RELATED: What is the Workplace Charging Scheme in the UK?
The Scheme Is Open Until 31 March 2027
The Workplace Charging Scheme is open to new applications until 31 March 2027. This is a 12 month extension confirmed alongside the wider OZEV grant changes that took effect on 1 April 2026.
The application process is unchanged. You apply online through the OZEV portal. You receive a voucher code within 5 working days. The voucher is valid for 180 days and is shared with your OZEV approved installer, who deducts the grant from your invoice on completion.
What Has Changed in 2026
Two things changed on 1 April 2026:
Rate uplift. The grant per socket increased from £350 to £500. This rate applies to installations completed from 1 April 2026 onwards, regardless of when the application was submitted.
Education uplift. State-funded education institutions now claim £2,000 per socket through the Workplace Charging Scheme, a significant uplift on the previous rate.
Vouchers awarded before 1 April 2026 remain valid for the previous £350 rate. If your installation completes from 1 April, the higher £500 rate applies.
The 40 socket cap across all your sites is unchanged. The 75% cost coverage cap is unchanged. The eligibility criteria for businesses, charities, and public sector organisations are unchanged.
RELATED: What replaced the EV Infrastructure Grant for businesses?
Why the Scheme Now Matters More
Until 31 March 2026, the Workplace Charging Scheme worked alongside the EV Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets. The Infrastructure Grant covered cabling, groundworks, and infrastructure up to £15,000 per site. The Workplace Charging Scheme covered the chargepoint hardware.
The EV Infrastructure Grant closed to new applications on 31 March 2026. There is no direct replacement.
The Workplace Charging Scheme is now the single OZEV grant for workplace EV charging. The rate uplift from £350 to £500 partly offsets the loss of the Infrastructure Grant, but the headline funding value for projects with significant cabling or groundworks is lower than under the previous combined regime.
Who Qualifies
The scheme is available to:
UK businesses registered at Companies House or VAT registered with HMRC. Charities. Public sector organisations including local councils and NHS bodies. State-funded education institutions (at the higher £2,000 per socket rate).
You must have dedicated off street parking where the chargers will be installed. The chargepoints must be for staff or fleet vehicle use. They cannot be accessible to the public.
All work must be carried out by an OZEV authorised installer.
How Much You Can Claim
The maximum claim is 40 sockets at £500, totalling £20,000 across all your sites. The 40 socket cap applies per applicant, not per site. A multi-site business installing 8 sockets at each of 5 sites can claim the full 40 sockets at £500.
For a single site installing 10 chargers, the grant value is £5,000. The scheme covers 75% of the purchase and installation cost per socket up to that £500 limit, whichever is lower.
How to Apply
We handle the full application as part of every workplace project. The process runs in this order. We complete a free site survey. We submit the Workplace Charging Scheme application and receive your voucher. We install the chargers and claim the grant on your behalf. The grant value is applied to your quote upfront. You pay the reduced price.
If you are unsure how the changes affect a project you are planning, contact us. We will scope your project on current funding terms.
