By September 2026, UK government support for home EV charging is delivered through targeted OZEV chargepoint grants rather than the older Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) that many people still remember as a flat homeowner contribution. Live schemes focus on renters and flat owners, residential landlords, households that need on-street or cross-pavement solutions, and workplace routes. Published rates have included contributions such as around 75% of eligible costs up to a capped amount per socket, with higher caps for some routes from April 2026, but figures change. Always confirm eligibility, caps and application steps on GOV.UK before you subtract anything from a quote.
What replaced the classic EVHS story
EVHS trained a generation of buyers to expect a simple contribution toward a driveway wallbox. That framing is outdated for many owner-occupier houses with private parking. OZEV support has shifted toward people who face harder access: flats, renters, landlords fitting sockets for tenants, and homes that rely on permanent cross-pavement or on-street arrangements.
If a sales page still leads with EVHS as if it were live for every house, treat that as a red flag. Ask which named scheme applies to your tenure and parking, and ask the installer to show the live GOV.UK page they are using.
- EVHS is historical for most driveway homeowners
- Current routes are tenure and parking dependent
- Caps, percentages and closing dates change: check GOV.UK
Who the 2026 household routes usually help
Typical household-facing routes cover flat owners and renters with private off-street parking, residential landlords installing for tenants, and households that need a grant-backed on-street or cross-pavement solution where the scheme allows. Owner-occupiers in houses with a private driveway often fall outside the main household chargepoint grants even when neighbours in flats can claim.
Eligibility usually also turns on living at the property, using an eligible vehicle, having legal access to a defined parking space, and obtaining any landlord, freeholder or managing agent consent before you apply.
How published rates are used in budgeting
Guides and installers often quote illustrative figures such as a percentage of eligible purchase and installation costs up to a maximum per socket. From April 2026, some published household and landlord caps moved toward higher per-socket maxima than the older £350 memory many customers still quote. Those numbers are planning aids only.
Never treat a blog figure as a voucher. Confirm whether VAT, civils, make-good or board upgrades sit inside eligible costs for your scheme, and whether approval must come before installation.
- Budget the gross install first, then apply any confirmed grant
- Ask who claims: customer application plus installer evidence is common
- Keep photos, consent letters and quotes for the claim pack
Workplace and landlord stacks
Separate workplace and landlord schemes can support multi-socket sites. Residential landlord routes, commercial landlord routes and workplace charging schemes have different caps, annual socket limits and property tests. Mixing them up is a common quoting error.
If you are both a homeowner and a small landlord, split the properties in your head. A grant that works at a rented flat does not automatically apply at your own house.
Practical next steps before you spend
Shortlist OZEV-authorised installers where the scheme requires them, gather consent evidence early, and apply through the current GOV.UK process for your route. Do not drill or order hardware on the assumption that a retrospective claim will succeed.
Compare written scopes that show the gross price, the assumed grant, and what you pay if the claim is refused or delayed. That keeps the conversation honest.
Frequently asked questions
Is the old £350 EVHS grant still available?
Treat EVHS as historical. Current OZEV schemes use different names, eligibility and caps. Some routes published higher per-socket maxima from April 2026. Check the live GOV.UK grant pages for your situation.
Can every homeowner with a driveway claim?
Often no. Many owner-occupier houses with private driveways sit outside the main household chargepoint grants, which target flats, renters, landlords and certain on-street cases. Confirm on GOV.UK.
Do I apply before or after installation?
Many current routes expect customer application and approvals before work, with installer evidence afterward. Follow the scheme instructions on GOV.UK rather than assuming a retrospective claim.
Are grant rates fixed for the whole of 2026?
No. Funding windows, caps and rules can change. Budget with a caveat and re-check GOV.UK when you are ready to instruct an installer.
Core buying guides
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Related guides
Sources and further reading
How this guide was prepared
This guide was written by the Local EV Installers Editorial Team. We compare official guidance, legislation and established consumer information, separate general information from project-specific advice, and show publication dates and sources. We do not accept installer accreditation claims at face value.