Home charger OLEV grant

In light of this, Uswitch has put together this OLEV grant guide to help people benefit from the grant before it’s gone!

What is the home charger OLEV Grant? 

The OLEV Grant was introduced to encourage consumers to switch to an electric vehicle by contributing to some of the costs involved. Technically called the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, it covers up to £350 of the costs associated with installing a home electric vehicle charging point.

Why is the government stopping the home charger OLEV Grant?

The government is offering the OLEV Grant to drivers in order to help meet its ambitious net zero emissions target by 2050. However they announced that they have allocated a specific amount of money to this grant scheme, which has now come to an end. Because of this, home charging OLEV grants will be scrapped from 31st March. 

The next plans are to invest into more rapid public chargers, to focus on supporting those who are not able to get a home charger installed.

Do I qualify for the home charger OLEV Grant? 

You qualify for the OLEV Grant if:

• You have purchased an eligible electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle or leased one for a minimum of six months
• You have off-street parking (i.e. a driveway or garage)
• You commit to installing an OLEV-approved chargepoint
• You commit to using an OLEV-approved chargepoint installer
• The installation is due to be completed by 31st March 2022.

Which vehicles qualify for the OLEV Grant? 

All full battery electric cars meet the criteria. Only some plug-in hybrid vehicles with CO2 emissions below 75g/km will be included.

Those with second-hand electric vehicles will also be eligible as long as the application for the grant is made within four months of receiving the vehicle. 

How do I claim the home charger OLEV Grant? 

To claim the OLEV Grant, simply let your chosen charger installer know so they can claim it on your behalf. You may have to fill in a form or two confirming your details and eligibility, but the money should then be taken off your final bill.

What next?

With the purchasing of electric vehicles seeing a sharp rise over the last few years, there are now nearly 400,000 EV owners in the UK. With the public charging networks trying to keep up with this rise, installing a home charger can often be a good option for EV owners. 

The OLEV grant for the purchase of an EV will still be available, but this has now been capped at £1,500 and is limited to specific vehicles. 

Ben Gallizzi, EV expert at Uswitch says: "With only one week to go until the government's OLEV grant is stopped, booking a home EV charger installation before the deadline is going to be tough. However, for £350 off the cost of the installation, it's worth trying before the cut-off on 31st March.

To speed up the process, ask yourself these questions before booking to see if you'd qualify:

• Have I had an electric vehicle for at least six months?
• Do I have off-street parking?
• Can I commit to installing an OLEV-approved charge-point?
• Can I commit to using an OLEV-approved charge-point installer?
• Am I available to have it installed by 31st March 2022?"

More information can be found on the Uswitch wesbite.