45-day response commitment. 05 Monitor HSE regulatory updates — UK REACH is an evolving regime; HSE has consulted on substance evaluations and restriction proposals that may diverge from EU REACH decisions; subscribe to HSE's UK REACH update communications to catch changes that could affect your product portfolio. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does EU REACH compliance satisfy UK REACH requirements? No. UK REACH and EU REACH are legally separate regimes. EU REACH registrations do not substitute for UK REACH registrations, and EU REACH compliance documentation does not satisfy UK REACH obligations. Companies that sell into both the EU and Great Britain must maintain parallel compliance programmes. The substance registration obligations, SVHC Candidate Lists, and enforcement authorities are all independent. ### What happened to EU REACH registrations after Brexit? EU REACH registrations held by UK-based companies became invalid for EU purposes after Brexit — UK companies lost their EU REACH registration status and must now register under REACH (administered by ECHA) as non-EU importers or through an Only Representative if they supply substances to EU companies. Conversely, EU REACH registrations do not satisfy UK REACH registration requirements. UK companies needed to submit UK REACH registrations to HSE during the transitional period. ### Is there a UK version of the ECHA SCIP database? As of 2025, there is no UK equivalent of the ECHA SCIP database. The SCIP obligation — requiring producers and importers of articles containing SVHCs above 0.1% w/w to submit information to a public database before placing products on the market — applies under the EU Waste Framework Directive and is an EU-only obligation. UK electronics manufacturers selling exclusively in Great Britain do not have an equivalent database submission requirement, though UK Article 33 supply chain communication obligations still apply. ### Does UK REACH apply in Northern Ireland? No. Northern Ireland remains aligned with EU law in this area under the Windsor Framework. This means EU REACH — administered by ECHA — applies in Northern Ireland, not UK REACH. For companies with operations or supply chains spanning Northern Ireland and Great Britain, this creates a dual-compliance situation: EU REACH obligations (including ECHA registration and the SCIP database) apply for Northern Ireland, while UK REACH obligations (including HSE registration and the UK Candidate List) apply for Great Britain. **Disclaimer:** Educational resource only. Regulatory requirements change and vary by product category. Consult an accredited test laboratory or qualified compliance engineer before making certification decisions. 🇬🇧 UK roadmap for your product Every standard, document, and test that applies — free, no account required. See your free roadmap[ Want an expert to take your product through 🇬🇧 UK compliance for you? One consultant from Krono's compliance team takes your product from requirements to legal sale, with a fixed quote before any work starts. 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