What is the workplace charging scheme?
The Workplace Charging Scheme can help to dramatically reduce the cost of installing electric vehicle charge points at your business.
Key highlights
-
The Workplace Charging Scheme offers grants covering up to 75% of the costs for installing electric vehicle chargepoints, significantly reducing expenses for businesses.
-
Open to businesses, charities, public sector organizations, and small accommodation providers across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
-
Grants can fund up to 40 chargepoint sockets per applicant, whether concentrated at one site or spread across multiple locations.
-
Businesses apply online and receive a voucher within five working days, which can be used with an OZEV-approved installer to claim the grant.
-
Enhances employee benefits by supporting the switch to electric vehicles, reducing fuel and maintenance costs, and presenting a green image for the organization.
The Workplace Charging Scheme can help to dramatically reduce the cost of installing electric vehicle chargepoints at your business.
If your organisation is interested in investing in electric cars or supporting your employees in driving them, the scheme can make sure the switch to electric is affordable and cost-effective for your company. The Workplace Charging Scheme is a valuable policy your business should take advantage of.
To help your organisation benefit from the Workplace Charging Scheme, here we’ll explain how the scheme works. We’ll run through how to apply to the Workplace Charging Scheme and what benefits it can bring your organisation and your employees.
Understanding the Workplace Charging Scheme
The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a government initiative managed by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV).
The WCS gives grants to organisations to fund the installation of electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their premises, with the objective of helping businesses and their employees make the transition to driving electric cars.
If your business is eligible, you can apply for funding via the Workplace Charging Scheme to pay for up to 75% of the cost of buying and installing electric vehicle chargepoints. That’s a huge potential saving on tech that can benefit your company and your employees.
Which organisations are eligible for the Workplace Charging Scheme?
To be entitled to apply for funding via the Workplace Charging Scheme, your organisation must be:
To be entitled to apply for funding via the Workplace Charging Scheme, your organisation must be:
- Business
- Charity
- Public sector organisation
- Small accommodation business (including hotels, holiday and short-stay accommodation, trailer parks, and campsites).
There’s a separate scheme for state-funded education institutions.
Your organisation must be based in:
- England
- Wales
- Scotland
- Northern Ireland
WCS is not currently available in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
The chargepoints must be installed by an OZEV-authorised installer. Your business location must:
- Be owned by the business, or your business must have the consent of the landlord/owner to install chargepoints.
- Have dedicated off-road parking with sufficient space to install chargepoints.
- Be listed at Companies House if the property is also a residence.
- Be surveyed by an authorised installer before you apply for funding.
Your organisation must already have electric vehicles or have plans to invest in them in the near future. Read the full eligibility requirements for the Workplace Charging Scheme.
How much funding can I apply for via the Workplace Charging Scheme?
The WCS will fund:
- The installation of up to 40 electric vehicle chargepoint sockets per applicant (that could be 40 sockets at one site or even one socket across 40 sites).
- 75% of the total costs of buying and installing EV chargepoints (including VAT), capped at a maximum of £350 per socket.
How do I apply for the Workplace Charging Scheme?
The Workplace Charging Scheme uses vouchers that give you a discount when paying an OZEV-approved business to install chargepoints. It works like this:
- Complete a WCS application form online to apply for a grant.
- If your application is successful, you’ll be emailed a voucher code within five working days.
- You’ll be able to use that code with any OZEV-authorised chargepoint installer.
- Once the chargepoints have been installed at your location, the installer will claim the grant from OZEV.
- The chargepoints must be installed, and the grant claimed, within 180 days of the voucher being issued.
What are the benefits of the Workplace Charging Scheme?
Benefits for your organisation:
-
Reduce the fuel and maintenance costs of running business vehicles.
-
Installing chargepoints will support employees make the switch to an electric car and can be a considerable motivational perk.
-
For many businesses, customers will also be able to use chargepoints adding an additional customer service.
-
Operating eclectic vehicles can help you present a green, environmentally responsible image for your business.
Benefits for your employees:
-
Support employees in switching to more cost-effective and environmentally friendly electric cars.
-
Cut employees’ charging costs by allowing them to charge their cars at work.
-
Reduce employees’ ‘benefit in kind’ tax for company cars.
-
Remove any ‘range anxiety’ for EV-driving employees by ensuring they can charge both at home and at work.
Find out more about EV charging with DriveElectric
The Workplace Charging Scheme is a simple and cost-effective way for your organisation and your employers to go electric. It represents a great opportunity for any business that’s interested in investing in electric vehicles. Currently, the WCS is funded until 31 March 2025, so apply when you can.
Find out more about workplace EV charging solutions and charging electric vehicles at work with DriveElectric.
Alongside installing electric vehicle chargepoint sockets, at DriveElectric we can help your business get access to the right electric vehicles with our competitive electric vehicle leasing and our EV salary sacrifice scheme. With our carbon management expertise, we can help you cut emissions and go green.
Our Expert Guides
How to charge an electric car in public?
How clean are electric cars?
How to reduce scope 3 emissions?
