EV charging

EV charger grants in 2026: what is actually available in Dorset and Hampshire

If you own a house with a driveway there is no grant for a home EV charger in 2026. The OZEV grant covers flats, renters and landlords (£500 per socket since April 2026) and businesses can claim for workplace chargers. Here is who qualifies and what a charger really costs.

By Samantha Warry5 October 20265 min read

The short answer: if you own a house with a driveway, there is no grant for a home EV charger in 2026. The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) grant still exists, and went up in April 2026, but only for people who live in flats or rent, for landlords, for households with on-street parking, and for businesses installing workplace chargers. Everyone else pays the full price, quoted in writing after a free survey.

Who can still claim

Flat owners and renters. The EV chargepoint grant pays 75% of the cost up to £500 per socket (it was £350 before 1 April 2026) if you live in a flat or rent your home and have private off-street parking. Common in the blocks along the Bournemouth and Southampton seafronts. Funding runs to 31 March 2027, and the charger must not be fitted until OZEV has confirmed you are eligible.
Landlords. £500 per socket for residential properties, up to 200 sockets a year.
Households with on-street parking. New from April 2026: up to £500 per socket towards a charger with a cross-pavement cable channel, where the council allows one. Ask us before assuming you are out.
Businesses. The Workplace Charging Scheme covers 75% of installation up to £500 per socket, for up to 40 sockets per site, until 31 March 2027. Useful for units in Poole, Ferndown and the Eastleigh industrial estates.

We handle the OZEV paperwork where you qualify. Where you do not, we say so rather than inventing a scheme.

What decides the price without a grant

The charger itself is a fixed item; the installation is what varies. A long cable run from the consumer unit to a detached garage, an earthing upgrade, or a consumer unit that needs replacing all add to the job, which is why we quote in writing after a survey rather than from a price list. Every scheme on one page: grants and funding.

Why an EV changes the solar maths

An electric car doing 8,000 miles a year uses about 2,500 kWh. Charged on a standard tariff that is roughly £675 a year. Charged overnight on an EV tariff at around 7p it is £175. Charged partly from a 4 kW solar system in summer it is less again. A car on the drive is the single best reason to look at solar and a battery together; our battery guide covers it.

Home insurance and landlords.A charger installed and certified by a qualified electrician does not affect a standard home policy, but tell your insurer. Renters need the landlord’s written permission; the grant is designed so that the landlord often applies.

Get it fitted

Tell us what car you have or are ordering, and whether you have or want solar. We will set the PowerPulse 2 up to suit both, check the grant, and book the install. More on EV chargers.

Questions people ask about this

Which charger works with my car?

Any Type 2 charger works with every EV sold in the UK since about 2018, including Tesla. The differences are speed (7 kW is standard for a home), whether it is smart, and whether it can follow your solar. We fit the EcoFlow PowerPulse 2, which does all three.

Do I need a smart charger?

In Britain, yes: new home chargers have to be smart by law, so they can schedule charging into cheap off-peak hours. That is also what lets a charger wait for your solar surplus instead of pulling from the grid.

Can I charge my car from my solar panels?

Yes. A solar-aware charger watches what your panels are exporting and diverts it into the car. On a summer weekday a 4 kW system can put 15 to 20 miles into the car for nothing. In winter it mostly charges overnight on an off-peak tariff instead.

How long does installation take and does it need a new consumer unit?

Usually half a day. Most homes need a dedicated circuit from the consumer unit and sometimes an upgraded earthing arrangement, which is included. A very old consumer unit occasionally needs replacing first; the survey tells you before the quote.

Free survey, no obligation

See what solar would actually cost on your roof

A written quote after a free survey, with 0% VAT already applied. Across Bournemouth and Dorset, Hampshire and the south of England.

Call 0333 188 0190