The UK EV Grants Landscape in 2026
Government support for EV charging infrastructure shifted in 2022. The original Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) closed for owner-occupiers and was redirected toward people who had been left out of earlier rounds — renters and flat owners. The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) for businesses, charities and the public sector continues, and remains one of the most generous capex offsets available for any commercial fitout.
Both schemes are administered by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV). DS Electrical is an OZEV-authorised installer, which means we lodge the grant claim directly — you do not pay full price up front and chase a refund. The grant is deducted from your invoice on the day.
Quick summary: Two live OZEV grants in 2026. EVHS pays up to £350 per socket for renters and flat owners (one charger per person). WCS pays up to £350 per socket for businesses, capped at 40 sockets per applicant. Owner-occupier homeowners are not eligible for any current OZEV domestic grant.
EVHS — Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme
EVHS is the residential grant. Since 1 April 2022 it has been restricted to:
- Renters in private or social housing — with permission from the landlord
- Owner-occupiers of flats — including leasehold and shared-ownership flats
- Property owners letting properties — the landlord can claim per-property for tenants’ use
What the EVHS pays
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Grant per socket | Up to £350 |
| Maximum claim per applicant | 1 charger per eligible person |
| Equipment rule | OZEV-approved smart charger only |
| Installer rule | Must be OZEV-authorised (we are) |
| Vehicle rule | Eligible EV must be owned, leased, or on order |
Eligibility checklist
- Property is in the UK
- Off-street parking with safe cable run from a power source
- You rent the home, OR you own a flat (owner-occupied house = ineligible)
- You have an eligible electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle (or a confirmed order)
- For renters: written landlord permission is in place
- You haven’t already claimed an EVHS grant at this address
Homeowner note: If you own a house outright (not a flat) and live in it, you cannot claim EVHS. The scheme was redirected in April 2022. We will tell you this on the first call — we won’t take an enquiry, do a survey and then break the news. Install costs from £995 still apply, just without the grant offset.
Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)
WCS is the commercial equivalent of EVHS, and it scales. A site can claim up to 40 sockets at £350 each — that’s £14,000 of OZEV capex offset against a single fitout. Any UK-registered business, registered charity or public-sector body can apply.
Who can claim WCS
- Companies — private, limited, PLC, partnership, sole-trader registered with HMRC
- Charities — registered with the Charity Commission, OSCR or CCNI
- Public sector — local authorities, NHS trusts, schools, academy trusts, emergency services
Site requirements
- Off-street parking owned by, or leased to, the applicant
- Sufficient supply capacity, or scope to upgrade (we handle DNO)
- Chargers used predominantly by staff or visitors with EVs
- OZEV-approved smart charger from the model list
How the math works on a 10-socket fitout
| Item | Indicative figure |
|---|---|
| 10 × 7kW smart sockets installed | From £9,950 |
| WCS grant offset (10 × £350) | − £3,500 |
| DNO notification & commissioning | Included |
| VAT @ 20% | Added on net total |
Real fitout pricing depends on cable runs, supply capacity, ducting, surfacing reinstatement and load management. Survey is free. See our commercial EV fleet charging page for the full process and case studies.
What We Handle for You
The grant rules are deliberately strict and the application is paperwork-heavy. As an OZEV-authorised installer, that’s our job, not yours. End-to-end we cover:
- Eligibility check — we tell you on the first call whether you qualify, before you spend time on a survey
- Site survey — load, supply rating, cable route, mounting position, earthing arrangement
- DNO notification — submitted to National Grid Electricity Distribution under ENA G98/G99 as appropriate
- Grant application — lodged on the OZEV portal with your eligibility evidence and vehicle details
- Install — OZEV-approved charger, BS 7671 18th Ed Amd 2 compliant, Type A RCBO mandated
- Commissioning & certification — Electrical Installation Certificate, Part P notification via NAPIT
- Handover — charger configured to your home Wi-Fi, app set up, walk-through with you
Type A RCBO — the BS 7671 Mandate
Every EV charger we install is protected by a Type A RCBO, never Type B. This isn’t a preference — it’s the BS 7671 18th Edition Amendment 2 mandate for EV charging circuits, working with the residual current detection built into the OZEV-approved charger itself.
If a quote you’ve had elsewhere shows a Type B RCD or no dedicated RCBO at all, that install is non-compliant. We’ve had to come and rectify other installers’ work where the wrong protection device was fitted — it’s a fail on the EICR and it invalidates the warranty on most charger brands.
Brands We Install
We are approved installers for every major OZEV-listed brand. Pick the one that fits your priorities — we’ll tell you honestly which one suits your wiring, supply and use case.
Honest note: we don’t deliver DC rapid charging in-house. For 50kW+ destination chargers we partner with specialist DC contractors and can introduce you. For everything 7kW – 22kW AC, we install ourselves.
What About Leasing?
Whether you lease or buy your EV doesn’t change the charger install — but it can change the grant maths.
Leased EV + EVHS (renter / flat owner)
Leased EVs (PCP, PCH, business contract hire, salary sacrifice) do qualify for the EVHS provided you meet the renter or flat-owner test on the property. The grant attaches to the keeper of the vehicle and the address, not to outright ownership of the car.
Commercial lease + WCS
The Workplace Charging Scheme doesn’t care whether the cars using the chargers are owned, leased or salary-sacrifice. It cares about the workplace and the chargers. So a fleet of leased company cars at a commercial site is fully eligible.
Leased premises + WCS
If you lease your commercial premises, you can still claim WCS — you just need landlord consent for the install, in writing. We’ve done dozens of these and have a template letter we share with leasing landlords if it speeds it up.
Bottom line: We install the charger the same way regardless of how you finance the EV. The grant routing changes, not the engineering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can homeowners still claim the EVHS grant in 2026?
No. Since April 2022 the EVHS has been restricted to renters and flat owners. Owner-occupiers of houses are no longer eligible. If you rent or own a flat, you can still claim up to £350 per socket.
How long does the OZEV grant application take?
As an OZEV-authorised installer we handle the application directly. The grant is paid to us and deducted from your invoice — you don’t pay up front and reclaim. Survey to commissioning is typically 2–4 weeks depending on DNO notification timing.
Can I claim if I lease my EV instead of owning it?
Yes. Leased EVs (PCP, PCH, business contract hire, salary sacrifice) are eligible for EVHS provided you meet the renter or flat-owner test on the property. The grant attaches to the vehicle keeper and the install address.
What is the WCS and who can claim?
The Workplace Charging Scheme is the OZEV grant for businesses, charities and public-sector organisations. It pays up to £350 per socket and a maximum of 40 sockets per applicant. Off-street parking and dedicated EV use are required.
Do you handle the DNO notification for me?
Yes. Every EV charger install requires DNO notification (National Grid Electricity Distribution covers our area). We handle the paperwork as part of the install, alongside Building Regs Part P and BS 7671 certification.
Can a commercial site with leased company cars qualify for WCS?
Yes. The scheme is concerned with the workplace and the chargers, not whether the vehicles using them are owned or leased. Fleet vehicles, employee EVs and visitor EVs all count toward usage.