The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)

Electric Vehicle Charging Grant Aid for Business

The plug-in electric car revolution is well underway. It is being driven by the government through the Workplace Charging Scheme, by generous grants for electric car charging directed at the domestic market, and of course, the climate change emergency.

There is no doubt that with generous government grants for charging installation currently available, plus the significant ongoing cost-savings that switching to electric vehicles can mean for a business, there has never been a better time to make the change.

Grant Assistance

A business gaining OZEV approval to install 40 EV charge point sockets can currently claim up to £14,000 in grant assistance*

* 75% of purchase and installation costs, up to a maximum of £350 for each socket, up to a maximum of 40 across all sites for each applicant.

We Power Your Car – Charge Point Installation Services to Business, Industry, and Commerce

 

As leading Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) approved electric vehicle charge point installers, we always know what’s new in the EV industry. So, you get the very latest and best EV charging tech, in addition to the right expertise from our first-class customer service team. We are not tied to a manufacturer either, so we recommend what’s best for you, offering helpful and unbiased advice. We make sure that each and every commercial job is fulfilled with you in mind, offering a tailored approach.

We Power Your Car

Make We Power Your Car Your Number 1 Choice for Business EV Charging

As an independent business, we are not tied to any manufacturer. So, any advice you receive will be solely based on how to best meet your needs.

New, distinctive, OZEV approved EV charging points from all over the globe, we have them all. Stand out from the crowd by gaining access to our future proof range.

We have a range of experienced engineers across the UK so we can install wherever you are, ensuring high-quality and hassle-free installations.

Your business, your choice. We offer completely personalised solutions that will suit your individual operation.

As an OZEV authorised installation company, with highly skilled and professional OZEV accredited installers, you can guarantee that you are in safe hands.

The OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme for Electric Cars

The UK government has set some of the most ambitious targets in the world for reducing carbon emissions and backed them up with substantial grants for electric car charging installations. So let’s take a closer look at the primary funding avenue – the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)

What is the Workplace Charging Scheme?

One of the primary aims of the scheme is to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles in the general population by helping employers provide easily accessible EV charging points for employees to use while they are at work.

Based on a voucher system, applicants who are eligible apply to receive a digital voucher from OZEV for part-payment of the cost of installing EV charge points in the workplace.

The voucher funds up to 75% of the cost and installation of each charging outlet, capped at £350 per socket and a maximum of 40 outlets per applicant. For businesses with multiple sites, the 40 part-funded outlets can be distributed across those sites.

Making the Application for WCS

An authorised representative of the business can apply for the scheme using the government online application portal. The WCS is a voucher-based scheme, and so if eligibility checks for the Workplace Charging Scheme applications are successful, applicants will be issued with a unique identification voucher code via email. This can then be given to any OZEV-authorised WCS installer. The voucher expires after 180 days, and the installation must be completed before it expires.

Under conditions set out by OZEV, suppliers and installers are prohibited from requesting upfront payment for the portion of the cost covered by grant aid. This is paid to the installation company by OZEV on completion of the installation.

 

Who can claim the grant?

If you are a registered business or public sector organisation and can provide either a Companies House reference number, a VAT registration number, or an HMRC registration letter, you are eligible to apply. Please note you will be asked to upload a copy of at least one of these documents during the online application process.

Small accommodation businesses (such as B&Bs), SMEs, and charities are also eligible for the scheme. Guests will be permitted to use the EV charge point(s) on the property. For small accommodation businesses and charities, £350 will be available per socket, with a maximum of 40 applications. Applicants must be a registered charity, or, for small accommodation businesses, must have less than 250 employees. Off-street parking is also needed to qualify for the grant.

For SMEs, up to £850 can be claimed per parking bay, with a maximum of £15,000 per building. There is a limit of 5 applications, and the SMEs must have less than 250 employees. The EV charging points must also be installed on a property with private parking, and a minimum of 5 parking bays is needed for every one charging point.

If your business is registered at your home address, you are eligible for the grant as long as your business is listed on Companies House or with HMRC.

WCS Application 6 Stage Process
Step 1 applicant completes online application
Step 2 when successful, a voucher is generated
Step 3 authorised installer completes installation
Step 4 installer submits claim via the installer portal
Step 5 grant level confirmed - up to 75% of the costs, capped at £350
Step 6 installer receives grant

When does the Workplace Charging Scheme end?

The closing date for Workplace Charging Scheme applications is 31st March 2024. Make sure you take advantage of the £14,000 OZEV government grant funding while you still can.

