How much does it cost to install an EV charger at home?

What does a home EV charger cost to install?

Most home chargers in the UK are 7kW units on a normal single-phase supply. That is roughly 7 miles of range for every 20 minutes plugged in, on the Energy Saving Trust's rule of thumb.

Our solar, battery and EV charger page sets out what each package covers.

What pushes the price up?

• Cable run. A charger on the wall beside the consumer unit is the simplest job. A long run to a detached garage or the far side of a driveway needs heavier cable, fixings, and sometimes digging and making good.
• Consumer unit. A charger needs its own protected circuit. If your consumer unit has no spare way, or is old, it may need upgrading first.
• Earthing. Many UK homes have a PME (protective multiple earthing) supply. Because an outdoor car is a conductive object people touch, BS 7671 regulation 722.411.4.1 sets extra protection against a broken supply neutral. The IET describes two main answers: a separate earth rod for the charger, or a device that detects the fault and disconnects. Which one suits your home is decided at survey.
• Load balancing. A 7kW charger draws about 32 amps. If your main fuse is small, or you also run a heat pump, electric shower or oven, the charger may need a sensor that slows charging when the house is busy.
• Network operator approval. If the charger takes your home's maximum demand above 60 amps per phase, the installer must apply before fitting it (see below), and a supply upgrade adds time and possibly cost.

Is there still a grant for a home charger?

Yes, but only for some households. The electric vehicle chargepoint grant for renters and flat owners, run by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), pays 75% of the cost of buying and installing a charger socket, up to a maximum of £500. Landlords apply through a separate route.

The order matters. Your installer gives you a dated quote, you gather written permission from your landlord, freeholder or managing agent, and you apply online. The charger must not be installed before OZEV confirms you are eligible. The installer then claims the grant and it is paid to them, so it comes off your bill.

What must a home charger legally be able to do?

Under the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021, charge points sold for home or workplace use in Great Britain since 30 June 2022 must be smart. The main requirements are:

• the ability to send and receive information and respond to signals to change when and how fast the car charges
• keeping smart functions if you switch electricity supplier, and still charging if the internet connection drops
• pre-set off-peak default charging hours, which you can accept, remove or change on first use and later
• a randomised delay function, so thousands of chargers do not all start at once
• a way to measure electricity use and charging time that you can see, and cyber security in line with the ETSI EN 303 645 standard (since 30 December 2022)

Does your electricity network operator need to know?

Yes, every time. The standard form produced by the Energy Networks Association for EV chargers and heat pumps sets out two routes:

• Connect and notify: if your home's maximum demand, including the new charger, stays at or below 60 amps per phase, the installer can fit it and notify the network operator within 28 days.
• Apply first: above 60 amps (and up to 100 amps) the installer applies before installing, and the network operator should confirm within 10 working days whether it can be connected.

What about new-build homes?

In England, Part S of the Building Regulations has applied since 15 June 2022. A new residential building with associated parking must give its parking spaces access to a charge point, and Approved Document S says those charge points should have a minimum nominal rated output of 7kW. There is a cost cap: if the grid connection for each charge point would cost more than £3,600, cable routes can be installed instead. Part S also applies to buildings becoming homes through a material change of use and to major renovations. Because a charger is required by law in these cases, the OZEV grant is not available for them.

What VAT do you pay on a charger and on charging?

The zero rate of VAT on energy-saving materials, in HMRC's VAT Notice 708/6, runs until 31 March 2027 and covers items such as solar panels, heat pumps, insulation and batteries. EV chargers are not on that list, so the zero rate does not apply. Unless another relief applies, installing a home charger is charged at the standard VAT rate of 20%.

How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?

Here is an illustration with the assumptions stated, so you can swap in your own mileage and tariff:

• Mileage: 7,000 miles a year, an illustrative figure. Use your own.
• Efficiency: 3 miles per kWh, which is what the Energy Saving Trust's rule of thumb implies (7kW for 20 minutes is about 2.33 kWh for 7 miles). Your car's real figure may be higher or lower, and some energy is lost while charging.
• Standard rate: 26.32p per kWh, the Ofgem price cap for Direct Debit customers, 1 October to 31 December 2026, with no VAT.
• Overnight rate: 16p per kWh, the Economy 7 style off-peak rate the Energy Saving Trust modelled in July 2026. It is an illustration, not a real offer. Tariffs designed for EV charging may be lower, so compare what is available to you.

At 7kW, 2,333 kWh is about 333 hours of charging a year, or around 6 and a half hours a week, which fits comfortably into overnight off-peak windows. The smart functions the law requires are what let the charger work to those windows automatically. Pairing charging with solar panels or a battery can shift more of it onto your own electricity; our guide to whether a battery is worth it explains the trade-offs, and what a home battery costs covers prices. For a fixed quote, get in touch.

Common questions