About the scheme : 

The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a voucher-based scheme that provides eligible applicants with support towards the upfront costs of the purchase and installation of electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints.

It is available in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but not in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man.

The scheme is run by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and administered by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

This guidance is aimed at applicants. Guidance for installers and manufacturers is also available.

This grant can be used in conjunction with the EV infrastructure grant for staff and fleets: customer guidance, which helps fund both the installation of chargepoints and the cost of chargepoint infrastructure. Both grants may be used for the same site but not the same chargepoints. Any attempt to claim the same chargepoint twice by submitting a WCS and EV grant application for the same chargepoint, may be viewed as fraud. This will result in action being taken against you.

How the scheme works
The WCS is open to businesses, charities and public sector organisations that meet the applicant and site eligibility criteria.

The grant covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (inclusive of VAT), capped at a maximum of:

£350 per socket
40 sockets across all sites per applicant – for instance, if you would like to install them in 40 sites, you will have 1 socket available per site
After applying using the online application form, successful applicants are issued with a unique identification voucher code by email, which can then be given to any OZEV-authorised commercial chargepoint installer.

Once the chargepoint(s) have been installed, the authorised installer can claim the grant from OZEV on the applicant’s behalf. The chargepoint installation must be completed and the voucher claimed within 6 months of the voucher’s issue date. Claims against expired vouchers will not be paid.

Installers must not charge applicants for the grant in advance of payment being made by OZEV. After OZEV reimburses your installer for the value of your voucher, this cost will be discounted from your final invoice.

If you apply for less than 40 sockets, you can submit additional applications in the future until you reach that limit. Special rules apply for linked enterprises.

OZEV reserves the right to terminate or change the rules of this grant scheme – including the grant level – at any time, although we will endeavour to provide up to 4 weeks’ notice. OZEV will honour any voucher codes that have been issued ahead of any changes to the grant or during any notice period given following the announcement of the scheme’s closure.

Definitions
Applicant
A party who has declared an existing or future need for charging infrastructure. For the purposes of this scheme, an applicant can be any eligible business, charity or public sector organisation.

Applicants must meet the terms and conditions of the scheme and have permission to install charging infrastructure at designated off-street parking facilities dedicated to staff and/or fleet use.

Authorised installer
A party that has been authorised to install EV chargepoints by OZEV under the WCS through the process outlined in the guidance for installers. Installers manage the installation of chargepoints at applicant’s sites.

The term ‘installer’ in this guidance means ‘authorised installer’.

Authorised installer representative
A party that has been authorised to sub-contract to installers the installation of chargepoints under the WCS by OZEV.

The authorised installer representative remains wholly responsible for ensuring that the installers abide by the relevant terms and conditions of the scheme. If an authorised installer representative’s installer fails to meet the terms and conditions, OZEV may revoke the authorisation of the authorised installer representative.

Authorised chargepoint manufacturer
A party that manufactures chargepoints that have been authorised under the WCS by OZEV through the process outlined in the guidance for manufacturers.

Staff and/or fleet parking
Off-street parking that is designated to the applicant and is for their staff or fleet, and not for customer use. Applicants must be able to provide evidence of this on request (for example, details of a parking policy or photographic evidence).

If the primary use of the chargepoints remains staff/fleet use, you may allow local residents to use the chargepoints outside of office hours when they will not typically be used by your staff or fleet vehicles.

The parking facilities must be clearly associated with the applicant’s premises and be either on-site or a reasonable distance from the place of work.

Customer parking
Parking that is available to be used by the applicant’s customers. Customer parking is not eligible for the WCS.