Moving to an electric vehicle can be a beneficial step for your wallet and the planet. However, once you purchase the new EV, a logistical question arises: how and where will you charge it?
You will need to install an EV charger at your place to charge your vehicle efficiently, but the financial barrier of having an EV charger installed can be costly.
However, there are a number of grant schemes available from the UK government to help reduce costs and make EV charging more accessible for homeowners, renters, landlords and businesses.
These grants, authorised by the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), can result in up to 75% off your installation costs.
This guide covers everything you need to know about charging grants in the UK. You will learn whether you qualify for any grants, how much money you can claim, and how to identify the best OZEV-approved installers for your installation. With the current funding secured until March 31, 2026, it is an ideal time to seize these opportunities and join the EV revolution.
What Is An EV Charger?
An EV charging station, or an electric vehicle charger, is a piece of equipment specifically designed to provide electricity for recharging the battery on your electric vehicle. A dedicated charger provides electricity in a much more efficient and safe manner than simply plugging into your household outlet, which is a slow and potentially unsafe method, resulting in much shorter charge times overall.
Home EV chargers typically tend to be either 3.6kW or 7kW, but the majority are 7kW when it comes to home installations. A 7kW charger can charge the average EV with a 60kWh battery in 8 to 10 hours, which is perfect for overnight charging at home. In comparison, a standard three-pin plug socket delivers just 2.3kW, suggesting that the same charge could take in excess of 26 hours to complete.
EV chargers today are “smart” devices, mandatory for any government grant. Smart chargers are internet-connected, so you can reserve charging for those times when the electricity price is lower, monitor how much energy you have used and even pause charging to help protect the UK’s national grid when demand is high.
These energy-saving features save you money and help create a more sustainable energy system. Smartphone-enabled charging control enables full mobile management of your vehicle’s charging schedule from anywhere you have access to a phone.
If you want to learn more about how much EV chargers cost and how to install them, then read our guides: How Much Will It Cost To Install An EV Charger In 2026? (Guide) and How To Install An EV Charger: Step-By-Step Guide
Grants For EV Charger Installation In The UK: A Quick Overview
The UK government has a number of different grant schemes to encourage installation of EV charging points. Here is a quick overview of the grants offered by the UK government:
| Grant Name | Who It’s For | Grant Amount | Maximum Grants |
|---|---|---|---|
|
EV Chargepoint Grant for Flat Owners and Renters |
Renters and flat owners with off-street parking |
Up to £350 or 75% of costs |
1 grant per eligible vehicle |
|
EV Chargepoint Grant for Landlords |
Residential and commercial landlords |
Up to £350 per socket or 75% of total cost |
200/year (residential) and 100/year (commercial) |
|
Workplace Charging Scheme |
Businesses and public sector companies |
Up to £350 per socket |
40 sockets across all sites |
|
EV Infrastructure Grant |
Landlords and SMEs |
Up to £30,000 per building |
30 grants per financial year |
All these grants have been guaranteed until March 31, 2026, but the government retains the right to close or amend them with fair notice. Let’s take a deeper look at each grant.
EV Chargepoint Grant For Flat Owners And Renters
The EV Chargepoint Grant for Renters and Flat Owners is primarily available for those who do not own a separate home but rather own or rent a flat.
What It Is
The EV chargepoint grant for flat owners and renters is available to help people living in flats or rented accommodation install a charging point at home. This grant has replaced the earlier Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS), which was concluded for people having one-unit properties in March 2022.
The existing programme acknowledges that people who have flats or those who rent their homes face particular challenges in installing charging points as homeowners, such as needing landlord permissions and negotiating with communal parking.
This EV charger installation grant is designed to speed up the adoption of electric vehicles for those living in multi-unit housing and rental apartments so that being an early adopter isn’t just left to homeowners with private parking.
The initiative includes the purchase and installation of a smart chargepoint socket, helping to significantly reduce the cost of being part of the electric vehicle revolution.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this grant, there are a few requirements you must meet:
- Property Type: You must currently live in a flat (a unit in a multi-unit building) or rent an entire single-unit property from someone. Homes which are rented through shared ownership schemes would also qualify. However, you won’t be eligible for this grant if you own a detached, semi-detached or terraced house.
