The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is the UK government's main subsidy for businesses, charities, and public sector bodies installing EV chargers for staff and fleet use. The grant pays up to £500 per socket, capped at 40 sockets per applicant (Find a Grant). For a typical small business adding 4 chargers, that's £2,000 toward installation costs. This guide walks employers through the full application process, eligibility checks, OZEV-approved installer requirements, and the tax treatment.
The 2026 facts
- Grant value: Up to £500 per socket
- Coverage: Up to 75% of the cost of purchasing and installing chargepoints
- Cap: 40 sockets per applicant (lifetime cap, not annual)
- Scheme duration: Confirmed until 31 March 2027
- Administrator: Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), part of the Department for Transport
- Application route: you apply online on Find a Grant; successful applicants are emailed a voucher code for their OZEV-approved installer
Budgeting the whole project? The grant is only half the sum — see our Cornwall EV charger installation cost guide for what workplace installs actually cost per socket, what a DNO supply uplift adds, and where dynamic load balancing saves you thousands.
Who qualifies
Eligible applicants include:
- Limited companies (Ltd, PLC)
- Partnerships and LLPs
- Sole traders (registered as a business)
- Charities and not-for-profits
- Public sector bodies (local authorities, NHS trusts, education institutions)
- Other organisations operating in the UK
Required conditions:
- You must have off-street parking dedicated to staff or fleet use (private parking)
- You must be the owner of the parking area or have written permission from the owner to install chargers
- The chargers must be for staff or fleet use — not primarily commercial pay-per-use sales to the public
- You must use an OZEV-approved installer
- You must install an OZEV-approved chargepoint model
- You must be VAT-registered or able to provide UK business registration details
Who doesn't qualify
- Private individuals (use the residential OZEV grants instead: gov.uk)
- Commercial EV charging operators selling pay-per-use as their primary purpose
- Properties without off-street parking
- Properties where you don't have permission to install
- If you've already used your 40-socket lifetime cap
Application process step-by-step
- Confirm eligibility. Review the above checklist. If unsure, contact your accountant or an OZEV-approved installer for clarification.
- Choose an OZEV-approved installer. Not all electricians are OZEV-approved. Check explicitly. Search the government’s authorised installer list, or ask us for an introduction.
- Choose OZEV-approved chargepoints. Check each model against OZEV's eligible chargepoint list, which shows whether it is eligible for commercial grants, residential grants or both; the Tesla Gen 3 Wall Connector is listed for residential grants only.
- Site survey. The installer assesses your DNO supply, parking layout, cable routes, and load-management needs.
- Apply for the voucher. Your organisation applies online using the WCS application form on Find a Grant.
- Voucher. If the application succeeds, you're emailed a voucher code to give to your installer.
- Installation. Installer fits, commissions, and certifies the chargers.
- Invoice with grant pre-applied. You receive an invoice for the net cost; the installer claims the grant from OZEV after install.
- Compliance certification. You receive a Building Regs compliance certificate per Part P; keep this for the life of the installation.
What's actually covered
- Purchase of OZEV-approved smart chargepoint(s)
- Installation labour for standard cable run, mounting, and commissioning
- Load-management hardware where included by the installer's standard package
- Building Regs certification
What's NOT covered (paid separately):
- DNO supply upgrades (sometimes free from Western Power; sometimes paid separately)
- Major civil works (trenching across large car parks, ducting under tarmac, bollards)
- Site preparation (line marking, signage)
- Non-approved chargepoint models (e.g. Tesla Wall Connector)
- Cable runs significantly above the installer's standard package allowance
Real-world cost scenarios
| Workplace | Sockets | Pre-grant cost | WCS grant | Net cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small office | 2 | £2,800-£4,000 | £1,000 | £1,800-£3,000 |
| Medium office | 4 | £4,800-£7,500 | £2,000 | £2,800-£5,500 |
| Holiday park | 8 | £8,500-£12,000 | £4,000 | £4,500-£8,000 |
| Hotel | 10 | £10,000-£15,000 | £5,000 | £5,000-£10,000 |
| Fleet depot (22kW) | 15 | £18,000-£28,000 | £7,500 | £10,500-£20,500 |
Tax treatment
Three key things to know (always confirm with your accountant):
- Capital allowances: EV chargers qualify for First Year Allowance, currently 100% in the year of purchase (subject to ongoing budget confirmation). The WCS grant value is deducted from the qualifying expenditure.
- VAT: Fully recoverable for VAT-registered businesses on the qualifying installation cost.
- BIK (Benefit in Kind): Workplace EV charging used by employees is exempt from BIK per current HMRC guidance — i.e. free for staff with no tax implications for either employer or employee.
- Company-car BIK on EVs: Currently 2-3% in 2026 for full EVs, vs 25%+ for petrol/diesel — a huge tax advantage for company-car drivers using workplace charging.
Common application mistakes
- Wrong installer. Using a non-OZEV-approved electrician means no grant. Always confirm OZEV approval explicitly.
- Wrong charger model. Tesla Wall Connector or unapproved imports don't qualify. Stick to the OZEV-approved list.
- Insufficient permission documentation. If you don't own the parking land, written permission from the owner is mandatory before applying.
- Applying for chargers you've already installed. The application must be approved BEFORE installation.
- Confusing WCS with OZEV residential grants. These are separate streams with separate application portals. Use the right one.
Multi-site applications
If your business has multiple Cornwall sites (e.g. a chain of B&Bs or a fleet operation with multiple depots), the 40-socket cap applies to your business as a whole — not per site. Plan strategically:
- Prioritise sites where chargers will be most-used (lowest payback period)
- Stagger installations across the WCS window (April 2026 - March 2027) to spread cost
- Consider phased rollout if some sites might benefit from additional WCS-extending policy in 2027+
Beyond WCS — other grants and reliefs
- OZEV residential landlord grant (gov.uk) — separate stream, up to £500 per socket, for properties let to long-term residential tenants (not staff/fleet use).
- Local council grants — some councils (not Cornwall as of 2026) offer additional commercial EV-charging support. Check Cornwall Council website for current programmes.
- Section 106 / planning conditions — new commercial developments may have EV-charging requirements embedded in planning permission. Part S applies to new builds.
Cornwall employer ready to add EV charging at your workplace? Submit your postcode and we'll try to introduce you to an OZEV-approved commercial installer who can quote for the work.
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. Grant administration and tax treatment depend on your specific business structure; always confirm specifics with your accountant or OZEV directly.