A grant has been introduced for state-funded schools and education institutions to provide support towards the costs of the purchase, installation and infrastructure of electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their site(s). Installations usually cost around £1,500 to £2,500, depending on the area and type of installation. It is available in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; if your institution is in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, it is not eligible. You will need to confirm that you meet all the criteria in the application form and read the rules for eligibility upon applying for the grant, after which successful applicants will be emailed a voucher code.

You can get 75% off the cost to buy and install chargepoints up to a maximum of:

• £2,500 per socket
• 40 sockets across all sites including any applications made previously via the Workplace Charging Scheme.

Multi-academy trusts may apply for up to the maximum of 40 sockets for each school or institution within the trust. Before you begin your application, you should have a site survey with an authorised installer who will make sure the electrical capacity of the site can support the number of sockets you would like to install.

The closing date to complete the online application form is Monday 31 March 2025 at 11:59pm. Successful applicants will receive a voucher that is valid for 180 days from the date of issue, in which the installation must be completed within this time. You can find out more and apply here.

Our Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (VCI) framework (636) allows for government-funded purchases to be made, so schools can use a compliant route to market to procure their electric vehicle chargepoint infrastructure requirements. Authorised installers and chargepoint models that are eligible for use with the grant are available via the framework.

For more information, please contact Rachel Selwyn-Smith at place@espo.org or 0788 006 3251.