- Off-Street Parking: You must have a designated off-street parking spot at or for your property. This is important because the charger has to be installed in the location where you typically park your car safely.
- Proof of Ownership or Tenancy: if you are a flat owner, proof of ownership is necessary. If you are a renter, you need to get written approval from your landlord before you apply.
- Previous Grant Claims: You must not have previously claimed the EVHS grant or any of its predecessor schemes in respect of your property.
- OZEV-authorised installer and hardware: The installation should be carried out by an OZEV-approved installer using an authorised smart charging point model.
- Vehicle: You must own an EV that’s on the list of those approved by OZEV.
Grant Amount
This grant offers a decent amount of money to help you go electric: you are entitled to reclaim £350 or 75% of the cost (whichever is less) of purchasing and installing a chargepoint socket. Here is how this works with specific examples:
- Example 1: If your total installation cost is £420, the grant will pay 75% of this, which is £315, and you will have to pay the remaining £105.
- Example 2: If it costs £600 to install an EV charger, 75% would be £450, but the grant maxes out at £350, so you will get just £350 and will have to pay the remaining £250.
Once approved, this grant is automatically subtracted from your final bill by your OZEV-approved installer, meaning you pay a lesser amount up front. Each eligible vehicle and household can only apply for one grant.
Why It Matters
If you live in a flat or are a renter, the installation of permanent EV chargers can be difficult. This grant makes it cost-effective so that everyone can fairly access convenient EV charging, not just people who own homes with driveways.
How To Apply
It is relatively easy to apply for this grant, but you need to follow the proper process:
Step 1: Check Your Eligibility:
Before beginning, be sure that you meet all the qualifications outlined above. Ensure your vehicle is on the OZEV-approved list and that you have (or can get) landlord permission if you live on rent.
Step 2: Find an OZEV-Approved Installer:
This is important because only approved installers are able to apply for and claim grants on your behalf. Find OZEV-approved EV charger installers in your area.
Step 3: Get A Quote:
Contact your selected OZEV-approved installer and request a quote for installation. Schedule a site survey to evaluate your property’s electrical service and find the optimal charger location.
Step 4: Installer Submits Your Claim:
Once you have agreed to the quote, your installer will initiate your claim with the OZEV portal on your behalf. You’ll get an email to your mailbox with the invitation to fill out an eligibility check form.
Step 5: Submit Required Documents:
You need to provide proof of vehicle ownership or lease, property documents, and a landlord’s consent (if applicable).
Step 6: OZEV Reviews and Approves
If everything is clear, OZEV will approve you and instruct your installer to go ahead with the installation. The whole authorisation procedure generally takes a few working days.
Step 7: Installation Complete:
Your installer should finish work within 90 days of approval or ask for an extension. At the end of the process, they’ll provide final documents and photos to OZEV.
Step 8: Payment Funding:
OZEV accepts the claim and makes payment to your installer directly. In some instances OZEV will audit the auditor visits to validate if the installation is done properly.
Key Tip: The OZEV-approved installer is responsible for the whole process, but you likely have to respond relatively quickly if it requests information or documentation in order to minimise delays.
EV Chargepoint Grant For Landlords
The EV Chargepoint Grant for Landlords is for companies and landlords who want to equip their organisations or buildings with electric charging.
What It Is:
Property owners who wish to install EV charge points within their rental properties can benefit from the EV chargepoint grant for landlords. This initiative acknowledges the importance of landlords in supporting EV chargers for tenants who find it difficult or impossible to access home charging.
Whether you’re a residential or commercial building owner, the grant assists you in building tenant-friendly infrastructure while keeping up with the increasing demand for EV-ready buildings.
Eligibility
The landlord grant has different criteria depending on whether you are a residential or commercial landlord:
- Residential Landlords: You must own or manage at least one property that is leased or let to individuals for residential purposes. This includes standard buy-to-let properties, houses in multiple occupations (HMOs), and flats. You qualify if you own even a single building or multiple properties.
