Building Regulations uplift requires EV chargepoints in new homes and buildings

The December 2022 uplift in Building Regulations requires the installation of electric vehicle charge points (EVCPs) in all new homes and buildings, and requires that all EVCPs installed going forward have smart functionality¹. The change supports the Government's commitment, made in November 2020, to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030¹.

According to NAPIT, the trade body for electrical installers, the smart capability allows a charge point to charge a vehicle when there is less demand on the grid or when more renewable electricity is available¹. NAPIT states that the requirement also helps to mitigate concerns about grid capacity, load control and adequate electricity supply to buildings, and that smart chargers must meet device-level requirements covering a minimum level of access, security and information for consumers¹.

"The December 2022 uplift in Building Regulations supports the Government's commitment by requiring the installation of electric vehicle charge points (EVCPs) in all new homes and buildings and ensuring that all EVCPs installed going forward have smart functionality"

Separately from the regulations, grant funding exists for certain groups. The EVCP grant covers 75% of the cost of installing a single charge point, and is aimed at flat owner-occupiers and landlords¹. Landlords can receive up to 200 grants a year for residential properties and a further 100 for commercial properties¹. This grant replaced the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, which NAPIT says provided funding for 291,549 domestic charging devices before concluding in April 2022¹. To qualify, installation must be carried out on the consumer's behalf by an Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) registered installer¹.

Other funding routes named by NAPIT include the Workplace Charging Scheme, described as a voucher-based scheme assisting eligible applicants with the upfront costs of purchasing and installing an EVCP in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and an on-street residential chargepoint scheme that local government can use, aimed at increasing charge point availability on residential streets where off-street parking is unavailable¹.

Why it matters for households

For a household buying or moving into a newly built home, a charge point is now part of the building rather than an extra to arrange afterwards, and it must have smart functionality¹. Smart charging shifts when a car draws power, which matters for a home's energy use because it allows charging to be timed away from peak grid demand or towards periods of higher renewable generation¹. NAPIT links the requirement to concerns about grid capacity, load control and adequate electricity supply to buildings¹.

For households in existing homes, the regulations do not create an obligation to install a charge point; the reported requirements apply to new homes and buildings and to charge points installed from December 2022 onwards¹. Grant support described by NAPIT is directed at flat owner-occupiers and landlords rather than all homeowners, following the closure of the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme in April 2022¹. The sources do not report the rates or eligibility detail of the current grant beyond the 75% figure and the landlord limits¹.

What happens next

The 2030 date for ending the sale of new petrol and diesel cars is the fixed point the regulations are intended to support¹. NAPIT reports that installers must hold qualifications and keep up to date through Continuing Professional Development, and that OZEV-commissioned audits of EVCP installations have revealed common oversights¹. No further dated steps are given in the source.

Sources1 cited

1. charging-up-installer-knowledge-electric-vehicles, napit.org.uk