The OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme Explained: Up to £350 Per Socket

If you run a business, charity, public sector body, or property in Scotland, the OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme is the single most useful EV charger grant available to you in 2026. It pays up to £350 for every charging socket you install, capped at 40 sockets per applicant per scheme year, and can take up to 75 percent off the cost of fitting a workplace charging facility. This guide explains exactly how the scheme works, who qualifies, how to apply, and the easy mistakes that can cost a Scottish business their grant. Faithful Spark Electricians is OZEV approved and NICEIC certified, and we have walked dozens of Scottish businesses through the scheme from first survey to final commissioning.

What the OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme actually is

The Workplace Charging Scheme (commonly abbreviated to WCS) is a UK Government grant administered by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, an executive agency that sits across the Department for Transport, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The grant exists because Government policy is to encourage UK businesses to install workplace EV charging at scale, ahead of the 2035 phase out of new petrol and diesel vehicles, and the broader 2050 net zero target.

The scheme has run in various forms since 2016, with the current rules in place from April 2024. It is open across the whole UK, including all of Scotland. Many Scottish businesses use it without realising it sits alongside, rather than replacing, the Scottish domestic schemes used at home addresses. They are separate grants with separate rules.

The scheme works on a voucher model. The applicant business applies to OZEV first, receives a voucher that is valid for 6 months, and then books an OZEV approved installer to fit the chargers within that 6 month window. The installer claims the grant value directly from OZEV, and the business simply pays the discounted invoice. There is no waiting for a refund, no cash flow burden on the business, and no paperwork the business has to handle directly with OZEV after the voucher is issued.

For a wider grants picture covering the domestic schemes that complement the WCS, see our guide on EV charger grants in Scotland for 2026. For broader commercial install context, see our commercial EV charger installation guide for Aberdeen businesses.

How much the grant pays

The headline figures are straightforward, but the detail matters.

• £350 per socket installed. A socket is a single physical connector on a chargepoint. A twin socket charger has two sockets, so it earns two grant payments.
• Capped at 75 percent of the install cost per socket. If the cost of installing a single socket comes to £400, the grant is £300, not £350. For most commercial installs, the per socket cost is well above £500, so the full £350 is usually paid.
• Capped at 40 sockets per applicant, per scheme year. The scheme year runs April to April. Larger businesses with multi site needs can split installs across two scheme years to claim more.

For a typical Scottish business installing 6 chargepoints at one site, that is up to 6 × £350 = £2,100 off the project cost. For a hotel installing 10 twin socket chargers (20 sockets total), the saving climbs to £7,000.

Why some businesses see the full £350 and others see less

The 75 percent rule is the silent gotcha. If you install very small, low cost chargers in a parking layout that requires almost no electrical work, the per socket install cost can drop low enough that 75 percent of the cost is less than £350. We have only seen this happen on very simple, sub £400 per socket projects, which are rare in practice. For any Scottish install involving proper certified electrical work, civils, signage, and OCPP commissioning, the full £350 per socket applies.

Who can claim

The scheme is broader than many businesses assume. Eligible applicants include:

• Registered companies (limited companies, PLCs).
• Limited liability partnerships and partnerships.
• Sole traders and self employed individuals running a registered business with a parking facility.
• Charities and Community Interest Companies (CICs).
• Public sector bodies, including NHS, councils, schools, and universities.
• Care homes, dental practices, vets, chiropractors, and other regulated professional services.
• Hotels, B and Bs, holiday lets, self catering accommodation, and bed and breakfast operations registered as a business.
• Sports clubs, golf clubs, gyms, leisure centres, and fitness studios.
• Churches and religious organisations with their own parking.
• Retail premises, shopping centres, and food and beverage venues with off street parking.

The chargers must be fitted on land owned, leased, or otherwise legitimately controlled by the applicant. Public on street chargers do not qualify under the WCS (they sit under a different scheme, the Local EV Infrastructure Scheme). Workplace parking that is also used by visitors is fine, including hotel guest parking and customer parking at retail premises.

Who cannot claim

• Private homeowners (covered by the OZEV Chargepoint Grant for flats and rentals, or by the Scotland Domestic EV Chargepoint Grant).
• Commercial vehicle operators where the chargers are exclusively for the public, with no business use case (these go through the LEVI fund instead).
• Businesses without off street parking. The chargers must be on land you control.
• Newly registered businesses that cannot evidence a recognisable trading purpose. OZEV will check.

