If you are a business, public sector organisation, or charity looking to install EV chargepoints on your site, you may opt for a Workplace Charging Scheme Grant. The scheme can provide discounts on the chargepoints you want to purchase and install, so you can save more money on the project.
But applying for this scheme will not be easy for applicants who are not familiar with its procedures. To qualify for a grant claim, for instance, you need to meet the required criteria and provide evidence to support your eligibility.
A non-compliant claim won’t get paid, and that would be a waste of time, opportunity, and money. It is crucial for applicants to fully understand how the scheme works so they can follow the procedures correctly and avoid wasting time and money on unnecessary mistakes.
Follow this Workplace Charging Scheme Applicant’s Guide to help ensure your application’s success.
What is Workplace Charging Scheme?
The Workplace Charging Scheme or WCS is a scheme that grants qualified applicants support for the upfront costs of buying and installing an electric vehicle chargepoint.
The scheme is available in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but unavailable in the Channel Islands. The Office For Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) manages the WCS, while the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) facilitates it.
How Does the WCS Work?
The Workplace Charging Scheme is available to businesses, public sector organisations, and charities that are eligible to apply or make a claim.
The grant will cover 75% of the costs of purchasing and installing an electric vehicle chargepoint; including VAT, and is limited to:
- £350 grant for every socket installed.
- 40 sockets on all sites for each applicant – i.e., if you’re planning to install the units in 20 sites, 2 sockets per site will be supported.
- After completing the online application, an identification voucher code will be sent to eligible applicants via email, which they can then provide to any authorised installer.
The authorised installer will install the chargepoint and claim the workplace charging scheme grant for the successful applicant. The chargepoint should be installed and the grant claimed within six months of the voucher’s issue date. Expired vouchers will not be accepted.
Installers cannot charge applicants with an advanced payment for the grant because OZEV will refund them for your voucher’s value; the cost of which will be deducted from your invoice.
If your application consists of less than 40 sockets, additional applications are available for you until the maximum number of sockets is reached.
Grant Eligibility – Who Can Apply?
The scheme is available to organisations that meet the required criteria and provide evidence to support their eligibility. The applying organisation must be:
- a registered business, public sector organisation, or charity.
- currently receiving or have received less than €200,000 of support within the last 3 fiscal years and meet the minimum state aid requirements.
- able to proclaim the need to have EV charging units within the workplace, or encourage their necessity for the staff or fleet.
- located in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
- in possession of an off-street parking area reserved only for the staff or fleet
- in possession of a parking provision that is properly connected to the applicant’s workplace, either within the premises or at a reasonable distance.
- the rightful owner of the premise or have approval from the landowner for the chargepoint installation.
Evidence Required During Application
If your business, public sector organisation, or charity is registered, there should be proof of it in the Companies House reference number. If you don’t have this reference number, a VAT registration number would suffice. If you don’t have both, you can submit an HMRC registration letter to the DVLA.
Charities that don’t have this documentation may submit a copy of their registration to the Charity Commission. Without these documents, the DVLA won’t issue a voucher.
If you have more inquiries about the WCS eligibility requirements, contact the DVLA at workplacechargingscheme@dvla.gov.uk
State Aid Requirements
WCS funding for organisations may come as state aid which is allowed only in small amounts under the de minimis rule of the European Union (EU) law. The rule allows €200,000 in aid to be provided for one commitment over 30 years.
Public authorities aren’t required to make a declaration of de minimums in the WCS application procedure. Other organisations are required a de minimus declaration in the WCS application procedure as long as:
- they are not considered a public authority
- they have received or are currently receiving less than €200,000 of support within the last 3 fiscal years
The applicant must mention any support from the public sector in the de minimis decoration as dictated by the state aid regulations.
Learn more about this topic at Grants for Landlords
Charger Installation Site Eligibility
WCS applicants are expected to have off-street parking areas dedicated to staff or fleet use and feasible for chargepoint installation. All parking sites must be directly associated with the applicant.
Each parking site must have:
- a consistent power supply that contains at least 3kW for every socket
- multiple sockets are installed for every available parking area for staff or fleet use
Work From Home
If your home is your primary workplace, you can be eligible for the grant provided that the address is recognized as a place of business by the HMRC or Companies House.
Sites that don’t qualify for the scheme include:
- locations outside England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
- parking areas that are domestic properties and not the main workplace
- installation sites or addresses that have previously claimed an EVHS
- parking areas not directly associated with the applicant
- parking areas that are for customer use only
- parking areas that aren’t completely built yet
OZEV does not make any exceptions for any location that doesn’t meet the eligibility requirements.
Linked Enterprise Eligibility Requirements
A linked enterprise is comprised of a group of enterprises like companies or businesses that are associated with each other such that they can be considered as one undertaking for state aid purposes.
Franchises must determine if they meet the criteria for a linked enterprise and this depends upon your franchise’s terms of the agreement.
Linked enterprises are considered as one undertaking if:
- one enterprise holds the majority of the members’ or shareholders’ voting rights of another enterprise
- one enterprise can appoint or remove members of the supervisory body or administrative management in another enterprise
- one enterprise can exercise influence on another enterprise, as revealed in the contract
- one enterprise is a member or shareholder of another enterprise
Enterprises with these links to another or multiple enterprises are also considered as one undertaking. For applicants that belong to a single undertaking, the 40 sockets limit applies to the entire linked enterprise.
The applicants must declare that they didn’t exceed the €200,000 state aid limit for the last 3 financial years. If you have a prior WCS application as a member of the franchise but did not reach the 40-socket limit, you can make a subsequent application for the remaining chargepoints.
Evidence required
Applicants are required to submit evidence to prove that the installation site is associated with the business and the parking area is available solely for the staff or fleet – i.e., photographic evidence or parking policy.
If the postcode has been used by another organisation, OZEV may ask for more evidence to verify that the site is used by multiple commercial entities – i.e., a letter from the landlord or site owner.
Learn more about this topic at OLEV Government Grant
Chargepoint and Installer Requirements
Applicants may only redeem the voucher with approved chargepoint units and authorized installers. The authorized installer of your choice will claim the workplace EV charging grant for you. The grant will be utilized for the purchase and installation of a chargepoint and the unit should be brand new.
You can purchase your chargepoint as long it is an approved model with a 3-year manufacturer warranty. The equipment won’t be eligible for the WCS grant, though, and only the labour cost and other installation parts are eligible for the grant.
Note: You can’t claim for second-hand or previously installed chargepoint.
Before application, applicants must make sure that:
- The installer of your choice is authorized by OZEV for the scheme
- The chargepoints of your choice are OZEV-approved
Remember that the chargepoints are listed by OZEV upon the request of the manufacturers. If your chosen chargepoint isn’t on the list, contact the manufacturer for confirmation.
You can learn more about Government EV charger grants on this page – Electric Charger Grant Facts: How to be Eligible
Final Tip
If you’re looking to install chargepoints in your site, it only makes sense to opt for a Workplace EV Charging Scheme to save money on the project. But did you know that you can save even more money by purchasing quality and affordable chargepoints?
Pumpt.io is the perfect place to shop for quality and affordable electric chargers so you can cut costs on your charging installation project. We also provide installation services for your units so you don’t have to look elsewhere.
Take a closer look at these affordable chargerpoints on our Product Page and take advantage of our special offers. Don’t hesitate to contact us for inquiries – or customer service is always available to address your needs.
