Moving abroad is the one removal job where a cheap quote can turn expensive fast. A missing customs form can leave your furniture sitting in a port, and a subcontracted crew at the far end may not share your feelings about the piano. So the real question isn't who's cheapest. It's who knows the route you're taking.
That's the lens for this list. Each of the ten firms below has a clear strength, and the honest advice is to match the mover to the move rather than reach for the biggest name. Two terms come up often. BAR is the British Association of Removers, the UK trade body. FIDI FAIM is the international quality accreditation that the more serious overseas specialists hold.
The ten at a glance
| Rank | Company | Founded | Base | Strongest at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Mason International | 1884 | Liverpool | Long-haul moves to Australia, New Zealand and the USA |
| 2 | Pickfords | 1630s | Wembley, London | Full service with global coverage |
| 3 | Crown Relocations | 1965 | Northolt, London | Corporate and executive relocation |
| 4 | Anglo Pacific | 1978 | London, Manchester, Glasgow | Baggage and high-volume shipping |
| 5 | Britannia Movers International | 1981 | 44 branches nationwide | Local access anywhere in the UK |
| 6 | Schepens International | 1920s | Bristol | Scandinavia and Europe |
| 7 | White & Company | 1871 | Winchester | Fine art, antiques and valuables |
| 8 | PSS International Removals | 1978 | Croydon | Door-to-door worldwide |
| 9 | VanOne International Movers | 2009 | London | Budget European groupage |
| 10 | Matthew James Removals | 1989 | Grays, Essex | Spain and the Mediterranean |
John Mason International: the long-haul specialist
John Mason does one thing. It doesn't take on domestic removals at all, so every surveyor and coordinator spends their working life on export rules and overseas shipping. The Liverpool firm dates to 1884 and says it moves more than 10,000 customers a year, mostly to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, South Africa and the UAE. It holds both BAR and FIDI FAIM accreditation, has a King's Award for Enterprise in International Trade, and was named the best international shipping company in the UK in MoveHub's 2026 review. If you're heading to the other side of the world, start here.
Pickfords, for people who want a network behind them
Pickfords traces its roots to the 1630s, which makes it the oldest name in British removals. Its real advantage today is membership of the Allied International Moving Network, which the original listing puts at more than 600 offices across 45 countries. That matters most at the receiving end, where a lot of moves go wrong. Customers get a dedicated move manager, and the firm has won International Moving Company of the Year five times, most recently in 2024. The catch is price. You're paying for the infrastructure.
Crown Relocations, when the employer is paying
Crown packs boxes perfectly well, but that's not why companies hire it. Its offer stretches to visa support, home and school searches, orientation tours and intercultural training. Quotes come only after a detailed consultation. For HR teams or families who want one point of contact for everything, it's among the most capable options. For smaller private shipments, its shared-container groupage service keeps costs more reasonable.
Anglo Pacific handles a suitcase or a whole house
Anglo Pacific describes itself as the UK's largest independent international shipping company, processing around 20,000 shipments a year from offices in London, Manchester and Glasgow. It holds FIDI FAIM, BAR Overseas and ISO 9001 credentials, works with Maersk Line on sea freight and offers air freight too. The appeal is range: baggage, furniture, vehicles and even fine art. Sending ten boxes? You won't be treated as an afterthought.
Britannia's strength is postcode coverage
Britannia runs as a network of 44 member branches, so there's usually one nearby. That means quicker surveys and crews who know local parking and access headaches. Members hold FIDI accreditation and belong to the International Association of Movers, and insurance is included as standard. The trade-off is honest enough: the team packing in Edinburgh may not be the team unpacking in Dubai.
Schepens owns the road to Scandinavia
This fourth-generation family firm from Bristol runs a weekly scheduled service to Sweden, Norway and Denmark through its own depot in Jönköping. Plenty of UK movers hand the continental leg to partners. Schepens keeps it in-house, with its own vehicles and staff. For a Nordic move, that control is hard to beat.
White & Company for things you can't replace
Founded in 1871 and based in Winchester, White & Company is BAR-accredited and best known for fragile, valuable pieces: art, antiques, instruments. Surveyors are trained to flag items needing bespoke crates, and packers use conservation-grade materials where needed. If grandmother's cabinet is going to Canada, this is the call.
PSS keeps the invoice predictable
Croydon-based PSS has operated since 1978 and holds both BAR Overseas and FIDI FAIM accreditation. Its in-house customs team handles paperwork at no extra charge, which is genuinely useful now that moves to the EU need post-Brexit documentation. Quotes are itemised after a video or home survey, and reviews tend to praise clear communication.
VanOne, for a few rooms going to Europe
The youngest firm here, founded in 2009, VanOne built its business on groupage: several customers' belongings sharing one vehicle to France, Spain, Germany, Portugal and beyond. You won't get Crown-style hand-holding. You will get a much smaller bill if you don't have enough to fill a lorry.
Matthew James, if it's Spain
Essex-based since 1989, Matthew James focuses on Spain, southern France and the wider Mediterranean. It offers full and part loads plus storage at both ends, and added a warehouse in Spain this year. Its staff know Spanish customs and residency paperwork well, which counts for a lot if you're settling permanently.
How to choose without regret
Get at least three surveys, and make sure each quote covers the same things: packing, customs, insurance and delivery at the far end. Ask who actually handles the destination leg. And check accreditations yourself rather than taking a logo on a website at face value. For more rankings and guides, browse the latest Icon Polls features and have your say.
Which accreditation matters most?
For overseas moves, FIDI FAIM and BAR Overseas membership are the strongest signals of quality and financial stability.
Is groupage worth it?
For small loads with flexible dates, usually yes. You share the vehicle or container, so you share the cost, but delivery depends on the shared schedule.
