Do I need a home charger for my electric car?

Congratulations! You’ve decided to lease an electric car – the question of needing a charger installed is one we discuss with our clients so we’ve summarised some of the main things you might want to consider.

In short, a home charger isn’t a must have, but for many people it makes owning an EV much easier, cheaper, and more convenient.

A Home Charger is a really good idea if:

• You drive daily or have a long commute.
• You want the convenience of overnight charging & a full battery every morning.
• You don’t have easy access to public charging nearby.
• You want to save money — home electricity is cheaper than public charging.

You Might Not Need a Home Charger if:

• You drive infrequently or short distances.
• You live near reliable, well priced or free public chargers.
• You can charge at work consistently.
• You're housing doesn’t offer a way to install a charger (flats, apartments, terraced homes, homes with no off-street parking).

Charging Without a Home Charger

You can still charge at home without installing a home-charger:

• You can still charge using a Level 1 (120V) outlet, but this is a very slow way to charge.
• Public Level 2 chargers give 20–30 miles per hour but require planning.
• Fast DC chargers (like Tesla Superchargers) are great but not ideal for regular use due to higher cost and battery wear.

Government Grants

The UK Government currently offers an electric vehicle charge point grant for renters or flat owners. You can get either £350 or 75% off the cost to buy and install a socket, whichever amount is lower.

Here is the full information from the Gov.uk website summarising terms of the grant:

You can apply for this grant if all these apply:

• you live in a flat that you own (this includes flats bought through the shared ownership scheme), or you rent a residential property
• your home has its own private off-street parking space
• you own or use an eligible vehicle

You cannot apply if:

• you live in a house that you own (unless it’s converted into flats and you live in just one of the flats)
• you rent accommodation where the landlord or homeowner lives - for example, if you’re a lodger in someone else’s home
• you’re moving house or planning on moving
• you’ve already claimed the grant (or its predecessors, the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) and the Domestic Recharge Scheme)
• you want to replace a chargepoint, even if the existing one is incompatible with your new car
• you want to move an existing chargepoint to a new property
• there must by law be a chargepoint - for example, because your home is a new build

Your property must be in the UK. You cannot apply for this grant if you live in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man.

You can only apply for an existing residential property that you live in. You cannot apply for a property that’s unoccupied or is still being built.

You may need to provide supporting evidence when you apply, such as a rental agreement if you rent the property.

You must have a parking space that:

• is off-street, private and clearly defined - it does not have to be part of the property
• is accessible to you at all times
• you own or have the legal right to - you may need to provide Land Registry title deeds as evidence

You must have proof of all legal rights and permissions, such as from the freeholder of a block of flats.

Your installer will assess if your parking space allows an electric vehicle to charge safely.

This grant is only for vehicles on the list of OZEV-approved electric vehicles.

You must provide evidence that you own or use an eligible vehicle. This can be:

• as a registered owner
• if you’ve leased one for at least 6 months
• if you’ve used one as a work vehicle for at least 6 months
• if you’ve currently got one on order
•  

If you lease your vehicle

If your vehicle lease is a bundle with a charge point, it must:

• say that you own the charge point once payment is complete
• list the cost of the charge point and installation, includingVAT

You must also:

• make sure the charge point warranty meets the grant requirements
• make sure the associated vehicle lease is for at least 6 months

You must show your installer proof that you lease your electric vehicle.

How to apply

1. Contact an OZEV-authorised installer to get a quote for the work.
2. Ask the installer to start your claim.
3. You’ll get an email with a link to an eligibility check - complete it online.
4. The installer will apply for the grant on your behalf if you’re eligible.

After your installer has applied

Once OZEV has approved your application, they’ll let your installer know that they can start the work.

Your installer must either complete the work within 90 days of your application being approved, or request an extension. If they do not, ask the installer to submit a new application.

Claiming the grant

When your installer finishes the installation, they will claim the grant on your behalf.

Your invoice will show the total installation cost minus the grant amount. They’ll give details of your chargepoint to OZEV, along with photographs of the installation and an invoice.

We hope you have found this information useful - our team are on hand to support any more questions you might have. 

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