UK businesses, charities, and public sector organisations have drawn down £33.9 million in government grants for workplace electric vehicle charging since 2016, according to new analysis of Department for Transport data.
The funding covers two schemes administered by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles. The Workplace Charging Scheme has funded 69,439 sockets at a grant value of £25.6 million, while the EV Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets supported 6,199 socket infrastructure units worth £8.3 million.
The Workplace Charging Scheme contributes towards the purchase and installation of charge point sockets. The EV Infrastructure Grant covers enabling works such as cabling and electrical upgrades for smaller employers.
Annual Workplace Charging Scheme voucher redemptions fell from a 2022 peak of 13,293 to 6,634 by 2024. In 2025, businesses redeemed 7,506 vouchers, a year-on-year rise of 13.14 per cent.
The recovery reflects businesses responding to the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which requires manufacturers to sell a rising share of zero-emission vehicles each year. Fleet operators are increasingly working backwards from electrification commitments and treating on-site charging as a core part of that plan.
The Workplace Charging Scheme is now in its final phase, and businesses that have not yet applied are running out of time to benefit. The scheme closes for good on 31 March 2027 with no further extension expected.
The infrastructure grant, available only to businesses with fewer than 250 employees, followed a different trajectory. Installations of socket infrastructure units jumped 135.97 per cent from 809 in 2022 to 1,909 in 2023 before tapering to 1,547 by 2025.
The infrastructure grant required businesses to plan electrical capacity for charge points they might not install for another year or two. Those that moved quickly in 2023 were largely firms that already had electrification on their roadmap.
Regional uptake shows a clear divide. The South East leads with 10,130 Workplace Charging Scheme sockets installed since 2016, ahead of the North West on 8,401 and the East of England on 8,124.
Wales, with 2,642 sockets, and Northern Ireland, with 1,144, sit at the bottom of the table. On infrastructure units, the East of England tops the list with 908.
Higher installation volumes in the South East and North West partly reflect business density, but access to approved installers and familiarity with the application process also play a role. Regions with lower figures are not necessarily less committed to electrification.
From April 2026, the Workplace Charging Scheme covers up to £500 per socket across a maximum of 40 sockets per applicant. That represents a potential saving of up to £20,000 for eligible organisations.
A business installing ten charge points under the current grant rate could recover up to £5,000 towards the cost. The subsidy window is narrowing just as fleet demand and used electric car sales continue to drive the transition.
With a confirmed end date of March 2027 and no indication of a further extension, businesses that delay risk missing out on financial assistance with fleet electrification. Eligible employers are advised to assess their charging needs and apply before the scheme closes.