- Commercial Landlords: You must be the owner or part of a management team for a property that is leased or let to a business, which in turn pays rent. But commercial landlords are not eligible to apply for the infrastructure grant, only the chargepoint grant.
- Business Registration: You need to be registered at Companies House or be VAT registered by HMRC.
- Property Location: The property must have a number of dedicated off-street parking spaces within which chargers can be installed.
- Installation Requirements: You must hire an OZEV-approved EV charger installer and charger. The chargers need to be placed at or near the rental property.
- Locations: Homes and buildings must be in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.
Grant Amount
The EV Chargepoint Grant for Landlords provides up to £350 per socket or 75% of the total cost (whichever is lower). But what makes it quite appealing for landlords is the grant volume.
- Residential Properties: up to 200 grants per year, combined across all your properties.
- Commercial Properties: Maximum of 100 grants per annum.
This means if you have a portfolio of rental properties, you can install EV chargers across your entire estate. For instance, if you own 50 residential properties and install two chargers at each property, you can claim 100 grants, which will grant up to £35,000.
This grant makes the installation of EV chargers on a large scale very cost-efficient for landlords.
Why It Matters
For landlords, putting EV charging infrastructure in place is not just about keeping up with technology; it’s an investment in property value and tenant satisfaction. With a rapid growth in the number of electric vehicle sales taking place across the UK, tenants are now considering EV charging as more of a necessity than an indulgence.
Buildings with EV chargers, in other words, can charge a premium rent and attract tenants who are environmentally aware. Moreover, the fact that you are installing charging infrastructure today would place your properties in advance of any possible future regulations requiring EV-ready rental accommodation.
How To Apply
For landlords, the application process is a bit more complicated than it is for individuals:
Step 1: Register Landlord Account:
Register your landlord account on the OZEV grant portal. You will need your Companies House registration number or VAT number and details of your properties.
Step 2: Search For OZEV-Approved Installers:
Find OZEV-approved installers in your area. Even if you’re just a landlord with several properties, you’ll find it useful to get one trusted EV charger installer to put up all your installations across all your properties.
Step 3: Site Surveys and Quotes
Ensure your installer performs site surveys at all locations to assess power capacity and the best location for chargers. Also, ask for detailed quotes for all of the locations.
Step 4: Submit Application:
The OZEV-approved installer will access the OZEV portal and submit applications for each property. Residential and commercial properties are required to be applied for separately. Indicate the total number of sockets you would like to install and how many parking spaces will be covered.
Step 5: Installer Finishes Work:
The installer must have your installation completed by 90 days after your application is approved. They will then upload final documentation through their portal access, such as photos and invoices.
Step 6: Authorising and Approving Claims:
OZEV will send you an email to review the claim on your online account. It will be automatically submitted if everything is right and you don’t reply within a week.
Step 7: Payment:
After OZEV has approved your claim, they’ll pay the grant directly to your installer, who will then take the money off your final bill.
Workplace Charging Scheme
The Workplace Charging Scheme is to aid employees’ charging needs:
What It Is
The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a voucher-based grant provided by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), designed to provide eligible applicants with support towards the up-front costs of the purchase and installation of EV charging infrastructure.
Eligibility
To qualify for the scheme, your organisation must comply with the following process:
- Applicants: Apply if you are a business of any size, a registered charity, or a public sector organisation (this includes local authorities, government departments, and agencies), as well as accommodation providers whose properties have fewer than 250 employees.
- Off-Street Parking: You must provide off-street parking dedicated for staff or fleet vehicles in use. The parking must be on-site or within a reasonable distance of the place of employment.
- No EV requirement: You don’t need to have electric vehicles (EVs) in your fleet now, but you must be able to show there is a current or near-future need for EV charging at your organisation.
- Property Requirements: You own the property or have the landlord’s permission for installation. For home businesses, your address must be registered as your place of business with Companies House.
