Need to know: Boost for electric vehicle owners without driveways
- The Government is making it easier for electric vehicle owners without driveways to charge their cars at home through new pavement regulations and increased grants.
- A grant to cover home EV charger installation has been raised from £350 to £500 as of April 1, 2026. Speaking earlier this year, Keir Mather, the minister for decarbonisation, stated that this would cover roughly half the cost of installing one.
- The increased grant is available to flat owners, renters, and landlords, whilst planning permission rules are under review to remove obstacles for EV adoption. Cross-pavement charging solutions are being developed to help those with only on-street parking charge vehicles safely outside their homes.
- Parliamentary questions this month revealed that as of January 1, 2026, the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for Households with On-Street Parking has funded 39 sockets worth £13,531. Mr Mather confirmed: “The Government has consulted on measures to reduce planning permission requirements for cross-pavement solutions, further supporting households with on-street parking, and will be responding in due course.”
- The Government also continues to support drivers with cheaper, flexible charging tariffs both at home and in public. A consultation ran between November 2025 and January 2026 on expanding permitted development rights for pavement charging infrastructure.
- These measures form part of the Government’s broader Clean Flexibility Roadmap 2025 to improve EV charging accessibility and affordability.
READ THE FULL STORY: Rule change to ‘remove barriers’ for UK homes without driveways