A new driveway rule has come into force across England, offering households a £500 grant to install electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints. The Labour Party government implemented the change in April, increasing the previous grant from £350 to £500 to make home charging more affordable.
Government's Commitment to EV Adoption
Keir Mather, the minister for decarbonisation, explained on BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme: "We think it will make a big difference. We are working as hard as possible so that as many people as possible can make the switch to an electric vehicle, but we can only do that if we make it cost-effective to charge from home."
The grant now covers almost half the cost of a typical chargepoint installation, approximately 42%. Mather highlighted that home charging can reduce costs to around 2p per mile, equivalent to driving from London to Birmingham for about £3.50.
Eligibility and Application Details
Properties in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are eligible. Those in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man are not. Applications submitted on or after 1 April 2026 qualify for the £500 grant, while earlier applications remain at £350.
Support from Business and Landlord Groups
Tina McKenzie, policy chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, stated: "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." She added that reducing barriers to EV adoption benefits businesses, the economy, and the planet.
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, noted: "Almost nine in 10 landlords with a suitable property would install EV charge points if a tenant asks them to undertake this work." He welcomed the government's plans and urged landlords to take advantage of the grants where feasible.