- Authorised Installers and Equipment: The installation process must be carried out by a qualified OZEV-approved installer and only use models of chargepoint that are authorised by OZEV.
- Location: Available for beneficiaries only in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Grant Amount:
The Workplace Charging Scheme provides a significant financial contribution: a maximum of £350 per charging socket or 75% of the purchase and installation costs, whichever is less. Most importantly, organisations can declare a maximum of 40 sockets across all their locations.
This equates to the maximum potential grant support of £14,000 per organisation. These sockets can be allocated in any way you like: build all 40 on a single large site, or scatter them over many sites (e.g., one socket at each of 40 different buildings), or anything else that works for your business.
Why It Matters:
Installing workplace chargers encourages employees to make the switch to EVs, reduces the carbon footprint of your company, and can be a valuable staff perk.
It’s a great employee benefit that helps with recruitment and retention, especially of younger workers who are environmentally conscious. It is an example of corporate dedication to sustainability and can help achieve carbon-reduction goals.
How To Apply
Here is how you can apply for the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS):
Step 1: Get Your Application Ready:
Prepare for your application by arranging a site survey with an OZEV-approved installer to ensure you have the electrical capacity on site that will allow you to install the number of charge points you’re applying for.
Collect all the required information, such as your organisation’s registration details, site addresses, and the number of sockets needed.
Step 2: Apply Online:
Complete the Workplace Charging Scheme application available on the OZEV portal. You will be asked to verify that you are eligible and agree to the scheme’s terms and conditions.
Step 3: Receive Voucher:
Once the application is approved, you will receive a unique voucher code in five working days. This voucher code is active from the date of purchase for a period of 6 months.
Step 4: Share Voucher Code with Installer:
Give the voucher code to your OZEV-approved installers; they will use this code when claiming the grant upon completion of the installation.
Step 5: Finish the Installation:
Your installer must complete all their work within the 180-day expiry period of your voucher. And if your circumstances change and you can’t get the installation done in time, you can apply to withdraw your voucher and reapply. Vouchers are non-transferable between sites.
Step 6: Installer Claims Grant:
When the installation is complete, your installer will claim on your behalf using the OZEV portal. The installer must not take payment from you before OZEV has paid the grant.
Step 7: Payment:
OZEV will deduct the grant amount from your final invoice once the claim has been approved and the installer has been paid. Your invoice will show the full cost of the instalment minus the grant.
Key Point: You can also apply for further vouchers to install more chargepoints at the same or other sites, though your total must not exceed 40 sockets. Your application should be for one site and one installer. If you’re installing at multiple locations, submit separate applications for each.
EV Infrastructure Grant
The EV Infrastructure Grant is for larger, more complex installations, typically in apartment buildings or elsewhere where the main cost is not the charger itself but rather all of the wiring that must be done to support it.
What It Is
The EV Infrastructure Grant supports the wider installation of infrastructure necessary for future EV charging points. That includes cable work, electrical substation arrangements and getting parking spots ready for EV charger installations.
Eligibility
The EV Infrastructure Grant has listed the eligibility criteria:
- Who Can Apply: Homeowners, commercial landlords, SMEs and organisations with staff or fleet vehicles.
- Type of Property: The scheme applies to multi-parking sites, including residential car parks, business premises and workplace parking.
- Installation Prerequisites: The infrastructure must be installed by OZEV-approved installers and can include work required either now or in the future to support the installation of chargepoint(s). That might involve additional power capacity, distribution boards, ducts, posts and general groundwork.
- Parking Spaces Covered: Grant amounts are determined according to how many parking spaces the infrastructure work will serve, regardless of whether you are installing chargers now or planning for expansion in the future.
- Grant Caps: Residential landlords may claim a maximum of 30 infrastructure grants for the residential car parks in any financial year.
Grant Amount
The EV Infrastructure Grant offers a significant level of support, specifically up to £30,000 or 75% of the infrastructure cost (whichever is less).
Why It Matters
The infrastructure grant tackles one of the most significant obstacles to EV chargepoint deployment at scale: the initial, higher cost of preparing buildings and car parks for charging infrastructure.
