Electric Vehicles are growing in popularity in the UK and with the sale of new combustion engine vehicles due to be banned in the UK by the end of the decade, the sale of electric cars has seen a steady increase in the last few years.
One of the best ways to manage the battery of an electric vehicle is to get an EV charging unit installed at home.
These units allow users to keep their vehicles charged and ready for long journeys, while the smart technology and applications built in can further improve the management of electric vehicle charging by syncing charge times to cheap tariffs, as well other tools.
Before April 2022 there were funds and grants available to help homeowners reduce the cost of installing a home EV charger through the EVHS grant.
But changes to the eligibility criteria have now changed who can benefit from this scheme.
In this quick guide we’ll look at the changes to the EVHS grant and what it means for people who want to install an electric EV charger in their home.
What was the OZEV grant?
The Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles’ Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) was a fund available to eligible homeowners that could reduce the costs of buying and installing an electric charging unit at home by up to £350.
However, as of April 2022, this grant has been replaced by a different fund.
Introduction of the EV chargepoint grant
The EV chargepoint grant works much the same way as the previous EVHS grant in that it provides £350 off the purchase and installation cost of a home EV charger.
However, this grant is only available to homeowners who live in flats, and anyone who lives in rented accommodation, whether it’s a flat or house (which is defined in the grant as a ‘single use property’)
The fund is available to eligible applicants (who have gained their landlord’s permission in rented properties) to reduce the buying and installation costs of the charging unit.
In order to qualify, applicants must also meet specific criteria in regards to the placement of the EV charging unit and whether it could potentially encroach on public paths.
What does this mean for the EVHS grant?
Unfortunately, as of April 2022 (when the EV chargepoint grant was introduced) the EVHS grant is no longer available to homeowners of ‘single use properties’ like detached, semi-detached, terraced houses or bungalows.
There’s been currently no information released as to whether the EVHS grant will be replaced by other funding available to homeowners, but for now the rules mean the grant is only available for:
- Landlords
- Social housing providers
- Owners or tenants of flats/apartments
What about changes to the Workplace Charging Scheme?
Along with the EVHS grant there has been funding available for owners of commercial premises to have EV chargers installed at their property for the use of employees or visitors.
This grant is still available as of April 1, 2022 although the criteria for eligibility has changed, meaning the grant is now available to:
- Small or medium businesses
- Bed & breakfasts and small accommodation businesses
- Charities
- Owners of businesses in rented commercial space
It’s hoped that by opening the criteria to more businesses to take advantage of the £350 grant towards the cost of buying and installing an EV charger it will increase the uptake in the near future.
Want to take advantage of the new grants with an approved and qualified EV charger installer?
If you’re eligible to apply for the EV chargepoint grant and are interested in getting an EV chargepoint installed at your home or business, get in touch with us at Downtown Electrical.
All our engineers are qualified and registered installers of electric vehicle charging stations for both residential and commercial installations.
Plus, by choosing Downtown Electrical as your installer we can help you with your grant applications to ensure you get all the funding and discounts you’re entitled to under governments schemes.
Interested?
Get in touch for a free quote
