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United Kingdom

UK drivers without home charging face £1,000 extra annual cost, with £200 from VAT disparity

By Eve

Electric vehicle drivers reliant on public chargers pay over £1,000 more per year than those charging at home, with approximately £200 of that gap attributable to higher VAT on public charging, according to new data cited by Leasing Options. Chief operating officer Mike Thompson warned the cost disparity could deter EV adoption among the millions of UK households dependent on on-street parking. The figures emerge amid renewed calls to equalise VAT rates between home and public charging.

Why it matters

The £1,000 annual cost gap underscores the commercial challenge for charge point operators serving on-street and public locations, where higher VAT and operational costs already squeeze margins. Policymakers and CPOs face pressure to deliver pavement and kerbside solutions that close the affordability divide for drivers without private driveways.

Source

Original title
“UK driveway rule means homes 'face £200 extra cost'”
Published
5 October 2026
Updated
9 October 2026

In this story

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