The infrastructure grant is especially valuable for residential landlords who own apartment buildings. It allows you to future-proof more of your property by laying the basic infrastructure, even if you’re not yet ready to install chargers at every parking spot. This strategy enables you to phase in charging provision as tenant demand increases.
How To Apply
Here is how you can apply for the EV Infrastructure Grant:
Step 1: Determine Your Infrastructure Requirements
You will need to hire an OZEV-approved installer to complete a full site survey. They’ll assess your current electrical capacity, figure out what infrastructure work is necessary and recommend an appropriate size to meet your charging needs today and tomorrow.
Step 2: Register Your Account:
Landlords should make sure to use their Companies House registration number or VAT number, if applicable, in the process of creating an account on the OZEV grant portal. For businesses and SMEs, sign up for the EV infrastructure grant for the Staff and Fleets portal.
Step 3: Apply:
Describe your property and scope of planned infrastructure work. If parking is involved, describe how many spaces the work will cover. You have to apply for residential and commercial properties individually. Don’t forget to also note whether you’re installing chargers now or in the future.
Step 4: Installer Completes Work:
Your OZEV-approved installer is ready to begin work once your application has been accepted. They will need to finish the project and provide documentation via the portal, such as detailed specs, photos and invoices.
Step 5: Review Claims:
OZEV will contact you to review the claim on your account. If anything is wrong, you’ll have a week to correct it; otherwise, the claim will be filed automatically.
Step 6: Payment:
When your application is approved, you’ll receive payment from OZEV, and the installer will deduct the cost from your final invoice. Note that installations might be chosen for audit, where a visit to the site will be performed to check your compliance.
Tip: Be strategic about investments in your infrastructure. If you are installing chargepoints now, align your infrastructure grant application with the applications for chargepoint grants to get the most government support. If you’re planning for future growth, install scalable infrastructure that can support extra chargers as your demand increases.
How To Find The Best OZEV-Approved EV Charger Installers?
Once you know that you are eligible for a grant, selecting the right EV installer is the most important consideration. Here’s what to look for:
- OZEV Approval: OZEV is the only organisation on the official government grant list. Always ask for their OZEV approval number.
- Check Reviews and Experience: Find EV installers that have strong customer reviews on third-party websites and also a good track record of delivering work for your specific grant type.
- Obtain Several Quotes: Detailed quotes list the cost of the charging unit, installation labour and any additional work. This gives a fair and transparent comparison. So, you should get at least 3 quotes from different installers.
- Ask about aftercare: Make sure to ask these questions before you finalise the installer: How long can you expect the charger and their work to be covered? Do they provide ongoing support?
- Use ComparedExperts: Finding the best OZEV-approved EV charger installer requires a lot of effort and time. But, if you use ComparedExperts, we will do all the work for you and match you with an OZEV-approved installer in no time.
Find The Best EV Installers In The UK With ComparedExperts
Are you ready to install your EV charger and benefit from the local government grants but are unable to find the best OZEV-approved installer? Then get in touch with ComparedExperts.
Here is how we will help you find the ideal EV installer:
- Define your needs
- We will pair you with top EV installers
- Get detailed quotes and compare
- Choose the one that matches your requirements
With ComparedExperts, not only do you get access to our large network of installers for your product, but also the peace of mind of knowing that they have all been thoroughly vetted. We save you time, assist you in finding competitive pricing, and make sure you’re working with experienced professionals who know the ins and outs of applying for grants.
FAQs
Not usually. The grants cover a lot of the cost, about £350, but you will have to cover the remaining cost. The final price will vary depending on the charger you select and how difficult the installation is.
No, the OZEV-approved installers must apply for the grant before or while installing the EV chargers. You cannot claim it for work that has already been done.
Yes. If you’re renting a place, you’ll need written permission from your landlord before applying for the grant. This is a compulsory requirement, and your installer will need to see this permission. Landlords often welcome EV charger installations, as they are a property enhancement.
