A guide to the UK Government Workplace (EV) Charging Scheme - WCS
As electric vehicles are becoming more popular, the demand for charge points is also increasing. To encourage more businesses to install charge points at their premises, the UK government has introduced the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) for eligible businesses in England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Island.
Continue reading to find out if you are a suitable candidate to receive WCS.
What is the Workplace Charging Scheme?
Run by the Office for Zero emission Vehicles (OZEV), the WCS initiative provides eligible applicants with partial relief of the advanced costs of the purchase & installation of EV (Electric Vehicle) Charge points.
How does the scheme work?
The WCS offers a grant of up to 75% of the costs associated with EV charge point purchase and installation, capped at £350 per charge point socket, with a maximum of 40 units per applicant. This means businesses can save up to £14,000 on their EV charge point solution with the help of the WCS.
Businesses can apply for the WCS using an online application form. Once the application is approved, the applicant will receive a unique voucher code via email. The voucher code can be presented to an OZEV-approved WCS installer, like ourselves. We would then be able to claim the grant on behalf of the applicant. As a certified installer, we will claim the WCS grant only after the installation has taken place. As the customer, you will be charged prior to the install, but invoiced for the installation minus the grant amount once we receive the grant from OZEV.
Please note: It is important that the installation is carried out and the voucher claimed within six months of the voucher’s issue date. If the installation is not carried out within this timeframe, the voucher will be void.
Am I Eligible? Who can apply?
To be eligible for the WCS voucher, applicants must meet certain criteria laid out by the OZEV and agree to the terms and conditions of the online application form. You must meet the following criteria for the grant:
- Located in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland
- Declare a need for EV charge points, with a clear intent to encourage uptake of electric vehicles and driving their staff & fleet
- Must own the property or have written consent from the landlord for EV charge points to be installed on all sites listed on the application form.
- Be a registered charity, business, or public sector organisation
- Be a public authority or have received less than €200,000 of public support within the last three financial years and satisfy the state aid requirements for de minimis aid.
- Sites must have dedicated off-street parking strictly for fleet and employee use only.
You will also have to ensure the Premises is also eligible for the grant, as well as your business itself.
The WCS voucher is available to eligible businesses for specific sites, and not all sites may be eligible. Sites must have off-street parking with parking bays dedicated solely for employee and fleet use. The site must also have a minimum power supply of 3kW to each EV charge point and no more than one charge point per parking bay.
I’m eligible, sign me up! But how can I prove my Grant eligibility?
Initially applicants will have to prove that they are indeed a registered business by providing any of the accepted & relevant evidence:
- VAT registration number
- Business rate bill
- Companies House Reference Number
- Registration to the Charity Commission
- Institution ID or UON (Unique organisation number) - For schools & colleges
Working from home? No problem
If employees work from their homes and the primary place of work is also a residential property, then the grant can be claimed under the Workplace Charging Scheme. However, the address listed must match the business address listed with Companies House or HMRC.
As an approved installer, we can also install our Charge points at your workplace. Please click below to find out more.
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