Our Guide to Fleet EV Charging Grants & Incentives

How is the UK Government Supporting EV Fleet Transitions?

The UK government has focused much of its investment so far on public and private EV charge point infrastructure to ensure the country can cope with the inevitable demand as more drivers switch to EVs and fleet managers turn their fleets electric.

The total funding committed by this government to vehicle grants and infrastructure is now over £2 billion, via schemes such as:

• EV chargepoint grant
• EV infrastructure grant
• The On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme
• The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme
• Workplace Charging Scheme
• The Rapid Charging Fund

Some of these have now been phased out, with replacements and further investment brought in. For example, in July 2025, £63 million of investment was announced to help private EV motorists and fleet operators install charging infrastructure and transition to EVs. Of this, £8m was earmarked for NHS England to electrify ambulances and medical fleets across 200 sites.

This came after the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate in April 2025, which was designed to make it easier for businesses to upgrade to electric vehicles. Then, in March 2026, the Government announced a further £1bn of funding specifically for fleet electrification and depot charging infrastructure, known as the Zero Emissions Truck and Van Grant and Depot Charging Scheme, respectively.

So let’s explore the support available.

Support for EV Fleet Operators and Businesses

There are currently four distinct schemes of grants and subsidies available to UK fleet operators and businesses:

• EV Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets
• Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)
  • Workplace Charging Scheme for State-Funded Education Institutions
• Depot Charging Scheme
• Zero Emission Vehicle Grants

EV Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets

Launched in April 2022, the EV infrastructure grant for staff and fleets is aimed at small and medium-sized businesses that want to install EV charge points on their properties and electrify their fleets, either now or in the future. It has been designed to help businesses plan for the demand of low-emission vehicles.  This is ideal for last mile fleet electrification progression.

How much is the Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets worth?

The grant covers up to 75% of the cost for SMEs to buy and install fleet EV charge points and related infrastructure, up to a maximum of £15,000 per site. It will provide up to £350 per active socket and £500 per passive (i.e. for use in the future).

The grant can be used to cover the costs of:

• Installation
• Charging hardware
• Grid connections
• Vehicle barriers
• Site survey works

Who is eligible for the Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets?

You can apply for the electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure grant if you’re a business with 249 employees or fewer, are registered at Companies House or VAT registered with HMRC, and own or have the right to use the property.

A business can make up to five applications per financial year, but only one per site. Each application must include infrastructure for a minimum of five off-street parking spaces, with at least one active socket. The chargepoints must be solely for fleet or staff use.

EV Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets: Example Business Case

This grant is perfect for SMEs that have private parking on their premises. They may want to encourage colleagues to make the switch to EVs or have plans to upgrade their current fleet to electric cars or vans in the near future, and are planning ahead.

The great thing about this grant is that businesses can start small by installing one fully operational EV charger while laying the electrical groundwork for the installation of future charge points.

Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)

Probably the most well-known and established grant, the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) provides financial support to businesses towards the cost of purchasing and installing workplace charge points. This makes the EV infrastructure business case even more compelling.

It was first introduced by OZEV in 2016, renewed in 2020, and in 2022 was opened up to SMEs, small accommodation businesses, commercial landlords and charities. The deadline to apply has been extended again to 31st March 2027.

How much is the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) worth?

The workplace Charging Scheme could be worth up to £20,000 to businesses, as it covers up to 75% of the costs of the purchase and installation of EV charge points (including VAT), to a maximum of:

• £500 per socket
• 40 sockets across all sites per applicant

Who is eligible for the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)?

The WCS is open to eligible businesses, charities, public sector organisations and small accommodation businesses that have dedicated off-street parking facilities clearly associated with the premises. The applicant also must either own or have permission from the landowner to install chargepoints.

For businesses, only staff or fleet vehicles can use the infrastructure, but these restrictions don’t apply to charities, public sector organisations or small accommodation. Businesses must also be VAT registered and/or have a Companies House reference number, although alternative documentation is available for other types of organisations.

Example WCS Business Case: Corporate Workplaces With an Electric Fleet

As an authorised OZEV installer, we have supported many businesses to access the WCS. We assisted smart infrastructure solutions company, Costain through the process. Costain required a partner who could provide and install EV charging infrastructure across all its UK offices to power its 3,000-strong fleet.

