Renters, flat owners, homeowners without driveways and businesses will be able to save up to £500 when installing electric vehicle (EV) charge points, thanks to an over 40% increase in chargepoint grant amounts.
The uplift will cover almost half the cost of a typical charge point installation until March 2027, helping thousands more drivers access cheaper domestic electricity rates at home or work to power their car for as little as 2p per mile – that’s the equivalent of London to Birmingham for £3.50.
Expanded access to home charging will help more households make the switch and UK businesses gear up for the EV revolution, as latest figures show EV drivers can save up to £1,400 on running costs versus a comparable petrol car when accessing cheaper domestic rates.
The move is the latest in a raft of action from the government to tackle two of the biggest barriers to driving electric – upfront costs and worries about finding somewhere to charge.
Over 55,000 drivers have already saved thousands buying a new EV thanks to the government’s £2 billion Electric Car Grant (ECG), which is offering savings of up to £3,750 across some of the biggest auto brands, and backing the UK auto sector, including the Nissan Leaf made at the firm’s Sunderland plant.
Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, Keir Mather said: “We’re taking action to make EV ownership the affordable choice for everyone – not just those with driveways. Bigger grants mean families, flat owners, renters and small businesses can now install a charger for almost half the usual cost, with home charging costing as little as 2p a mile.
“Combined with our Electric Car Grant which has saved over 55,000 drivers thousands off the price of a new EV whilst boosting sales for carmakers, and record funding for our national public charging network, we’re backing the EV revolution for drivers, businesses, and industry.”
The updates will also simplify the current EV charge point support schemes available by reducing 8 grant types down to 5, streamlining the system so people can navigate and select schemes and discounts more easily.
Last year, a £25 million scheme was also launched making it easier for residents without driveways to install home chargers. Accessed through local authorities, the scheme supports the installation of discreet, embedded pavement channels and is additional to the expanded charge point grant. This means those with on street parking could get help with installing the charger and the cross-pavement channel.
The following updates will be introduced from 1 April 2026:
- people living in rented accommodation, flat owners, residential landlords, households with on-street parking and businesses will all be able to receive higher grants of up to £500 per charge point, rising from the previous discount of £350
- schools will be eligible for grants of up to £2,000 per socket, building on 3,700 sockets installed to date
Alongside the ECG and home and workplace charging grants, the government is expanding the national 88,500 strong public charge point network. In total, £600 million was announced last year to accelerate the charging rollout, and this funding builds on the 100,000 additional new public chargers the government is already helping councils install in the coming years.
Councils will receive funding for the next 3 years to help them boost local charging infrastructure, alongside the continuation of a government funded support service for local authorities which helps ensure charge point installations and locations best serve communities.
Last month, the Department for Transport launched its new ‘Get that electric feeling’ campaign to help drive uptake in EVs by highlighting the benefits of going electric, including savings of up to £1,400 on running costs.
