The OZEV Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant is the main UK home-charging subsidy in 2026. The headline value is up to £500 per socket (gov.uk). But the eligibility rules are tight: the scheme that covered owner-occupied houses has closed, and gov.uk now lists house owners as not eligible (gov.uk). Most Cornwall homeowners with a driveway no longer qualify; flat-owners, renters, and landlords do. Here's exactly how it works in 2026.

What the grant actually is

The OZEV (Office for Zero Emission Vehicles) Chargepoint Grant is a contribution toward the purchase and installation of an eligible smart EV charger. Funded by the UK government. You make the application; if OZEV approves it, your OZEV-approved installer deducts the grant from your invoice and then claims it.

  • Grant value: Up to £500 per socket
  • Coverage: Up to 75% of the cost of buying and installing the chargepoint, capped at £500
  • Scheme duration: Confirmed until 31 March 2027 (so April 2026 - March 2027 at the current rates)
  • Sockets per claim: Multiple allowed depending on the scheme variant (see below)

Who qualifies in 2026

This is the bit most people get wrong. There are four separate grant streams; you must fit at least one.

Stream 1: Renters and flat-owners

You may be eligible if you:

  • Rent a residential property (any type), OR
  • Own and live in a flat (leasehold or freehold)

You must also:

  • Have private off-street parking dedicated to you (driveway, allocated parking bay, garage)
  • Own, lease, use, or have ordered an eligible electric vehicle (or be installing for one)
  • Have obtained any required third-party permissions (landlord, freeholder, managing agent of the block) BEFORE applying

Note the order — you can't apply and then ask the freeholder. Get the permission letter first.

Stream 2: Residential landlords

Landlords providing chargepoints for tenants can claim:

  • Up to £500 per socket
  • Up to 200 grants per financial year
  • Properties must be rented out (not the landlord's primary residence)

Stream 3: Commercial / workplace

Run via the separate Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS): up to £500 per socket, capped at 40 sockets per applicant (Find a Grant). Covers businesses, charities, and public authorities. See our WCS employer guide.

Stream 4: Anyone else

If you own and live in a house with a driveway — you're not eligible. The scheme that covered owner-occupied houses has closed; gov.uk now lists house owners as not eligible (gov.uk). Your install is full-price (typically £800-£1,200, see our cost guide).

Cornwall reality check: If you own a holiday let or second home with off-street parking, you do NOT qualify under the renter/flat-owner stream (it's not your residential property). You may qualify under the residential landlord stream if it's let to long-term residential tenants — not short-term holiday lets. Holiday lets do not qualify for the home chargepoint grants; the Workplace Charging Scheme is open to small accommodation businesses (Find a Grant).

What the grant covers — and doesn't

Covers:

  • Purchase of an OZEV-approved smart chargepoint
  • Standard installation labour (charger to consumer unit, basic cable run)
  • Commissioning and certification

Doesn't cover:

  • Consumer-unit upgrades (these can add £300-£600)
  • Groundworks, trenching, ducting
  • Cable runs above the installer's standard included length
  • The charger itself if it isn't on the OZEV-approved list

How to apply, step by step

  1. Confirm eligibility. Use the gov.uk "Find a grant" service — search "Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for Renters and Flat Owners" or "for residential landlords".
  2. Get third-party permissions. If renting: written permission from landlord. If a flat: permission from freeholder/managing agent. Save the letters/emails.
  3. Confirm you have or have ordered an eligible EV. Most BEVs and PHEVs qualify; check the OZEV-approved vehicle list (very broad).
  4. Choose an OZEV-approved installer. They MUST be on the OZEV-approved list — not all electricians are. Search the government’s authorised installer list, or ask us for an introduction.
  5. Choose an OZEV-approved chargepoint. Your installer will recommend from the approved list (Zappi, Easee, Ohme, Pod Point, Hypervolt, Wallbox among others). Tesla Wall Connector is excluded.
  6. You submit the application. Create an account on Find a Grant and apply, uploading the installer's quote and your documents. Once OZEV confirms you're eligible, the installer fits the charger, deducts the grant from your invoice and claims it.
  7. Receive commissioning certificate. Keep this — needed for warranty claims and any future house sale.

Common reasons applications fail

  • No off-street parking. The vehicle must be charged on private land, not the public highway.
  • Missing third-party permission. Flat-owners often forget the managing agent step. Get this in writing first.
  • Non-approved installer. Many Cornwall electricians are excellent but not on the OZEV-approved list. Check explicitly.
  • Non-approved charger. Check the exact model against OZEV's eligible chargepoint list before you order.
  • Homeowner with driveway. You're not eligible: gov.uk lists people who live in a house they own as not eligible (gov.uk).

Cornwall-specific notes

Cornwall has a high proportion of older rental stock (Victorian terraces, mid-century semis, granite cottages let to locals) — many of which are excellent candidates for the renter/landlord stream. If you're a tenant who's about to buy an EV and you have a driveway: ask your landlord. They may say yes; you save up to £500; they get a value-adding property feature.

If you own holiday cottages let short-term, the home chargepoint grants don't apply, but the Workplace Charging Scheme is open to small accommodation businesses, at up to £500 per socket (Find a Grant); see our holiday let EV economics piece.

What if you're not eligible?

If you're a homeowner with a driveway — you're paying full price, but the install is still worthwhile economically. A 7kW charger at home charging on Intelligent Octopus Go or EDF GoElectric (off-peak rates around 7p/kWh in May 2026) recovers its £1,000 install in under three years at typical driving mileage versus paying around 70p/kWh on public rapid chargers.

Want to apply for the OZEV grant on a Cornwall install? Submit your postcode and we'll try to introduce you to an OZEV-approved local installer who can give you the quote your application needs. The application itself is yours to make.

Disclosure

EV Charger Cornwall is an independent guide, not an installer. We may earn a commission from some links, and installers we introduce you to may pay us a fee. OZEV decides eligibility; you make the application.