The chargers must be OZEV approved and OCPP capable

Two technical requirements catch out businesses that try to source equipment themselves before getting an installer involved.

OZEV approved chargepoints only

The chargers fitted under the WCS must appear on the current OZEV approved chargepoint list. This list is updated monthly. Brands we install regularly under the scheme include myenergi Zappi, Ohme Home Pro and Ohme ePod, Easee Charge, Hypervolt Pro, Wallbox Pulsar Pro and Pulsar Plus Commercial, Zaptec Pro, EO Mini Pro 3 commercial, and Pod Point Solo Smart Commercial. If you are unsure whether the unit you have in mind is on the list, ask before ordering.

OCPP capability is mandatory

The Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is the open standard that lets chargers communicate with a back office platform. Under current WCS rules, every chargepoint must be OCPP capable. The chargers do not need to be actively connected to a back office on day one, but the capability must be present. This is what enables future flexibility around per user billing, RFID access control, and grid services like demand response.

Faithful Spark only quotes WCS jobs with OCPP capable units. We never put a business in a position where their grant is at risk because of equipment choice.

The application process step by step

1. Confirm your eligibility. Check that you have off street parking, that your business is a recognised legal entity (company, charity, public body, sole trader), and that you intend to install OZEV approved chargers.
2. Apply online for a voucher. Go to gov.uk and search for “Workplace Charging Scheme application.” The form takes around 20 minutes. You will need your Companies House number (or charity registration), your business address, your contact details, and an estimate of how many sockets you plan to install.
3. Receive your voucher. OZEV typically processes applications within 5 to 10 working days. The voucher is valid for 6 months from issue.
4. Book your install. Engage an OZEV approved installer (Faithful Spark for Aberdeen, Peterhead, Ellon, Fraserburgh, and the wider Aberdeenshire area). The installer will survey your site, agree a charger spec, and produce a written itemised quote that already shows the WCS grant deducted.
5. Install completes within the voucher window. The work has to be done and the chargers commissioned before the 6 month voucher expires.
6. Installer claims the grant. Faithful Spark submits the claim to OZEV directly with the certificate of completion and supporting evidence. The grant value is netted off your invoice.
7. Pay the discounted invoice. You only ever see the net price. The grant value never touches your bank account.

Common mistakes that cost Scottish businesses their grant

We see four recurring patterns. Knowing them in advance saves time and money.

Buying the chargers before the voucher is issued

Some businesses see a great deal on a brand of charger, buy it, then go looking for an installer to fit it. The WCS specifically requires the chargers to be supplied through an OZEV approved installer as part of an end to end install. Self supplied chargers do not qualify for the grant. Always start with the voucher application or speak to an installer first.

Fitting non OCPP units to save a few hundred pounds

An older or imported charger may look cheap on paper. If it is not OCPP capable, it does not qualify under current WCS rules. A handful of suppliers still sell non OCPP units, particularly through online importers. Avoid these for any WCS funded project.

Letting the voucher window expire

Six months sounds like plenty of time, but for larger projects involving sub board work, civils, supply upgrades, or a planning application, you can run out. We always plan project timelines back from the voucher expiry so no business loses funding it has already been awarded.

Running the application before resolving landlord consent

If you lease your premises, you need landlord consent for charger installation. We have seen WCS vouchers issued and then expire because the leaseholder dispute took longer than 6 months to resolve. Always close out landlord consent before applying.

Combining the WCS with other Scottish schemes

The WCS does not stack with the Scotland Domestic EV Chargepoint Grant, because the Scotland Domestic Grant is for residential addresses only. The WCS is the workplace equivalent.

The WCS does interact with two other things worth knowing about.

Energy Saving Trust SME Loan

Scottish small and medium businesses can access an interest free SME Loan from Energy Saving Trust, which can be used to fund the up front cost of WCS installs above what the WCS itself covers. This is particularly useful for hotels and B and Bs facing a £15,000 to £30,000 install bill, where the WCS covers around 20 percent and the SME Loan funds the remaining 80 percent over a multi year repayment period.

Capital allowances and tax

The capital cost of EV chargepoints qualifies for 100 percent first year allowances under the UK super deduction successor regime. This is independent of the WCS grant. In effect, a Scottish company can claim £350 per socket from OZEV, then claim 100 percent first year allowances on the remaining capital cost, materially reducing the post tax cost of the project. Always speak to your accountant before assuming the tax treatment of your specific install.

