Home EV Charger Installation: Costs, Grants and the Rules (2026)

What it costs

The cost depends on the make and model you choose, according to the Planning Portal, which cites research putting installation at between £450 for a basic model and around £1,200 as power and features increase. Higher-powered chargers generally cost more. Ask each installer whether their price includes any upgrade work your existing wiring or fuse box needs.

Grants: who can get one

The government's chargepoint grant for renters and flat owners covers 75% of the cost of buying and installing a charger, up to £500, according to GOV.UK. You must own and live in a flat, or rent a home, and have your own private off-street parking space, plus own or use an eligible electric vehicle. You can't claim if you own and live in a house, unless it has been converted into flats. Separate grants of up to £500 cover households that only have on-street parking and install a cross-pavement solution, and landlords. GOV.UK says the schemes have been extended for a final year, until 31 March 2027.

Choosing a charger

The Planning Portal says 7kW is the most common home charger, charging roughly twice as fast as a normal three-pin plug, while 3.6kW suits low mileage. A 22kW charger needs a three-phase supply, which is very uncommon in UK homes, and many cars can't charge that fast anyway. It doesn't recommend charging from a three-pin socket, because of the risk of overheating and the slow speed: a full charge can take over 30 hours. Since 30 June 2022, chargers sold for home use must have smart functions, pre-set off-peak default charging hours you can change, and a randomised delay, according to GOV.UK.

Do you need planning permission?

Usually not. New permitted development rules for EV chargers came into force on 21 October 2026, and the previous rules can still be used until 20 October 2027, according to the Planning Portal. Under the new rules, a wall-mounted charger at a house is permitted development if its casing is no bigger than 0.2 cubic metres, it is no more than 1.6 metres above the ground, it is the only one, and the property isn't listed or in a conservation area. If the wall faces a road, it mustn't stick out more than 0.2 metres or be within 1.5 metres of the carriageway. Check that your council hasn't removed these rights with an Article 4 direction; otherwise you'll need planning permission.

Building regulations

Building regulations approval is required in all cases, according to the Planning Portal: either the installer is registered with a competent person scheme and self-certifies the work, or building control must be notified. Installing a new circuit is notifiable work under Part P, so a registered electrician should give you an Electrical Installation Certificate and a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate when the job is done.

Charging from the street

Don't trail a charging cable across the pavement. The Planning Portal warns it breaches the Highways Act 1980 and could leave you liable for any injuries it causes. If you only have on-street parking, the cable must cross the footway through an authorised cross-pavement solution, such as a channel set into the pavement, installed by or with permission from the highway authority, usually your council.

Frequently Asked Questions