Our expert associate provided advice on what the company could claim and what site power was required after a full site survey. The associate was also on hand to help with any application queries.

Costain saved approximately £12,000 on 34 sockets across four of their UK sites and reaped the benefits from installing EV charging stations at their sites.

Workplace Charging Scheme for State-Funded Education Institutions

A similar scheme also exists for State-funded schools and education institutions in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland that allows them to apply for grants of up to £2,000 per socket, for up to 40 sockets.

These institutions must have:

• An existing or future need for charging an electric vehicle
• Designated off-street parking facilities that are clearly associated with the premises, which may be used by customers, guests, visitors, staff or others
• A site survey carried out by an installer, with confirmation that the site can support EV charging

Independent schools are eligible for funding via the WCS.

Depot Charging Scheme

Like the WCS, the Depot Charging Scheme (DCS) aims to support businesses to transition to zero-emission HGVs, LCVs, and coaches by funding up to 75% of the cost to install depot charging infrastructure, up to a value of £1m.

The funding can be used to cover the cost of:

• Hardware
• Civil engineering work
• Grid connection upgrades
• Energy management systems
• Installation costs

As a £30m trial scheme, the first application window runs from 25th March 2026 to 30th June 2026, or until the funding runs out. However, the Government has now committed £170 million of further funding that will be available until 2030. £66m will be available across two windows to be spent in 2026/27 and 2027/28, respectively, and the remaining dates will be confirmed later.

Who is eligible for the Depot Charging Scheme?

The depot charging scheme is available to private fleets operating vans, HGVs or coaches, councils and local authorities, NHS trusts, public sector bodies, charities and non-profits with commercial vehicles. Only one application per organisation is allowed, but it can be used across several sites.

All applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a registered UK fleet operator with at least 12 months of operating history
• Own the depot, or have landlord consent to install chargepoints
• Own, lease or have ordered at least one battery-electric van, HGV or coach
• Have sufficient grid capacity
• Provide evidence of quotes, financial match-funding, and senior approval

Zero Emissions Vehicle Grants

The Government is providing grants to cover the upfront costs of purchasing new zero-emission cars, vans, trucks, and wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Sometimes known as the Plug-In Van Grant (PIVG), vehicles are eligible as long as they produce 0g/km of CO2, and can travel at least 60 miles (96km) with zero emissions (i.e. are running on 100% electric power).

How much are the grants for zero emission vans and trucks worth?

These grants could be worth up to:

• £3,750 for fleet cars
• £2,500 for small vans (under 2,500kg GVW)
• £5,000 for large vans (between 2,500kg and 4,250kg GVW)
• £15,000 or 20% off small trucks (between 4.25 and 12 tonnes GVW)*
• £37,000 or 40% off medium trucks (between 12 and 18 tonnes GVW)*
• £52,000 or 40% off large trucks (between 18 and 26 tonnes GVW)*
• £81,000 or 40% off heavy trucks (over 26 tonnes GVW)*
• £2,500 for wheelchair-accessible vehicles

*Whichever is lowest

Businesses don’t have to do anything specific to take advantage of the grants applied to electric vans and trucks. The seller does all of the paperwork and simply includes the discount on the invoice. That said, there is a limit of 1,500 grants which can be claimed per organisation, per financial year. In reality, this means all but the largest fleet operators can take full advantage of the scheme to transition their fleet to electric.

A full list of eligible zero emission vans and trucks is available on GOV.UK.

Changes to The Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate

Introduced in April 2026, the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate is designed specifically to support car manufacturers in meeting the government’s 2030 ban on the sale of ICE vehicles, and to help businesses transition to electric fleets.

It does this in several ways:

• Hybrid vehicles can now be sold until 2035
• Increasing the flexibility of the 2030 mandate to allow more EVs to be sold in later years when demand is higher
• Extension of existing Workplace and Residential EV chargepoint grants
• Lower tax, BIK and NI rates for electric fleet and company car operators

There’s never been a better time to transition your fleet to electric, and take advantage of the various EV grants and schemes on offer to UK businesses. What’s more, as the deadline for the EV mandate looms, getting ahead of the competition will make the process much smoother.