How much is the Workplace Charging Scheme grant in 2026?

£500 per socket from 1 April 2026 (up from £350). Covers up to 75% of cost; capped at 40 sockets per applicant lifetime. Scheme runs until 31 March 2027. For a 4-socket install, that's £2,000 in grant funding.

Who can apply for the WCS grant?

Businesses, charities, public sector bodies, and not-for-profits with off-street parking. Limited companies, partnerships, sole traders, NHS trusts, councils, and education institutions all qualify. The parking must be private (not on-street) and used primarily by staff or fleet.

How do I apply for the WCS grant?

Via an OZEV-approved installer — NOT directly to gov.uk. The installer surveys your site, drafts the application, submits to OZEV, receives approval (typically 5-15 days), installs, and deducts the grant value from your invoice. You receive a net invoice.

Can the same business apply for WCS more than once?

Yes — up to a lifetime cap of 40 sockets across all applications. Multi-site businesses can stagger installs across multiple applications, but the total cap applies business-wide. Once you've claimed 40 sockets, no further WCS grants are available.

Does the WCS grant cover the Tesla Wall Connector?

No. Tesla Wall Connector does not comply with the UK Smart Charge Point Regulations 2021 and isn't on the OZEV-approved chargepoint list. Use Pod Point Commercial, Zappi, Easee, Ohme, Hypervolt, Wallbox, or other approved brands.

Is workplace EV charging tax-free for employees?

Yes — workplace EV charging used by employees is exempt from Benefit in Kind (BIK) tax per current HMRC guidance. Free charging at work is a tax-free benefit. Company-car BIK on EVs is also very low (2-3% in 2026 vs 25%+ for petrol/diesel).

What if my workplace already has some chargers — can I add more under WCS?

Yes, if you haven't yet claimed your full 40-socket lifetime cap. Each new socket installed under a new WCS application is eligible for the £500. Document existing socket counts when applying so OZEV can track your cap usage.

Can my Cornwall holiday park apply for WCS?

Yes, holiday parks generally qualify as commercial businesses with off-street parking. The chargers can be used by guests as well as staff — the WCS scheme allows some visitor use as part of a primarily staff/fleet purpose. Holiday park installs are a common WCS use case in Cornwall.

Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) Grant 2026: Employer Guide

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. From 1 April 2026 the grant value increased from £350 to £500 per socket (per gov.uk guidance), capped at 40 sockets per applicant. 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: £500 per socket (up from £350 from 1 April 2026)
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: Via OZEV-approved installer (NOT direct from gov.uk)

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 grant streams instead)
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. We connect you with vetted OZEV-approved Cornwall installers via the quote form.
Choose OZEV-approved chargepoints. Approved brands include Pod Point Commercial, Zappi, Easee, Ohme, Hypervolt, Wallbox Commander, and others. Tesla Wall Connector is NOT approved.
Site survey. The installer assesses your DNO supply, parking layout, cable routes, and load-management needs.
Installer drafts the WCS application. They submit on your behalf via the OZEV portal.
OZEV approval. Typically 5-15 working days. The voucher is issued to the 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 — separate stream, £500/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 match you with a vetted OZEV-approved commercial installer experienced in WCS grant administration end-to-end.

Disclosure

EV Charger Cornwall is a lead-gen service. Grant administration and tax treatment depend on your specific business structure; always confirm specifics with your accountant or OZEV directly.