How much is the Workplace Charging Scheme grant worth?

The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) voucher covers up to 75% of the total cost of purchasing and installing EV chargepoints, including VAT, capped at £500 per socket. That cap rose from £350 to £500 on 1 April 2026. Each applicant can claim for a maximum of 40 sockets across all their sites. Funding is confirmed until 31 March 2027.

Who can apply for the Workplace Charging Scheme?

Businesses of any size, charities, public sector organisations (including local authorities), and small accommodation businesses can apply. You must either be a public authority or fall within the government de minimis/Minimal Financial Assistance subsidy limits. Your site also needs dedicated off-street parking designated for your organisation. State-funded education institutions apply through a separate scheme.

What is the maximum number of chargepoints I can claim for?

Up to 40 sockets per applicant, counted across every site you operate, not per site. There is no minimum number. A single-socket installation is still eligible.

Do I need to use an authorised installer for the WCS grant?

Yes. The grant cannot be claimed if the installation is carried out by anyone other than an OZEV-authorised installer. Confirm authorised status before signing any installation contract. This is checked before the grant pays out.

How do I apply for workplace EV charging funding?

Apply through the WCS application form on the government Find a Grant service. Once approved, you receive a voucher valid for 180 days. Your authorised installer must complete the work and claim the grant within that window. You cannot claim retroactively for chargepoints already installed.

How much does it cost to install workplace EV charging stations?

Costs vary by site. Installers commonly quote £800 to £1,200 for a single 7kW socket and £1,200 to £2,000 for a 22kW three-phase socket, before any grant. Electrical upgrades usually cause the biggest cost variation between sites and can add £500 to £3,000 or more when your incoming supply is not big enough. Get a site survey and two or three quotes before budgeting.

Can local authorities and public sector employers get a workplace charging grant?

Yes, local authorities and other public sector bodies are explicitly eligible under the WCS, on the same terms as businesses. Multi-site public sector employers should set one consistent charging policy across all their depots and offices. That policy should cover how sockets are shared between fleet vehicles and staff cars.

Is workplace EV charging a taxable benefit for staff?

No. HMRC has not treated employer-provided EV charging electricity as a taxable benefit in kind since 6 April 2018. This applies as long as the charging facilities are made available generally to employees at or near the workplace.

Workplace EV Charging: WCS Grant, Costs & Policy Guide (2026)

The Workplace Charging Scheme grant, eligibility, application steps, real installation costs, and how to write a charging policy

What Is the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)?

The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a UK government grant, run by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), that helps employers cover the cost of installing EV chargepoints for staff and fleet use. It is a voucher, not a cash payment up front: OZEV issues the voucher, an OZEV-authorised installer carries out the work, and the installer claims the grant once the chargepoints are live.

The voucher covers up to 75% of the total cost of purchasing and installing chargepoints, including VAT, capped at £500 per socket. That cap increased from £350 to £500 on 1 April 2026. Older £350 figures, including on this page before this update, are out of date. Each applicant can claim for a maximum of 40 sockets across all their sites. Funding for the scheme is confirmed until 31 March 2027. (Verified on GOV.UK's Find a Grant service, July 2026. Scheme terms can change. Check gov.uk directly before applying.)

The grant is a percentage with a cap, not a flat amount. The real saving depends on the job cost. A £700 socket install gets 75% covered, £525. The payout is still capped at £500. A more expensive £1,500 install is also capped at £500. The share of cost covered shrinks as the job gets bigger. The current £500 cap now covers most or all of the eligible 75% for most single-socket 7kW installs.

Who Is Eligible for the Workplace Charging Scheme?

The scheme is open to:

Businesses of any size
Charities and not-for-profit organisations
Public sector organisations, including local authorities and NHS trusts
Small accommodation businesses, such as guesthouses and B&Bs

Two extra conditions apply on top of organisation type. First, you must either be a public authority, or fall within the government's de minimis or Minimal Financial Assistance subsidy control limits (broadly, you have not received more than the threshold amount of public support over the past three financial years). Second, your site needs dedicated off-street parking clearly associated with the premises, and the specific spaces used for chargepoints must be designated to your organisation, not shared public parking. State-funded schools and other education institutions apply through a separate, dedicated scheme rather than the standard WCS.

