The OLEV grant, formally the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, ended on 31 March 2022. Installations had to be completed by that date for the discount to apply, and no new applications are being considered for private homeowners1.
The scheme contributed up to £350 towards the purchase and installation of a home charging point1. In Scotland, drivers could claim an additional £250 through Energy Saving Trust Scotland and the Scottish government, taking the total to £6001.
Eligibility for the grant required an eligible electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, either purchased or leased for a minimum of six months, off-street parking such as a driveway or garage, an OLEV-approved chargepoint and an OLEV-approved installer1. All full battery electric cars met the criteria, while only some plug-in hybrids with CO2 emissions below 75g/km were included. Buyers of second-hand electric vehicles were also eligible provided the application was made within four months of receiving the vehicle1.
Claims were made through the chosen installer, who applied on the householder's behalf, with the money taken off the final bill1.
"The OLEV grant has now ended - no new applications will be considered for private homeowners. Only landlords, social housing providers and owners of apartment blocks will now be eligible for charger installation grants."
It is not yet known whether a replacement scheme will be introduced. Uswitch said it was "too soon to say whether a new scheme will replace the OLEV Grant", noting that similar schemes have often been succeeded by new ones1. No successor for private homeowners has been reported.
Why it matters for households
A home charge point lets a driver refuel on their own supply rather than depend on public charging networks, so the closure shifts the full cost of installation onto private owners. The £350 that the grant covered is no longer available to them, and the Scottish top-up of £250 has gone with it1.
For households that already hold an approved chargepoint, nothing changes. For those who do not, the practical position is that the upfront cost is now met entirely by the owner, and the eligibility conditions that once applied, including off-street parking and approved equipment, no longer carry a subsidy1.
The grant's survival for landlords, social housing providers and apartment block owners means tenants and flat residents may still see chargepoints installed in their buildings, while owner-occupiers with driveways do not1.
What happens next
No dated next steps have been reported. Whether a replacement scheme will be introduced for private homeowners has not been announced1.