Rule change to ‘remove barriers’ for UK homes | Tech News

A authorities minister has offered updates on proposals to change pavement rules, making it less complicated for these with out driveways to charge their electric automobiles. Changes have already been carried out, with a grant being elevated from April 1, 2026.

It has now been confirmed that planning permission guidelines are beneath review in a bid to take away additional obstacles for these wishing to swap to an EV, however are deterred by not having a driveway from which to charge them conveniently.

A grant to cowl the set up of a home electric car charger was raised on April 1 to £500, up from £350. Speaking earlier this yr, Keir Mather, the minister for decarbonisation, acknowledged that this might cowl roughly half the associated fee of putting in one.

The elevated £500 grant is accessible to those that own or rent a flat, in addition to landlords. However, for these proudly owning homes with solely on-street parking, additional steps are actually being taken to allow ‘cross-pavement’ charging options to be put in, enabling people to safely charge their automobiles on the road exterior their home if they don’t have a driveway or non-public parking space.

Several questions on the matter have been raised in Parliament this month.

Joe Robertston, Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight, requested: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 April 2026 to Question 124238 on Electric Vehicles: Charging Points, how many applicants have successfully received funding under the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for Households with On-Street Parking; and what the total value is of funding awarded under that scheme.”

Mr Mather responded earlier this week: “As of January 1, 2026, the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for Households with On-Street Parking grant has funded 39 sockets with a grant value of £13,531. The grant funds the installation of charge points at residential properties with on-street parking if they are also installing a cross-pavement solution. This grant is in addition to the £25 million Electric Vehicle Pavement Channels Grant for local authorities.

“The Government has consulted on measures to scale back planning permission necessities for cross-pavement options, additional supporting households with on-street parking, and will likely be responding in the end.”

Additional questions were also addressed earlier this month.

Shivani Raja, Conservative MP for Leicester East, asked: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to improve the (a) accessibility and (b) affordability of at-home EV charging.”

Mr Mather responded: “The Government continues to offer grant funding for these residing in flats and rented lodging, with up to £500 per charge level socket. The Government can also be persevering with to help drivers to entry cheaper, versatile charging tariffs, each at home and in public. The Government set out a vary of steps to help this as half of its Clean Flexibility Roadmap 2025.”

Jerome Mayhew, Conservative MP for Broadland and Fakenham, asked: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to develop permitted development rights to embody pavement gullies for at-home EV charging.”

Mr Mather responded: “The Department ran a session between November 2025 and January 2026, looking for views on adjustments to permitted development rights for cross-pavement charging options. The Department will publish its response shortly.”