This guide contains all the information you need about the Office of Zero Emissions Vehicle (OZEV) Grants, including the EV Chargepoint Grant and Workplace Charging Scheme.
What is the EV Chargepoint Grant?
The government introduced EV charger grants in 2020 to make switching to a low-emission vehicle cheaper. When more people switch from a petrol or diesel vehicle to an electric vehicle, this supports the government’s target to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions.
First, it’s worth quickly running through the different names this grant has gone by. It is provided by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), so it’s been called the OZEV grant or the OLEV grant. It was also called the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS), but from April 2022, it’s been named ‘EV Chargepoint Grant’.
The EV Chargepoint Grant offers up to £350 towards installing a charger for an electric car.
Previously, you could access the grant if you were a homeowner with a driveway, but this has changed. The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has updated who can and cannot access the grant.
Next, we’ll run through who can receive this grant. Let’s find out if you can save up to £350 on your electric vehicle charger installation.
Who is eligible for the OZEV Chargepoint Grant?
The Chargepoint Grant can be accessed by:
- Flat owners.
- Landlords.
- People who live in rented accommodation.
To qualify for the EV Chargepoint Grant, you must:
- Live in rental accommodation or own a flat
- Own, lease or have ordered a qualifying vehicle.
- Have dedicated off-street parking at your property.
How to access the Chargepoint Grant if you’re a flat owner or live in rented accommodation
For flat owner-occupiers or people living in rented properties, this grant gives a 75% contribution to the cost of one electric vehicle charger and its installation. A cap is set at £350 (including VAT) per installation.
Some things have stayed the same with this grant. For example, your EV charger and installer must still be EVHS-approved. However, some things have changed.
Previously, you could claim up to 2 home chargers, but not anymore. You can only claim one charger, even if you own a second electric vehicle. OZEV grants for households (not landlord properties) have now ended. This means homeowners who have their own dedicated driveway can no longer take advantage of this grant.
How to apply for the EV Chargepoint Grant
- The grant is claimed by your installer from the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV). So, you must choose an OZEV-approved installer. When you request a charger quote through Rightcharge, you are connected to an OZEV-approved installer.
- This installer checks if you qualify for the grant. If you’re a flat owner, they’ll confirm you own the property.
- The installer applies for the grant on your behalf.
- You’ll receive a bill from the installer for the installation minus the grant amount they’ve applied for.
- If the application is successful, the installer is paid the grant amount.
You do not need to do anything other than provide some information to your installer, and the grant will be removed from your total installation price if you are eligible.
If you are a landlord, social housing provider or property factor, you can apply for funding to install an electric vehicle charger. The registration process to access the grant varies depending on the type of landlord you are.
You can find more information on how to register for the grant here.
How to access the chargepoint grant if you’re a landlord:
- Register for the grant as a landlord.
- Your OZEV-approved installer will make a claim on your behalf.
What can you claim as a landlord?
Your grant amount is per charge point socket installed. The chargepoint grant provides up to 75% of the cost towards purchasing and installing a charge point socket, up to £350 per grant.
You can receive up to 200 grants for residential properties and a further 100 for commercial properties. These may be across a number of properties and installations or just for one property.
Here is some more information from the government on how to access the grant if you are a landlord.
Which charge points can I get with the EV Chargepoint Grant?
From the 1st of April 2020, the grant only applies to ‘smart’ home charge points. The charger needs to be capable of sending and receiving information. All of the charge points on Rightcharge are ‘smart’. Furthermore, the charger has to be OZEV-approved. The majority of chargers are OZEV-approved, but the odd charge point is not approved.
Here is a downloadable list of charge points eligible for the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant.
Which electric vehicles are eligible for the grant?
Most full-battery electric vehicles are eligible for the OZEV Chargepoint Grant. However, certain plug-in hybrids may not qualify due to their emissions. To be eligible for the grant, the CO2 emission level of a hybrid must be below 50g/km.
This list is kept up to date by the OZEV department and changes regularly. These are vehicles that have been approved to be ultra-low emission. It’s also worth noting that this list includes electric vehicles which might not be eligible for the grant due to exceeding the price cap or no longer being sold in the UK.
Downloadable a list of Vehicles eligible for the OZEV residential chargepoint grant.
Why might my EV Chargepoint Grant take a while to receive or be denied?
Rightcharge cannot guarantee all customers will receive the grant. Here are some of the reasons it might take longer to get or may be denied access:
- The potential need for your District Network Operator to upgrade your fuse limit or disconnect your electricity supply from a neighbour (known as ‘de-looping’ your supply)
- A delay in supplying your home information to your installer to provide a quote and/or a delay in providing information allowing your installer to process your OZEV application
- If you are driving a company car or leasing your car you will need to provide evidence it will be in your possession for at least six months.
- If you are expecting a delivery of a new car, you will need to provide evidence of ordering an eligible vehicle.
The above list is not exhaustive; there may be more reasons you can’t access these grants, and your installer can advise further.
What is the Workplace Charging Scheme?
The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is run by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and managed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
This voucher-based scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of purchasing and installing EV charge points (inclusive of VAT). This is capped at a maximum of £350 per socket for 40 sockets across all sites per applicant. So, if you want to install at 40 sites, you’ll be eligible for one charge point at each site.
As with the other OZEV grants, your approved installer will claim the money on your behalf.
Who is eligible for the Workplace Charging Scheme?
Any business, charity or public sector organisation that meets the government criteria can apply for the Workplace Charging Scheme.
Use this online application form. Once approved, you’ll be given a unique identification voucher code by email. You’ll need to pass this on to your OZEV-authorised WCS installer.
Here is some useful information on how to apply for the workplace charging scheme.
Frequently asked questions:
What is the difference between the OZEV & OLEV Grants?
In January 2021, the government department running the grant changed its name from OLEV (Office of Low Emission Vehicles) to OZEV (Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles), but the grant stayed the same. However, the grant and eligibility criteria changed in 2022. It’s now called the EV Chargepoint Grant.
Is there any other way to save money on my EV charging point apart from the OZEV grants?
As well as saving money on your home EV charger installation with an OZEV grant, you can find the right electricity tariff to suit your lifestyle and help save you money when charging your electric vehicle. Click below to Compare EV Tariffs.
Summary of OZEV grants
In summary, OZEV introduced EV charger grants in 2020 to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles.
Since then, there have been a few changes. At the time of writing, the chargepoint grant offers up to £350 towards installing a charger at residential properties. The grant is removed from the total price before you pay your installer. The installer claims the grant back from OZEV. However, you do need to meet a few criteria to qualify. For example, the installation needs to be carried out by an OZEV-approved installer.
OZEV and the DVLA also offer a workplace charging scheme for businesses. This grant is up to £350 per socket, capped at a maximum of 40 sockets across all sites.
Have you still got some questions about OZEV grants? Speak to our helpful team of electric vehicle experts. Our helpful team are only a click away. Email us at customercare@rightcharge.co.uk.