2026 UK OZEV Grant & EV Charger Regulation Change

Apr 12,2026 Blog

Published on: April 12, 2026 Update on:April 30, 2026

In the first half of 2026, the UK government updated the OZEV grants and EV charger regulations.

OZEV Grant

From 1 April 2026, the UK’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) will raise the maximum subsidy rate for most installations from £350 to£500 per charging socket. An application channel for EV chargers has also been added to the ‘find a grant’ portal. The old application channel has been closed. (Find OZEV Grant)

Grant List

Grant Category	Old Maximum Rate (until 31 March 2026)	New Maximum Rate (from 1 April 2026)	Limits
Workplace Charging Scheme	Up to £350 per socket	Up to £500 per socket	Max 40 sockets per business
Households with On-Street Parking	Up to £350 per socket	Up to £500 per socket	1 socket per house
Tenants & Flat Owners	Up to £350 per socket	Up to £500 per socket	1 socket per person
Residential Landlords	Up to £350 per socket	Up to £500 per socket	Max 200 sockets per person
Educational Establishments (Schools)	Up to £2,500 per socket	Reduced to £2,000 per socket	Max 40 sockets per school site

Something You Need To Know

This subsidy applies only to new installations. If you have submitted an application but the charger has not yet been fitted, you may liaise with your installer to reapply for the £500 subsidy.
The subsidy covers 75% of the cost of purchasing and installing the charge point. Please retain all invoices for expenses incurred.
Application processes vary by sector. If you have any queries regarding the subsidy, consult the installer assisting with your setup.
If you have a driveway or garage in your house, you may not be able to get the housholds tihe On-street Parking Grant.

EV Charger Regulation Change

EV Infrastructure Grant Discontinued

The OZEV dedicated EV Infrastructure Grant was officially terminated at the end of Q1 2026. Only the per-socket chargepoint subsidy will be retained (until 2027). Affected parties include staff and fleet operators, commercial landlords and residential landlords

Changes to Road Works Permitting – England

From 10 April 2026, according to the amend of Traffic Management Permit Scheme (England) Regulations 2007(S.I. 2007/3372). EV Charge Point Operators (CPOs) in England will gain simplified road works powers for specific EV charger installation scenarios, eliminating the complex Section 50 approval process. This will significantly shorten permit approval times, with associated fees reduced from several hundred pounds to a minimum of tens of pounds.

Mandatory “Non-member Payment”: By the end of 2026, all public charging networks must support at least one third-party payment method (credit cards, QR codes, etc.). This means vehicle owners can pay for charging without downloading a dedicated APP.
99% Availability Metric and First-Phase Settlement: * Regulatory Requirements: The “99% average reliability” standard for rapid charging networks (Rapid Network, 50kW and above) enters the full enforcement stage in 2026. The regulatory body (OPSS) has formally initiated the first phase of violation penalty settlements in April 2026. Operators with poor performance will face fines of up to £10,000 per network.
Data Transparency: All public charge points must provide real-time machine-readable data (including dynamic status, accurate pricing, and precise location) and are mandated to open API access to third-party navigation software (such as Google Maps, Zapmap) to ensure information symmetry for users.

AFIR 2026: Mandatory Functional Requirements for EV Chargers

Starting in 2026, AFIR requires newly installed publicly accessible EV chargers in the EU to comply with smart charging and interoperability requirements, with EN ISO 15118 serving as a key harmonised standard for demonstrating compliance (Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 – Clause 2.1.1)

While this regulation does not legally apply to the UK, ISO 15118 already meets UK pubulic EV charger regulatory requirements and has become the de facto standard. This means Plug & Charge functionality is now formally a prerequisite for charger approval.

In addition, ISO 15118 features high-level data encryption (TLS 1.2/1.3 communication protocols) and provides initial support for V2X (bidirectional charging).

In terms of timelines:

Mandatory compliance for newly installed public chargers in the EU applies from 8 January 2026
From 2027, all new chargers (including private residential units) must support the latest version of ISO 15118-20. (Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 – Clauses 2.1.1 / 2.1.2 / 2.1.3)

FAQ

Q1: Do existing installed EV chargers need to comply with ISO 15118?

No, compliance is only required for new installations or major refurbishments.

Q2: Can I still receive the subsidy if installing older non-ISO 15118 chargers after 2026?

No. The 2026 verification system will be directly linked to charger serial numbers and smart cloud certification. Non-smart equipment will not only be ineligible for OZEV subsidies but may also not be legally connected to the UK national power grid.

Q3: How can EV charger manufacturers ensure software compliance?

XYDF’s EV Charger adopts the ISO 15118 protocol and a modular architecture as standard. This ensures every charger sold by distributors will remain compliant and future-proof for the next 5–10 years.

At The End

The overall direction of 2026 EV charger regulation changes in England remains consistent. If you are interested in purchasing EV chargers, please contact an XYDF professional sales engineer for further details.

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