About this scheme
The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) for State-Funded Education Institutions is a government voucher-based grant administered by OZEV and DVLA. It provides state-funded schools and other eligible state-funded education institutions with financial support towards the cost of purchasing and installing EV chargepoint sockets at their sites.
The scheme covers 75% of the total purchase and installation cost (including VAT), up to £2,000 per socket from 1 April 2026, for a maximum of 40 sockets across all sites. The grant is deducted from the institution’s invoice by the OZEV-authorised installer after the claim is made on the institution’s behalf.
The scheme is available in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is not available in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
What you can get
Grant rate: 75% of the total purchase and installation cost (including VAT), whichever is lower.
Maximum per socket (from 1 April 2026): £2,000 per socket.
Maximum per socket (pre-April 2026 applications): £2,500 per socket, provided the voucher is redeemed before 30 September 2026.
Maximum sockets: 40 sockets across all sites. This includes any previous claims made through the standard Workplace Charging Scheme.
Academy trusts: Up to 40 sockets per institution within the trust. A separate application must be completed for each institution.
How paid: The installer deducts the grant from the institution’s invoice and claims the payment directly from OZEV.
Voucher validity: 180 days from the date of issue. Installation must be completed and claimed within this period.
Multiple claims can be made up to the 40-socket allocation. If 10 sockets are claimed initially, the institution remains eligible for up to 30 more.
Eligibility
Who can apply
This grant is for state-funded schools and other state-funded education institutions in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Eligible institution types include:
- State-funded primary and secondary schools.
- State-funded sixth form and further education colleges.
- State-funded nurseries.
- Academies and free schools within academy trusts.
- Multi-academy trusts (applying separately on behalf of each institution).
Independent schools are not eligible for this scheme. They should apply through the standard Workplace Charging Scheme (gov.uk).
Eligibility requirements
To qualify, the institution must:
- Have an existing or future need to charge an electric vehicle at the site.
- Have designated off-street parking facilities clearly associated with the premises. The parking may be used by customers, guests, visitors, staff or others.
- Have the authority to apply for the WCS on behalf of the organisation.
- Use an OZEV-authorised installer to carry out the installation.
- Use eligible commercial chargepoints from the OZEV-approved model list.
What makes a site ineligible
- The institution is in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man.
- The institution is independent (non-state-funded).
- The parking is not designated for the institution or clearly associated with its premises.
- The parking is yet to be built.
- A chargepoint has already been claimed for the same socket under another grant scheme — claiming for the same chargepoint twice is treated as fraud.
- Installation was a mandatory requirement (for example, under building regulations or a planning condition).
Allowing public use of chargepoints
Institutions may open their chargepoints to the public. If they do, they must comply with the Public Chargepoint Regulations 2023 and associated guidance. OZEV also asks that public access be considered as part of a wider package of measures to encourage sustainable school travel, including active travel and public transport options.
Before you apply
- Confirm the institution is state-funded and meets all eligibility requirements above.
- Arrange a site survey with Ocunio Energy, an OZEV-authorised installer, before starting the application. The installer will confirm whether the site’s electrical capacity can support the number and type of sockets required.
- Agree on the scope of work with the installer — how many sockets, at which sites, and at which locations within the site.
- Find your institution or SEED reference number.
- Identify two contact people at the institution whose email addresses match the institution’s email domain. For academy trusts, one contact must be at the trust and one at the institution.
How to apply
Applications are submitted via the dedicated GOV.UK online form. This scheme does not use the Find a Grant platform.
Information required on the application form
- Information about the size of your institution — number of staff and pupils.
- Your institution or SEED reference number
- How many chargepoints you want to install.
- How many sites you want to install them at, if the institution has more than one.
- Whether you plan to open the chargepoints for public use.
- The name and OZEV-registered number of your installer.
- Contact details for two people at the institution, with email addresses matching the institution’s email domain.
- Academy trusts: contact details for one person at the trust and one at the institution to which the application is being made.
Step-by-step process
- Complete the online application form at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/workplace-charging-scheme-for-state-funded-education-institutions. You must complete the entire form in one session.
- If successful, you will be emailed a unique voucher code within 5 working days. Until you receive this code, there is no guarantee the grant will be awarded.
- Share the voucher code with your OZEV-authorised installer. Do not begin any installation before receiving the code — installations made before voucher approval are not eligible.
- Your installer carries out the installation of eligible commercial chargepoints within the 180-day voucher validity period.
- Once installation is complete, your installer submits the claim on your behalf. This includes completing the installer application form and grant claim form (one per institution), submitting a cost breakdown for each installation, and providing photographs of each chargepoint installed. Photos must clearly show the chargepoint model and serial number, its location relative to the wider site and building, and all chargepoints installed.
- The installer also submits a site plan showing the supply point, charging infrastructure, chargepoints, cable routes and distribution boards.
- The grant is deducted from the institution’s invoice by the installer. OZEV pays the grant directly to the installer.
Technical requirements for installation
Each site and installation must meet the following technical standards:
- Each socket must have a minimum power supply of 3kW that is not diminished when all sockets on the site are in simultaneous use.
- No more than one socket may be installed per accessible parking space.
- Only eligible commercial chargepoints from the OZEV-approved model list may be installed.
- Installation must be carried out by an OZEV-authorised installer in accordance with the relevant British Standards, including BS 8300 (accessibility and the built environment) and the applicable minimum ingress protection (IP) ratings set out in BS EN 61851 and BS 7671.
- The placement, design and surrounding built environment of chargepoints should account for the diverse needs of users, including disabled people.
- Installations must comply with applicable building regulations, including Part S Regulations in England and equivalent devolved regulations.
After your application is approved
Installation and claiming
Once the voucher is issued, work with your installer to schedule installation within the 180-day window. After installation, Ocunio Energy the installer submits the claim to OZEV. The grant is deducted directly from your invoice — you will not receive or handle the grant payment yourself.
If installation cannot be completed within 180 days
Contact workplacechargingscheme@dvla.gov.uk to withdraw the current voucher and reapply. Vouchers are non-transferable. If some chargepoints are completed within the window but others are not, the installer should claim for the completed ones and the institution should reapply for a new voucher for the remainder. Chargepoints completed before a new voucher is issued will not be eligible.
Changing the installation site
You cannot change the installation site once a voucher is issued. Email workplacechargingscheme@dvla.gov.uk to withdraw the voucher and reapply for a new one at the correct address.
Useful links
