The Electric Vehicle Homecharge scheme (EVHS) was introduced back in September 2019 to help encourage the transition from petrol and diesel cars to electric vehicles.

OZEV (The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles), announced this year that they have decided to switch up their scheme to accommodate a new group of residents. This means there’s going to be some significant changes coming in 2022 as to who’s eligible for the £350 grant.

In this blog, we will cover the basics of the EVHS grant, and report any new changes to the scheme that could potentially affect you.

Firstly, what is OZEV?

OZEV, or The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, is a team working across the government to support the transition to zero emission vehicles. You may or may not be aware that there will be a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 in the UK. As such, OZEV is providing various support for the mass adoption of plug-in vehicles.

What is the EVHS?

OZEV is encouraging drivers to switch to electric vehicles through various grants, discounts, and tax savings.

One of these grants is The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS), which provides a 75% contribution to the cost of an EV home charger and its installation. This grant is capped at £350 (including VAT) per installation.

The EVHS grant is commonly known as the OZEV grant because it is governed by The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV).

To learn more about the grant, OZEV has created a helpful guide.

How do I qualify for the OZEV grant as a private resident in 2021?

• To qualify, a customer must have a property in the UK with dedicated off-street parking, such as a garage or a driveway.
• The customer must also have an electric vehicle that qualifies for the grant (see list) The customer must prove that they own or lease an eligible electric vehicle, but this proof can be given even if they have not received the car.
• Additionally, the customer must have not already claimed the grant. The only exception to this is if a household has a second eligible electric vehicle. If this is the case, the grant can be claimed again for an additional home charging point.
• The EV charger being installed must be an OZEV approved smart charger. See the list of OZEV approved chargers here. The charger must also be installed by an approved OZEV installer.

What you need to know: The EVHS eligibility rules are changing from April 2022

Since the start of the EVHS scheme, the grant has been specifically for UK homeowners with dedicated off-street parking on their property, such as a garage or a driveway.

However, owners of detached, semi-detached, terraced houses and bungalows will no longer be eligible for the £350 EVHS grant from April 2022 as part of the reforms.

What are the deadlines for the current EVHS Scheme focused on homeowners? 

The last date for an EV charge point installation under this version of the EVHS scheme will be the 31st  March 2022. If an EV charge point installation takes place after this date, no grant funding will be provided.

The last claim for an installation needs to be submitted to the DVLA by  30th April 2022, unless there is an exceptional reason for permitting a later application. If you submit your application after this date, you will not be entitled to the £350 grant.

Who will be eligible for the EVHS after the reforms?

The idea behind the 2022 EVHS eligibility change is to remove a key barrier to EV uptake in densely populated urban areas. Therefore, residents living in flats or apartments will be eligible for the grant from April 2022. In previous years, these residents have not been able to take advantage of the scheme. The grant on offer will remain at £350 per socket.

In addition to flat and apartment residents, landlords and building owners can also apply for the grant themselves. Up to £350 can be claimed per socket, however, there will be a limit of 200 applications per year, per applicant.

The upcoming grants will be focused more on providing EV charging facilities for flats and apartments, rather than private homes. With the UK’s plan to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, it is hoped that this move will increase demand for the rental and leasehold sectors. Furthermore, it should ensure people living in accommodation are able to access EV charging points at home, meaning an easier transition to electric vehicles and better charging infrastructure.

To read more about Flats and Apartments, please click here.

Do I still have time to apply for the grant as a private UK homeowner?

The answer is YES – As long as you claim the grant before 30th April 2022 and your home EV charge point is installed by 31st March 2022, you can still benefit from the £350 grant under the current EVHS scheme.

To make it even easier, all you have to do is get in touch with us, and we will sort the rest!

We will check your eligibility for the OZEV grant, apply on your behalf and submit all the paperwork for you.

All our chargers are OZEV approved, and we are fully authorised by OZEV to carry out home charger supply and installation.

Get £350 off the cost of purchasing and installing an EV charging point at home whilst you still can! Our expert advisers are standing by to take your calls on 03333 44 96 99. Alternatively, you can access our webchat service on our contact page or email us at [email protected]. 

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