Less paperwork, more chargepoints: Government cuts red tape to make it easier, quicker and cheaper to switch to EVs

More drivers will be able to save up to £1,100 a year as the Government cuts red tape to make it easier than ever to install electric vehicle chargepoints.

Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood has confirmed that from Thursday 29th May, more drivers and businesses will no longer need to submit a planning application to install public or private EV sockets.

By cutting down on paperwork, more EV owners with a driveway will find it easier, quicker and cheaper to install a private chargepoint and power up their EVs at home. This will unlock savings of up to £1,100 a year compared to running a petrol or diesel car.

With planning changes also applying to workplace and public chargepoints, businesses will be able to install new sockets faster and for less, helping increase the number of public chargepoints so that EV owners can charge more easily, wherever they live and drive.

This comes on top of already significant discounts from Government to help drivers install chargepoints outside their house. Government support currently allows people renting or owning a flat, and those with on-street parking, to receive up to £350 off the cost of installing a home charger.

Getting this transition right and supporting the growth of the electric vehicle market in the UK will enable Britain to tap into a multibillion-pound industry, create high paid jobs for decades to come and deliver on our Plan for Change by putting more money in the pockets of hardworking families.

Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said: “We’re cutting down on paperwork to power up the EV revolution, so that drivers, businesses and those looking to make the switch will have more chargepoints to power from, and less red tape to deal with.

“We continue to make the switch to EVs easier, cheaper and better by investing over £2.3bn to support drivers and back British carmakers through international trade deals - creating jobs, boosting investment and securing our future as part of our Plan for Change.”

The Government continues to be on the side of British carmakers. On top of the recent changes to the ZEV mandate, the crucial trade deals with the US, India and the European Union have given the sector certainty and helped safeguard around 150,000 jobs in the automotive and steel sectors.

It follows 1,000 jobs created after a £1bn investment for a new state-of-the-art gigafactory in Sunderland to further accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, bolster Britain’s industrial heartland and boost growth.

The changes come as the Government has now helped install 18,600 sockets in workplace carparks in the last year alone. This is firmly placing the UK on the road to become an EV world-leader, with nearly 80,000 public EV chargepoints now available in the UK.

The UK public chargepoint network continues to grow. DfT statistics show that a record of nearly 3,000 public charging devices were added in April alone – with one popping up every 29 minutes.

Lewis Gardiner, Operations Director, Osprey Charging Network said: "This is a hugely welcome and practical change that will make a real difference on the ground.

“Removing the need for planning permission for essential electrical infrastructure like substations across the majority of sites will save months of delays, reduce costs, and accelerate the delivery of the rapid charging hubs drivers need.

"It’s the result of months of collaboration between industry and Government, and we’re proud to have played a key role in making it happen."

For drivers, the benefits of EVs are:
* Running an EV can cost as little as 2p per mile.
* EVs are constantly becoming cheaper, with 2 in 5 used EVs now under £20,000, and 29 brand new models priced under £30,000.
* Most new EVs have a range of nearly 300 miles – enough to get from London to Newcastle on one charge.

Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s Chief Property and Procurement Officer and MD of Smart Charge, said: “Everyone at Smart Charge knows how important it is to make EV charging simple, reliable and accessible – both to make transport cleaner and to ensure we’re meeting the everyday needs of drivers throughout the UK.

“We welcome this new streamlined approach to installing charge points, which will help accelerate the nation's adoption of EVs."