The UK government has boosted the grant allowance for home electric vehicle chargers and is reviewing planning permission rules to make it easier for people without driveways to charge their cars. The changes come as part of efforts to remove barriers for those wanting to switch to an electric vehicle but lacking off-street parking.
Grant Increase Announced
On April 1, the grant for installing a home electric car charger was increased to £500, up from £350. Speaking earlier this year, Keir Mather, the minister for decarbonisation, said this would cover around half the cost of installation. The grant is available for households with on-street parking that also install a cross-pavement solution, such as a channel or gully to run a charging cable safely across the pavement.
Planning Permission Rules Under Review
Mr Mather confirmed that the government has consulted on measures to reduce planning permission requirements for cross-pavement solutions. The consultation ran between November 2025 and January 2026, and the government will publish its response shortly. This aims to further support households with on-street parking who wish to install at-home charging points.
Parliamentary Questions Answered
Several MPs raised questions on the topic in Parliament. Joe Robertson, Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight, asked how many applicants had successfully received funding under the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for Households with On-Street Parking. Mr Mather responded that as of January 1, 2026, the grant had funded 39 sockets with a total grant value of £13,531. This is in addition to the £25 million Electric Vehicle Pavement Channels Grant for local authorities.
Shivani Raja, Conservative MP for Leicester East, inquired about steps to improve accessibility and affordability of at-home EV charging. Mr Mather noted that the government continues to offer grant funding for those living in flats and rented accommodation, with up to £500 per charge point socket. He also highlighted the Clean Flexibility Roadmap 2025, which supports drivers to access cheaper, flexible charging tariffs both at home and in public.
Jerome Mayhew, Conservative MP for Broadland and Fakenham, asked about expanding permitted development rights to include pavement gullies for at-home EV charging. Mr Mather confirmed that the department will publish its response to the consultation shortly.
Support for Flat and Rental Residents
Those living in flats and rented accommodation can also receive up to £500 per charge point socket. The government is continuing to support drivers to access cheaper, flexible charging tariffs, both at home and in public, as part of its Clean Flexibility Roadmap 2025.