How to Apply for the Workplace Charging Scheme

Confirm eligibility. Check your organisation type and that you have qualifying, dedicated off-street parking.
Get quotes from OZEV-authorised installers before you apply. This matters. The grant can only be claimed if the installation is carried out by an authorised installer. Confirm status before signing anything.
Submit the WCS application through the government's Find a Grant service.
Receive your voucher. Once approved, the voucher is valid for 180 days from issue.
Book the installation with your authorised installer inside that 180-day window. Chargepoints must be installed, and the grant claimed, before the voucher expires.
Installer claims the grant on your behalf once the work is signed off, usually deducting it from your invoice.

You cannot claim the grant retroactively for chargepoints you have already had installed. Skipping the authorised-installer requirement makes the grant not payable at all, no matter how good the work is.

Workplace EV Charger Installation Costs

Actual costs vary a lot by site: existing electrical capacity, cable run distance from the fuse board, number of sockets, groundworks, and which installer you use all move the price. Treat the following as a general guide, not a quote. Get a proper site survey before budgeting:

7kW single socket: typically £800 to £1,200 before any grant
22kW three-phase socket: typically £1,200 to £2,000 before grant, reflecting the heavier electrical supply it needs
Smart load management (needed once you install four or more chargers to share available power without a full electrical upgrade): commonly an extra £200 to £500 per site
Electrical upgrades (needed when your incoming supply is not big enough): £500 to £3,000 or more, usually the single biggest driver of cost variance between sites

The current £500 per socket cap often covers most of the cost of a straightforward single 7kW installation. Larger multi-socket rollouts still benefit. The cap applies per socket. The percentage of total cost covered falls as the installation scales up. Get two or three quotes for your specific site rather than budgeting off generic figures.

Employer EV Charging Policy: What to Include

A written charging policy protects both employer and employee and heads off disputes over cost and access once demand for a limited number of sockets grows. A workable policy usually covers:

Who can use the chargepoints. Decide up front whether it is staff only, fleet only, or open to visitors, and whether access is first come first served or booked.
Cost to the employee. Many employers provide charging free at point of use as a staff benefit. HMRC does not treat this as a taxable benefit when facilities are made available generally to employees (see Tax Benefits below). Others recover cost through a per-kWh charge or a salary sacrifice arrangement for employees with company cars.
Session limits and etiquette. Set a maximum charging time, or a rule to move your car once charged. This lets a small number of chargers serve more people across the working day.
Home charging reimbursement. Many employers pair workplace charging with a policy for reimbursing home charging costs for company vehicles. HMRC treats a reimbursed share of a domestic energy bill used to charge a company car in a similar way to workplace charging for tax purposes.
Fair access across multiple sites. Local authorities and other public sector bodies with several depots or offices should set one consistent policy across all sites. The policy should cover how sockets are shared between fleet vehicles and staff-owned cars. Local authority fleets are separately eligible for WCS funding in their own right, distinct from any staff commuter charging scheme.
Maintenance and safety basics. Who is responsible for faults, and clear signage for accessible parking bays where chargers are installed.

Put the policy in your employee handbook and review it annually, particularly as more staff switch to EVs and demand for a fixed number of sockets increases.

Tax Benefits for Workplace EV Charging

Two separate tax reliefs apply on top of the WCS grant itself.

Benefit-in-kind exemption: HMRC has not treated employer-provided electricity for charging an employee's electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle as a taxable benefit in kind since 6 April 2018. This exemption applies when the charging facilities are made available generally to employees at or near the workplace.

Capital allowances: businesses can claim a 100% first-year allowance on qualifying chargepoint equipment, deducting the full cost from profits before tax in the year of purchase. This relief has been extended and currently applies to qualifying expenditure up to 31 March 2027 for Corporation Tax, and 5 April 2027 for Income Tax.

These reliefs, combined with the WCS grant, meaningfully cut the net cost of a workplace rollout. Check the detail with your accountant before you commission the work.

Choosing the Right Chargers for Your Workplace

Employee Commuter Charging (7kW)

Most workplaces should start with 7kW chargers. Employees parked for eight or more hours can fully charge from these. They are the cheapest to install and put the least strain on your electrical supply.

Fleet and Visitor Charging (22kW)

22kW chargers give faster turnaround for company fleets or visitor parking. A 22kW charger can fully charge most EVs in three to four hours. This suits a car that needs to be back in use the same day.

Smart Load Management

Essential once you are installing four or more chargers. Smart load management shares available power across all connected vehicles, preventing overload without a costly electrical upgrade. Several major chargepoint brands include this as standard on multi-unit installs.

Popular Workplace Charger Brands

Easee: strong multi-charger load balancing
Rolec: durable, commercial-grade units built for high-traffic sites
Pod Point: managed service option available for larger rollouts
EVBox: well suited to larger installations with many sockets

Workplace EV Charging Guide