What We Do

We offer a range of tailored EV charging solutions to businesses across the UK for:

  • Supply and installation of single and multipoint on-site EV charging infrastructure for workplace parking to provide charging facilities for employees and empower them to switch to electric vehicles.
  • Intelligent and scalable electric vehicle charging solutions for fleet owners.
  • Future proof electric vehicle charging solutions for residential and commercial building projects and developments.
  • Public access charge point systems to allow retailers and the hospitality industry to offer EV charging facilities to customers.

We are OZEV-approved EV chargepoint installers, and so you can find We Power Your Car under the list of approved WCS OZEV installers.

Workplace Charge Scheme Eligibility Conditions

You must not have already received grand aid under the scheme

The proposed installation site must be a commercial address in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland

For leased premises, the permission of the owner/freeholder must be obtained

Your business site must have dedicated off-street parking for staff and/or fleet vehicles, such as a car park, and provide an easily accessible area with one parking space for each socket access where electric vehicles can be charged safely

The voucher must have been issued before the installation has taken place. Retrospective applications will not be considered

All charge point sockets must have a minimum of a 3 kW supply

The installation must be carried out by an OZEV authorised WCS installer

The charge points must be on the list of OZEV authorised devices

The installation company must be on the list of OZEV authorised installers

You must agree to maintain the charge points in good condition and keep them available for a minimum of 3 years from receiving the grant

You must agree to supply usage data to OZEV

After the installation, you must provide photographic evidence. One photo must show the charge point unit with the unique serial number clearly visible, and one photo must show the context of the parking site with all of the charge point units visible

Contact We Power Your Car Today

Chat to our expert customer service team about your business electric car charging point installation needs.

How Long Does it Take to be Notified About the WCS Grant?

After following the WCS application process through the government WCS web portal, if you aren’t notified immediately, it means that your application is being passed on to be looked at in more detail. You will be notified via your registered email address if this is the case and also when the decision has been made.

Even though the system works on a first come first served basis, your place in the queue will be reserved until the decision is made. It normally takes around 5 working days.

What to do if your WCS Grant Application Fails

If you feel that you have met all of the criteria and yet your funding application has been refused, you can email the scheme administrator (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency – DVLA) at [email protected] and make your case. The case will be reviewed by a manager. The outcome of this appeal is final.

Business EV Charging Point Considerations and Benefits

Choosing the correct and most efficient charging infrastructure for your employees and your fleet will ensure that operational requirements like charging speed, and the number of vehicles capable of being charged at any time are met.

Here are two things to consider that directly relate to your application for WCS grant aid:

  • The number of charging outlets: The Workplace Charging Scheme provides part funding for up to 40 charge points. However, this does not mean you are limited to that number. This may not be enough for companies that have a large workforce or run a large fleet of company electric vehicles. It simply means that any extras over and above 40 will require full company funding.

If you make an application for less than the permitted maximum of 40 charge points and then at a later date you find that you have the need and the scope to install more, you can make a second WCS application as long as the cumulative total of both applications does not exceed 40 sockets.

  • The power output of the charging outlets: To be eligible for Workplace Charge Scheme grant aid, the power output of the charging point must be a minimum of 3kW. In many cases, a lower power charger may not be suitable for business charging due to longer recharge times. A low-power charger may not be suitable for all types of vehicles either. Businesses often opt for around 27kW output which will provide recharging to suit the widest range of vehicles.

Some might be asking why not install ultra-rapid charging systems like the high-power chargers available on public networks? There are 2 problems with this:

  1. The initial outlay is prohibitive to many small and medium enterprises.
  2. Constantly recharging with rapid chargers has been shown to have a detrimental effect on battery life and condition.
Lower Fuel and Vehicle Maintenance Costs Reduced Benefits in Kind (BIK) taxation for company cars
Reduced Corporate Co2 Free or low-cost vehicle charging
Reduced Fleet Costs Congestion charge exemption
Reduced Class 1A NI Contributions No road tax
WCS grant incentives Convenient, quiet and emission-free commuting

Impartial Advice and Guidance

Our EV charge point sales and installation services for businesses come with a whole range of support and assistance. Our expert advisers are standing by to take your calls on 03333 44 96 99. Alternatively, you can access our webchat service, or email us at [email protected]

We offer impartial advice and guidance to steer you in the right direction both before and after you apply for your grants for charging installation.

With competitively priced charge point sales and installation services, business site surveys plus a responsive national aftersales and backup service, choose We Power Your Car for a truly independent approach to your business charge point installation project.

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