OLEV announces key changes to the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) will be making important changes to the way in which businesses and individuals apply for grants under the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme which are aimed to speed up and simplify the application process.

OLEV has always had strict requirements when it comes to documentation regarding applications for grants under the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme and any missed documentation can lead to applicants not getting money towards the charger installation.

With many electric vehicle charger installers relying on the money from the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme to boost their bottom line, the additional time it takes to negotiate the application process for the grant and gather the necessary documentation can impact negatively on time available to actually install electric vehicle chargers.

Many electric vehicle charger installers have complained that they have had applications denied due to minor discrepancies with the information submitted, and in the longer run, these delays can seriously impact on a company’s ability to operate on a day-to-day basis or simply remain in business.

In conjunction with the UK Government’s far-reaching plans regarding the growth of EV chargers available in the UK, OLEV is now announcing changes to the Electric Vehicle Homecharge scheme that will help aid the smooth running of these bold plans, and in essence the, changes are specifically designed to make applying for grant money from the Electric Vehicle Homecharge scheme easier than ever.

The changes announced by OLEV include:

Removal of the requirement to submit a V5C.
You will only need to submit the vehicle details and registration number. DVLA will validate these details internally.
Removal of the requirement for a delivery date for vehicles on order and the requirement that an installation must not be more than four months ahead of delivery.
You will only need to submit evidence that vehicles are on order.
Removal of the requirement that customers inform the DVLA when vehicles ordered have been delivered.
Removal of the requirement for separate photographs of chargepoints and their serial numbers.
You will only be required to provide one photograph that clearly shows the property, the off-street parking and the installed chargepoint.
Where the property and the off-street parking cannot be clearly displayed in a photograph, you will need to provide a photograph showing the off-street parking and the installed chargepoint and title deeds which demonstrate that the parking is linked to the property.
OLEV’s electronic signature guidance has been discontinued.
You may now provide any electronic or paper form of signature for both yourselves and your customers.
Simplification of the cost breakdown table.
You will only need to supply the cost for the installation once, with a breakdown for the associated costs for the chargepoint; any additional equipment; and labour.
Removal of the need to be approved by a manufacturer to install their equipment
The equipment installed must be on the OLEV approved equipment list
Removal of the October 1, 2016, cut off for vehicles to be eligible for the scheme. Any new installation for a customer with a vehicle purchased prior to this date will now qualify for the scheme.

OLEV has informed installers that the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme changes are effective immediately. That means you can now benefit from a simpler application process and not have to gather as much evidence.

One of the biggest issues surrounding the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme was the amount of time it takes between making an application and receiving funds. This is an issue that has been highlighted by many firms over the last year, and it’s something that OLEV is fully aware of and have indicated further changes and amendments will be made in the future.

Keep up to date with the latest news and policy updates via the OLEV website here