11:49 am, February 25, 2026
The government has announced an expansion to its EV charge point grant as ministers look to make electric vehicles more accessible.
Under plans outlined this morning (Feb 25), renters, flat owners, homeowners without driveways and businesses will all be able to claim up to £500 to cover installation costs.
The change, which comes into force on April 1, marks a £150 increase on the current scheme, which only allows drivers to claim back a maximum of £350.
The Department for Transport says that the additional funds will cover roughly half the cost of installing EV chargers.
Elsewhere, schools will be eligible for grants of up to £2,000 per socket, as the government looks to build on the 3,700 chargers installed to date.
It has also been confirmed that the scheme will run until at least March 2027, as policymakers look to make charging more affordable.
Confirming the news, aviation, maritime and decarbonisation minister, Keir Mather said: ‘We are 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 news of the extension has been welcomed by business groups, who are now encouraging members to make the most of the offer.
Tina McKenzie, policy chair at the Federation of Small Businesses said: ‘Many small businesses want to switch to electric vehicles, with half of small businesses (51%) saying that more charging infrastructure would incentivise them to make the switch.
‘Small firms want to cut their emissions and reduce their fuel bills and removing or lowering the barriers which currently tip the scales against electric vehicle adoption can only be a good thing – for small businesses, for the economy and for the planet.’
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, added: ‘Almost nine in 10 landlords with a suitable property would install EV charge points if a tenant asks them to undertake this work.
‘Given the extent of landlords’ willingness to provide them, we welcome the government’s plans to encourage more widespread installation of these points across the sector.
‘We urge landlords to make best use of the grants now available where it is feasible for them to do so.’