Examples for different Scottish business types

Aberdeen office, 4 staff bays

Single phase 100A supply with adequate headroom. 4 chargepoints, 4 sockets total. Easee Charge units with smart load management. Total install cost: £6,400. WCS grant: £1,400. Net cost: £5,000. Annual saving on staff petrol versus electricity at break even billing: roughly £4,500 across all users combined.

Aberdeenshire hotel, 6 chargepoints

Three phase supply, 12 sockets across 6 twin chargers. Hypervolt Pro units. OCPP integrated to a Monta back office for guest billing at 45p per kWh. Total install cost: £18,500. WCS grant: £4,200. Net cost: £14,300. Estimated charging revenue from guests: £4,000 to £6,000 per year. Payback: 3 to 4 years on charging revenue alone, faster when factoring in the booking uplift.

Peterhead fish processing facility, fleet depot

Three phase 400A supply. 12 sockets for fleet vans, 22 kW where supply allows. Wallbox Pulsar Pro Commercial. Total install cost: £24,500. WCS grant: £4,200 (capped at 75 percent of cost per socket where applicable). Net cost: £20,300. Annual fuel saving versus diesel fleet: £18,000 to £25,000.

Aberdeenshire B and B, 2 chargepoints

Single phase supply. 2 chargepoints, 2 sockets total. myenergi Zappi units. Free guest charging marketed as a property amenity. Total install cost: £3,200. WCS grant: £700. Net cost: £2,500. Estimated booking uplift versus comparable nearby properties without EV charging: 8 to 12 percent ADR.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for the Workplace Charging Scheme if I am a sole trader working from home?

Yes, if you can evidence that the chargers will be used for legitimate business purposes (for example, recharging your own work vehicle or visiting customer vehicles). The scheme excludes purely domestic use even where the home is also your registered business address. We have helped sole trader Aberdeen consultants and tradespeople qualify under this route.

Do tenants of commercial property apply, or does the landlord apply?

Either can apply, but they need to be the party paying for the install. A leaseholder paying for the chargers in their leased premises is the typical applicant. A freeholder fitting chargers as a building amenity for their tenants applies as the landlord. Faithful Spark works with both routes regularly.

How many vouchers can a single business apply for?

One application per scheme year, up to the 40 socket cap. Multi site businesses can include several sites within a single application. For larger rollouts that need more than 40 sockets, you would split across two scheme years.

What if the install costs more than the WCS grant covers?

That is the normal pattern. The WCS is designed to defray a portion of the cost, not cover the whole thing. The remaining cost is funded by the business directly, by an Energy Saving Trust SME Loan, or by other capital sources. The vast majority of WCS funded projects in Scotland fall within £8,000 to £40,000 of remaining net spend.

Can I bill staff or guests for using the chargers?

Yes. With OCPP capable chargers connected to a back office platform like Monta, Charge Amps, Driivz, or Wallbox MyWallbox, you can bill per kWh, per session, or per minute. Most Scottish businesses charge somewhere between break even (around 12p to 18p per kWh) and a small mark up (35p to 55p per kWh).

Does the scheme apply to fleet vehicles being charged at staff homes?

No. The WCS applies to chargers installed at workplace premises. Home based fleet charging is a separate consideration and falls under different schemes or under salary sacrifice arrangements with your accountant.

How long does the install take?

From voucher in hand to chargers commissioned, most Scottish WCS installs complete within 6 to 12 weeks. Smaller 2 to 4 socket installs can be done in 2 to 4 weeks. Larger installs requiring civils or supply upgrades take longer, but should always fit within the 6 month voucher window.

Book your Workplace Charging Scheme survey

If your business is considering EV charging and you would like a free site survey and an itemised WCS funded quote, get in touch. Faithful Spark will assess your supply, parking, sector specific needs, and recommended charger brand, and return a written quote within 5 working days. We are OZEV approved and have completed WCS funded installs across Aberdeen, Peterhead, Ellon, Fraserburgh, and the wider Aberdeenshire area.

Book My WCS Funded Survey

Faithful Spark Electricians. NICEIC approved. OZEV listed. Workplace Charging Scheme installer. Serving Aberdeen, Peterhead, Ellon, Fraserburgh and across Aberdeenshire.