The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced a £63 million package to support home electric vehicle (EV) charging for households without driveways; help decarbonise NHS fleets; and install thousands of charge points at business depots across the UK.
In a pioneering move to help EV drivers plug into the rapidly expanding charging network, the Government is also modernising EV charging signage on major roads. Immediate changes will allow EV charging hubs – which have more than doubled since the beginning of 2023 – to be signposted from motorways and major A-roads for the first time.
A pioneering £25 million scheme for local authorities will expand access to cheaper at home charging. This will provide access to cheaper household rates, allowing drivers to save up to £1,500 a year compared to running a petrol or diesel car, and transforming how thousands of households without driveways power up their electric cars.
The innovative cross-pavement technology will allow cables to run safely beneath pavements, connecting homes directly to parked vehicles, enabling more families to tap into cheaper domestic electricity rates for as little as two pence per mile even if they don’t have a driveway.
The fund is the latest move to bolster the UK’s growing charging network which has reached a record 82,000 public charge points, with a further 100,000 expected to be installed as a result of the Government’s Local EV Infrastructure Fund and £6bn of private investment committed to 2030.
To ensure the savings the EV transition can bring are felt in the public sector too, the NHS in England is also receiving a major sustainability upgrade with an £8 million fund to power the electrification of ambulances and medical fleets across over 200 NHS sites, saving £120 million in costs which can be invested into patient care.
Alongside the boosts for electric drivers, the Government is also launching a major new grant scheme to help businesses install charging points at depots nationwide, supporting the nation’s heavy goods vehicles, vans and coach drivers in the transition to zero emissions.
The Government says it is committed to boosting charging for long journeys, with £400m announced in the Spending Review to support charging infrastructure, including on motorways and across the Strategic Road Network.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:
“We are making it easier and cheaper to own an electric vehicle. We know access to charging is a barrier for people thinking of making the switch, and we are tackling that head-on so that everyone – whether or not they have a driveway – can access the benefits of going electric.
“Our investment is about more than just charging points – it’s about charging up Britain’s economy. I’m proud that through this boost, we are helping deliver cheaper bills for families, massive savings for the NHS to reinvest in patient care, and thousands of new green jobs.
“This is what our Plan for Change mission to grow Britain’s economy looks like in practice. We’re not just boosting charging infrastructure, we’re building a fairer, cleaner future where every family can benefit from cheaper, greener transport, whilst creating thousands of good jobs across the country.”
The action follows recent updates to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate to make it easier for the sector to switch to electric as part of government’s ongoing work to back British manufacturing. With over 1.2 million people employed in the freight and logistics sector in the UK alone, today’s announcement is the latest move to keep industry at the forefront of international competition in the face of global economic headwinds.
The 1,200+ new charging sockets for the NHS will deliver a more efficient, modern health system whilst generating millions in cost savings over the next two decades for the taxpayer on maintenance and fuel costs – valuable savings that can be prioritised for patient care and help rebuild the NHS.
Owning and buying an EV is becoming increasingly cheaper, with 2 in 5 of used electric cars sold at under £20,000 and 34 brand new electric cars are available from under £30,000.
The UK was also the largest EV market in Europe in 2024 and the third in the world with over 382,000 EVs sold – up a fifth on the previous year. There are now more than 82,000 public chargepoints in the UK – with one added every 30 minutes – ensuring that motorists are always a short drive from a socket.
Edmund King, AA president, said:
“There are more public chargers than people realise, but they are often hidden in plain sight. Increasing signs for the public network is vital to help the EV transition as it will create confidence for drivers both now and in the future. It is great to see more support for those without off-street parking so that they can also benefit from the EV revolution.”
Delvin Lane, CEO, InstaVolt said:
“We are pleased that the government has taken the crucial step of delivering official EV charging signage on the strategic road network – a move we believe will improve consumer confidence and bolster EV adoption. This marks a major milestone for the EV industry and drivers across the UK.
“At InstaVolt, we have been relentless in our campaigning and have built a strong, collaborative relationship with the Government to push this initiative forward. Our opinion research suggests that the rollout of clear, official signage will make a significant difference—helping EV drivers easily locate public charging points while on the move, and reassuring those considering making the switch to electric vehicles.
“For years, we have emphasised that the UK’s public EV infrastructure, so critical to mass adoption, is already largely in place, and now this signage will finally showcase it to drivers in a visible, accessible way.”
“As the UK’s largest ultra-rapid public charging network with over 2,000 chargers nationwide, InstaVolt is proud to be at the forefront of this transformation and excited to see how these signs will accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.”
Ian Johnston, CEO, Osprey: said:
“Signage impacts all the UK’s drivers because consumers need to see it to believe it. Osprey have tirelessly highlighted the benefit that clear EV road signage would bring to drivers looking to make the switch and to the charging businesses installing the critical infrastructure underpinning transport decarbonisation.”
“This is a welcome first step and we look forward to continuing to work closely with ministers and officials to achieve clear signage for the hundreds of high-quality EV charging hubs being opened across the nation.”
John Lewis, CEO, char.gy, commeneted:
“A change in the signage rules and regulations for CPOs is very welcomed by not only char.gy, but also the entire industry. The clearer the signs, the better the consumer confidence.
“With over 4,000 char.gy charge points already live and 6,000 more on the way in Brighton & Hove, the largest rollout of its kind in the UK, the message is clear: drivers, industry, and government are all backing the shift. One in four people are now going electric. As CPOs, it’s our responsibility to ensure the infrastructure keeps pace.”
Quentin Willson, Founder FairCharge, stated:
“Having long campaigned for charging signs on our roads I’m overjoyed to see that finally non-EV drivers will see that there is a charging infrastructure to give them the confidence to switch. Years of not having any charging signage on our roads has helped stoke the myth ‘there’s no infrastructure’. This is a very welcome development.”
More industry reaction to follow.
Image courtesy of Department for Transport.
