A short guide to business grants for EV charging stations

Finding the finances to invest in EV charging stations is one of the biggest barriers for businesses looking to make the switch to electric vehicles (EV).

Fortunately, with the UK set to ban the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, the government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has put in place various grant schemes to support the rollout of the national EV charge point network in order to help them meet rapidly growing demand for electric vehicles.

The Government hopes that the range of business EV charging grants made available will encourage the installation of EV charging stations in both public locations and private premises, enabling organisations to seize the many commercial and environmental benefits of offering EV charging facilities to drivers.

So, whether it’s a grant you need to subsidise the cost of installing EV charging stations at your business, or a bespoke funding solution that could completely remove the barrier of investing in EV charging infrastructure (see our range of partnership options), this guide has all the information you need to get started on your EV charging journey.

What EV charge point grants are there for UK businesses?

Finding the right grant for you will depend on your business size and the criteria outlined by the OZEV. If eligible, you could be entitled to up to £75,000 of funding towards the development of your EV charging facilities. Read on to see which grants apply to you…

If you are a registered business, charity or public authority and reside within England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then there are a variety of grants available to help you start your EV journey. The three main grants available in 2023 are:

• Workplace Charging Scheme Grant (WCS)
• EV Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets
• EV Chargepoint Grant for Landlords

Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) Grant

The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a government voucher-based scheme to support businesses with the upfront costs of installing electric car charging facilities on their premises. The grant is open to businesses, charities, and public sector organisations that meet the criteria set by OZEV. Successful applicants will receive up to 75% of the cost of purchase and installation of workplace EV charging – the grant is capped at a maximum of £350 for each socket, for up to 40 sockets.

Applicants must have designated off-street parking facilities dedicated to staff and/or fleet use to apply. The aim of the grant is to encourage staff and businesses to purchase EVs as they have the opportunity to charge whilst at work – speeding up the transition to net zero.

For small accommodation businesses (249 employees or less) and charities, there is no restriction on who uses the EV charging, whether it be customers, guests, visitors or staff. This includes hotels and similar accommodation, holiday or short-stay accommodation, camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks.

Who is eligible for a Workplace Charging Scheme Grant?

Any registered business, charity or public authority that meets the criteria can apply for the grant (given you can provide the necessary evidence to support the application). These requirements include:

• Must be a registered business, charity or public sector organisation
• Must have dedicated off-street parking available
• Must have a current or future need for charging electric vehicles
• Must use an OZEV-approved WCS installer (such as SMS) to install the charging stations
• Must own the business premises or have the landlord’s permission to install the chargers

How to apply for a Workplace Charging Scheme Grant?

Eligible businesses can apply for a grant by visiting the government website and completing an online application form (including all the necessary evidence to support the application). Successful candidates will be emailed a voucher code that can be shown to an OZEV-approved installer (like us) – we will then use it to claim the grant after installation is complete.

To ensure a stress-free and successful application, get in touch with our experts (07376 490 650) to see what EV solutions and grants are available for your business, or email evcharging@sms-plc.com.

EV Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets

Small and medium businesses (less than 250 employees) can claim for a grant of up to £850 per parking bay supported by an EV charge point for staff or fleet use. There is a maximum of £15,000 of funding available per site across a maximum of five sites – therefore, a total of £75,000 can be claimed to ramp up EV charging in the workplace.

Each parking bay claimed must be associated with a unique charging socket and must support at least five parking spaces. This grant can be used in conjunction with Workplace Charging Scheme Grant, but not for the same charging point. Find out more information here.

To check your eligibility and apply for the grant, call us at 07376 490 650 or email evcharging@sms-plc.com.

EV Chargepoint Grant for Landlords

If you are a landowner and are leasing, renting, or managing a commercial and/or residential property, you can claim a grant that reduces the cost of purchasing and installing EV charge points by 75%, including £350 per socket.

The grant permits landlords to receive up to 200 grants per financial year for residential properties, and 100 grants per financial year for commercial properties, with a limit of one building per application. Only owners with private off-street parking for current or future tenants, fleet, and/or staff will be awarded the grant.

To check eligibility and get more information about EV grants for landlords, call our experts at 07376 490 650 or email evcharging@sms-plc.com.

Next steps? How to move forward with your grant application

1. Firstly, get in touch with an OZEV-approved installer (like us).
2. Receive expert advice on the right EV solutions and appropriate grant for your business.
3. Apply for the grant by completing an online application form (following support from our experts to help you produce an excellent application).
4. Within 5 working days, you will receive an email confirming if the application has been successful. If successful, the email will contain the unique voucher code (valid for 120 days from the date of issue).
5. Once OZEV approves the grant application, we will claim the grant on your behalf and get started on the installation process.
6. Once installation is complete, you will receive an email from the DVLA asking for confirmation of the details of the installation and the total grant amount.
7. If you spot anything inaccurate, you will have 7 days to raise the issue. If all is correct, you will not need to do anything, and the claim will be processed on your behalf.