As the auto industry prepares for the ban on petrol and diesel in 2030, vehicle manufacturers design new models of electric cars and vans, testing and improving their performance, and, in particular, their ranges. Electric vehicles are heavily marketed and the government offers grants to UK drivers to encourage them to switch to EVs. While offering grants for the purchase or leasing of electric vehicles, the government also acknowledges that many people would want to charge them at home. The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) has been designed to help them do so but soon some homeowners will no longer be eligible for the grant.
Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme is set to end on 31 March 2022 for some homeowners
If you own a single-unit house, you have only a few weeks left to apply for a UK government grant to help with the cost of installing an electric vehicle home charging point. From 1 April 2022, homeowners (including those with mortgages) who live in bungalows, semi-detached or terraced houses, will no longer be eligible for the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme grant. Installations in all these properties need to be completed by 31 March 2022 and a claim submitted to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) by 30 April 2022.
Installation of a home charging point can cost between £500 and £1,000, depending on the type you choose.
Steve Tigar, chief executive of Loveelectric, a company that helps employers purchase electric vehicles via salary sacrifice, says drivers need to act now or they will miss out.
To qualify for the grant, drivers whose scheme is closing must order their charging point by the beginning of February, he adds. Once you have found an installer you are happy with, you may have to wait five or six weeks until the work is completed. If any permissions are required (as we will discuss later in this blog), they will have to be obtained before installation can begin. This may delay the whole process.
“Installers are currently very busy, and often they will want to do a site survey before they get to work. But they are vital to the process, as it is they who apply for the EVHS grant on your behalf,” Tigar says.
Charlie Cook, founder of Rightcharge, said: “We’ve seen a 100% rise in the number of requests for charge point installs between December and January which indicates that Brits are moving fast to take advantage of the OZEV (Office for Zero Emission Vehicles) grant before it’s too late.”
The scheme will continue to be available to:
- property owners living in flats
- people in rental accommodation
Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme explained
Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) is a grant that provides a contribution to the purchase and installation of the electric vehicle charging point at home.
How much is the electric vehicle home charging grant?
The grant covers 75% of the cost of the installation but is capped at £350 (including VAT) per installation.
How do I apply for an EV home charging point grant?
In order to qualify for this grant, the customer must choose to have their chargepoint installed by an EVHS installer. EVHS installers will submit a grant application on behalf of the customer once they have determined that the applicant qualifies. The customer cannot apply for the grant directly. After the installation is complete, the installer will bill the customer for the cost of the installation minus the grant amount. A grant amount offset from the customer's bill will be paid directly to the installer by the EVSH once the claim has been processed.
The eligibility criteria for the EV home charging point grant
To qualify for the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme you must meet the following criteria:
Vehicle requirements
The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme is available to all ultra-low emission vehicles that have been approved by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) regardless of their plug-in grant eligibility. Cars that exceed the category 2 or 3 price cap and those no longer on sale in the UK may still qualify for the home charging grant.
The vehicle must be listed on the EVHS eligible vehicles list at the time of installation to qualify for the grant. The list includes battery-powered and plug-in electric vehicles, such as cars, vans, taxis, and motorcycles. The request to place the vehicle on the EVHS list comes from the manufacturer. If the vehicle is not on the list, it simply doesn't qualify for the home charging grant. To determine why the vehicle is not listed, you can contact the manufacturer directly.
EVHS Eligible Vehicles
Customer requirements
- individuals who become registered keepers of an electric vehicle (new or used) - a registered keeper is not necessarily the owner of the vehicle, but the person who pays for road tax and MOT
- people who lease an electric car or van for a minimum of 6 months
- employees assigned an electric company car for at least 6 months
- employees who lease an eligible electric vehicle through a salary sacrifice scheme
- employees who are named, by their employer, as the primary user of an eligible electric vehicle for 6 months or more
- those who have ordered an eligible electric vehicle
It is essential that the customer provides proof that they qualify under one of the above categories.
Property requirements
This grant is for domestic properties only (there is a separate Workplace Charging Scheme). The grant can only be applied to existing properties; it cannot be used for new constructions or for vacant properties.
The applicant must be a resident of the property. Vehicle registration details will be checked to verify this. There may be additional supporting evidence required (e.g. a utility bill) where the are any doubts.
Prior to installation, the customer must obtain third-party permissions (such as from a freeholder or managing agent of a block of flats). Renters or leaseholders seeking to apply for leased or rented properties will be required to provide this information.
Before an installation begins, access rights and permissions must be agreed upon by all parties using legally binding agreements, like legal covenants, if cabling or other parts of the installation are required to be placed on someone else's property or on public land.
OZEV does not need to be notified when a charge point is moved to a new house. The same applies if you move house.
Off-street parking
Customers applying for an EVHS must have private off-street parking on their properties. The parking may be part of the property or separate. For separate parking areas, the customer must be able to prove that they are legally entitled to the space by providing a land registry title deed.
Grants are not available where the customer doesn't own the parking space or doesn't have sole legal rights to it. This includes:
- rented spaces
- spaces shared with other properties
- spaces providing access to other properties
The parking space must be accessible at all times, suitable for the installation of a chargepoint, and permit safe vehicle charging. A survey must be conducted by the installer prior to installation to determine this. In case of negative feedback from the installer, OZEV will not intervene.
Is it possible to apply for more than one EV home charging grant at the same address?
It's possible for one person to apply for two charging points at the same property if they have 2 qualifying vehicles. In the same way, two people can apply for EV home charging point grants at the same property if each owns or leases an electric vehicle.
My vehicle lease agreement includes a home charging point. Am I still eligible for a grant?
Depending on the vehicle lease contract, you may be offered a home charging point. The home charging grant can be applied for if:
- a car or van that you lease is a qualifying vehicle
- the installation must take place at the customer's home address, and there must be off-street parking available
Furthermore, your vehicle lease agreement must:
- make it clear that the customer will own the charge point once it is paid for
- clearly show the cost of a charge point and its installation (including any applicable VAT) – this is the amount that a grant may be offset against
You must also:
- ensure that the warranty for the charge point meets the EVHS requirements
- ensure your lease is for a minimum of 6 months
- send a copy of the lease agreement to DVLA with the application so that the above can be verified
Charge points for EVs must be installed in new homes
The Government announced in November 2021 that developers will be required to install electric vehicle (EV) charging points in new homes, supermarkets, and workplaces.
Aside from new homes and non-residential buildings, those undergoing large-scale renovations with more than 10 parking spaces will have to include EV charging stations. The number of charge points required has not been specified.
It is estimated that up to 145,000 additional charging points will be installed in England every year as a result of these regulations.
Those who lease electric vans or cars and have not yet taken advantage of the grant should apply immediately. If you have just signed your EV lease agreement but have not yet received your vehicle, you can still apply for the grant. Don't miss out!
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