If your business or organisation is thinking about installing EV chargers, there may be government support available to help with the upfront cost.
The Workplace Charging Scheme offers eligible organisations help towards the cost of buying and installing electric vehicle chargepoints at their workplace. Right now, the grant can cover up to 75% of the total cost, capped at £350 per socket, for up to 40 sockets across all sites.
For many businesses, charities and public sector organisations, that can make workplace EV charging a much more realistic next step.
What is the Workplace Charging Scheme?
The Workplace Charging Scheme is a government grant designed to support organisations that want to install EV chargepoints at their premises.
It is available to eligible businesses, charities and public sector organisations based in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. GOV.UK also notes that there is a separate grant for state-funded education institutions, so schools and colleges should follow that route instead.
In simple terms, it is there to reduce the cost of getting workplace charging in place.
Why this matters for businesses and organisations
Workplace EV charging is no longer something only large organisations need to think about.
As more staff, visitors and fleet operators move towards electric vehicles, having charging available on site can become a practical advantage. It can help future-proof your property, support sustainability goals and make your site more useful for the people who use it.
The grant does not remove the need to plan properly, but it can make the financial side of installation more manageable by reducing part of the initial cost.
How much funding can you get?
Under the current scheme, eligible applicants can receive:
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- up to 75% of the total cost
- up to £350 per socket
- support for up to 40 sockets across all sites
So, if your organisation is planning chargers at one site or across multiple locations, the scheme could make a meaningful contribution to the overall installation cost. GOV.UK gives the example that if you install chargepoint sockets at 40 sites, you could receive support for 1 socket at each site.
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Who can apply?
According to GOV.UK, you can usually apply if you run a:
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- business, including a small accommodation business
- charity
- public sector organisation
Your organisation must also be based in the UK, specifically in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. To apply, you will need your organisation’s company registration number or VAT identification number.
What this means in the real world
For many organisations, the grant helps move workplace charging from “something to think about later” to a genuine project worth exploring now.
That could include:
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- a business wanting to support staff and visitor charging
- a commercial site preparing for more EV-driving customers or tenants
- a charity looking to improve access and future readiness
- a public sector organisation planning ahead for fleet or staff demand
The exact setup will vary from site to site, but the main opportunity is the same: getting charging infrastructure in place before demand becomes harder to ignore.
A few important things to keep in mind
The grant is helpful, but it is only one part of the decision.
Before moving ahead, it is worth thinking about:
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- how many chargers your site actually needs
- who will be using them
- whether the chargers are for staff, visitors or fleet vehicles
- the available power supply at your property
- whether EV charging could form part of a wider energy strategy
For some organisations, EV charging may sit alongside wider improvements such as solar PV, battery storage or smarter energy management. That can create a more joined-up approach to cost savings and long-term sustainability.
Is this the same grant for schools or home charging?
No, and that is an important distinction.
The workplace grant page makes clear that state-funded education institutions should use a different grant. It also points people looking to install a charger at home towards a separate scheme for renters or flat owners.
So, while this page is highly relevant for workplaces and organisations, it is not a one-size-fits-all grant for every property type.
The takeaway
The Workplace Charging Scheme is a practical incentive for businesses and organisations that are ready to explore EV charging.
It will not cover the full cost of every project, but it can make installation more affordable and easier to justify, especially for organisations trying to plan ahead as electric vehicle use continues to grow. The current GOV.UK guidance says eligible applicants can receive up to 75% of costs, capped at £350 per socket, across up to 40 sockets.
For anyone considering workplace EV charging, the most useful next step is not just checking the grant amount. It is making sure the charging setup is right for the site, the users and the wider goals of the organisation.
Planning workplace EV charging?
If you’re exploring EV chargepoints for your business or organisation, get in touch with the experts at Sunlite Group. We proudly deliver reliable renewable energy solutions across the South East and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The grant can be useful for smaller sites as well as larger organisations, especially if you want to start with a small number of chargers and build from there. It helps reduce the upfront cost, which can make workplace EV charging more realistic for businesses that are still at an early stage.
The scheme helps towards the cost of buying and installing EV chargepoints, which is why it can make a meaningful difference when budgeting for a project. That said, the total amount you receive will still depend on the size and setup of the installation.
Yes. The scheme allows support for up to 40 sockets across all your sites, so it can work for organisations planning installations at multiple locations, not just one premises.
No. It contributes towards the cost, but it will not usually pay for the whole project. That is why it is important to look at the wider picture too, including the type of chargers you need, how they will be used and whether your site is ready for them.
That depends on who will be using them. A workplace charging setup for staff parking will look very different from one designed for visitors, tenants or fleet vehicles. The best starting point is to assess your property, expected usage and future demand rather than guessing a number too early.
That is one of the most common reasons projects stall. If you are unsure, it helps to check the grant criteria first and then look at the practical side of the project at the same time. There is little value in applying for funding before you know the installation is right for your site.
In many cases, yes. If your property is suitable, solar and EV charging can work well together as part of a broader energy strategy. Looking at both together can help you plan more effectively for long-term energy use, operating costs and sustainability goals.
Start with your site. By speaking to experts like the team at Sunlite, you can get a clearer picture of who will use the chargers, where they should go, what capacity you may need, and how the installation fits into your longer-term plans. Once that is clear, it becomes much easier to decide whether the grant is a good fit and what kind of charging setup makes sense for your property.
