How does the OZEV Grant Work?

An Introduction to the Grant

The UK government introduced the Office for Zero-Emission Vehicles in response to policy to reach net-zero by 2050. This is a huge undertaking and one that would arguably only be possible with government incentives.

The OZEV keeps abreast of all the new developments in the Electric Vehicle sector and offers grants to approved applicants.

Originally the grant was for businesses and homeowners who wanted to have electric vehicle chargers installed. These were expensive when they were first launched, and the grant was for £500 per socket. £150 more generous than it is now, and the grants are getting narrower each year.

As the technology became more affordable and more people started to buy electric cars, the government has slowly changed the grant so less can apply. For example, the grant got reduced to £350 per socket. And as of April 2022, homeowners can no longer apply for the grant.

The grant currently stands at £350 per socket for businesses with their own car parks and only if they intend to use the chargers for staff use or fleet use. However, this net is rumoured to be expanding to soon include businesses like hotels, which can use the chargers for public use.

The grant will work with the market, as the EV industry starts to stand on its own feet the government will redraw grant support. As has been seen with the homeowner’s grant. However, for the moment, it is expanding to be more inclusive of businesses to expand the number of public chargers – which we say is a positive step.

Breakdown Figures

This is a simple breakdown of how the OZEV grant works. A business with its own car park or designated spaces can get grant funding of up to 40 EV chargers from an approved list.

  • £350 per socket, or 75% of the cost – whichever is lower.
  • Up to £14,000 of grant funding per business is available

How to Apply for the OZEV Grant

The application is easy and only takes 5 minutes for a business to check if they are eligible for the grant.

You need your company’s house number and some basic information about what you want to have installed.

The Terms of the OZEV Grant

The OZEV grant is only accessible to certain types of businesses:

  • Be in the UK
  • Have your own car park or designated spaces with landlords’ permission
  • Have received less than €200,000 in government funding over the last three fiscal years
  • Intend to use the space for staff or fleet use
  • Agree to keep data on the install and charger for three years

What Happens if You Break the Terms?

If you are found to break the terms of the grant you will be charged the value of the grant by the company that installed it. Plus, any potential fees that are part of their terms and conditions on top of this.

The OZEV can drop by or request information at any time, so ensure you are following the terms of the grant and you should have no trouble.

What Happens Next?

You will find out if you are eligible for the OZEV grant very quickly, within two working days, however it is often faster than that.

To check if you are eligible before you apply, take our quiz.

After your initial application to check you have been approved, we will take over and finish the grant on your behalf. If you need any help at any time through the grant application process, then don’t hesitate to contact us. We want to be as helpful as we can be to make the application process as smooth as possible for you and your business.

We hope this was a helpful explanation of how the OZEV grant works.

For more information on the grant, or if you have any questions with your application, drop us an email at info@pluganddrive.uk or call our office on 01621 868 138.