On-Street Parking Grant 2026: £500 + cross-pavement gully
Don't have a driveway? You're still eligible for the 2026 OZEV £500 EV charger grant via the On-Street Parking scheme — provided you install a council-approved cross-pavement gully to run your charging cable safely across the public footway.
Important: the £500 grant covers only the charger install, not the gully (£600-£1,200) or council application fee (£150-£250). Total project: typically £900-£1,800 after grant.
On-street eligibility check
Full postcode (e.g. M1 1AA) or just the first part (e.g. M1) is fine.
Who qualifies for the On-Street scheme
The scheme is uniquely broad — it's one of the only OZEV schemes that owner-occupier homeowners can still claim:
- Owner-occupiers without a driveway — Victorian terrace owners, urban townhouses, etc.
- Renters without driveway — same as Renters scheme but routed via the gully
- Properties must be in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland
You also need to install a council-approved cross-pavement gully — without this, you can't legally charge from your own supply across a public footway. The OZEV grant explicitly requires this.
What the £500 covers (and what it doesn't)
✓ Grant covers
- • EV charger unit cost
- • Charger installation labour
- • Cross-pavement gully install (per gov.uk wording: "purchase and installation of the chargepoint AND the cross-pavement solution")
✗ Grant does NOT cover
- • Council Highways Licence / Section 50 fee (varies widely — £50-£800 by council)
- • Planning permission or conservation-area consent fees
- • Pavement reinstatement (typically included in council fee)
Realistic total project cost: charger + install (£800-£1,500) + gully (£600-£1,200, partially covered by grant) + council Section 50 fee (£50-£800, varies by council). After £500 grant: typically £900-£2,200 net cost depending on council fees. Still cheaper than 3-4 years of public charging premiums for a typical UK driver.
The five steps
- 1
Confirm parking proximity to your house
You don't need a guaranteed parking space, but you must typically be able to park within reach of your house (cable length 5-7m from front wall). Check by walking outside — can you usually find a space outside your house or directly adjacent?
- 2
Choose a cross-pavement gully provider
Three UK providers: Kerbo Charge (~£700-£1,000, ~80% council approval), Gul-e (~£600-£900, strong South East), Charge Gully (~£800-£1,100, emerging). Check your specific council's approved-provider list first.
- 3
Apply for council Highways Licence
Submit Section 50 application or equivalent. Council fee typically £150-£250. Approval time 4-12 weeks. Council assesses pavement width (need ~1.8m), pedestrian flow, underground utilities, conservation status.
- 4
Install gully + EV charger
Gully install first (typically 1 day). Then OZEV-authorised installer fits the EV charger and applies for the £500 grant on your behalf. Combined project: 4-8 weeks approval to completion.
- 5
Grant deduction by installer
The £500 OZEV grant covers only the EV charger install — NOT the gully cost. Installer deducts £500 from charger invoice. Your total project cost (gully + charger after grant): typically £900-£1,800.
UK gully providers — what to know
Three providers dominate the UK market in 2026. Council approval lists vary — always check yours first.
Kerbo Charge
£700-£1,000
Most councils approve. Established 2022.
Gul-e
£600-£900
Strong in South East. Lightweight.
Charge Gully
£800-£1,100
Heavier-duty design. Newer entrant.
What if your council refuses?
First option: appeal. Most councils have an appeal process for refused Highways Licences. Common reasons that overturn:
- Pavement is actually wider than the council's desk-survey indicated
- Adjacent properties have similar approved gullies
- Underground utility concerns can be mitigated by a deeper or routed channel
Second option: public lamppost charging via Char.gy, Liberty Charge or your local council ORCS rollout. Different scheme (you don't claim the OZEV grant), but solves the no-driveway problem.
Third option: move EV decision to coincide with a property upgrade — driveway addition (if planning permits) makes you eligible for nothing because owner-occupiers with driveways don't get the grant. The On-Street scheme is actually the cheaper route long-term.
Frequently asked questions
Do I qualify if I own my house but have no driveway?
Yes. The 2026 OZEV On-Street Parking scheme is one of the two paths owner-occupiers can use to claim £500 (the other being if you own a leasehold flat). It requires a cross-pavement gully solution — you can't just drape a cable across the pavement.
Can renters use the On-Street scheme too?
Yes. The scheme covers households (owner-occupiers and renters) without off-street parking. Renters need: (1) landlord permission for any wall-mounted charger fixings, (2) council Highways Licence for the gully on the public footway.
What's a cross-pavement gully exactly?
A recessed channel cut into the pavement, with a flush cover. Your EV charging cable runs inside the channel between your property and your parking space. It eliminates trip hazards and is the only legal way to charge across a public footway in most UK councils.
How much does the gully add to my cost?
Typical gully install runs £600-£1,200. Per gov.uk's actual wording, the OZEV grant covers BOTH the chargepoint AND the cross-pavement solution — so a portion of the gully cost is grant-eligible. What the grant does NOT cover: council Section 50 / Highways Licence fees (which vary widely from £50 to £800 depending on council), planning permission for conservation areas, and any pavement reinstatement charged separately. Always confirm with your installer which line items are claimable before signing the quote.
Will my council approve a cross-pavement gully?
Approval rates run roughly 70-80% across active UK councils on first application. Common refusal reasons: pavement too narrow (<1.8m), conservation area restrictions, existing underground utilities, or adjacent road safety concerns. Pre-application advice is usually free.
Can I just run a cable across the pavement temporarily?
No. Running a charging cable across a public pavement is generally illegal under Highway Acts because it creates a trip hazard. Some councils prosecute. The gully solution exists specifically to legalise on-street charging from your own electricity supply.
Does the grant also cover council application fees?
No. The OZEV £500 grant covers only the EV charger unit and install. Council Highways Licence fees (£150-£250) and gully install cost (£600-£1,200) are entirely separate and not grant-eligible.
What if there's no space outside my house to park?
If you can't reliably park within reach of your house, this scheme may not work for you. Alternative: see if your council has lamppost charging (Char.gy, Liberty Charge), or check if your road is part of an ORCS (On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme) infrastructure rollout.
Lamppost charging — does that count as on-street?
Different scheme. Lamppost charging (Char.gy, etc.) is public infrastructure installed by councils via ORCS funding. You don't apply for the OZEV grant for these — you just use them like any public charger. The OZEV On-Street Parking scheme is for chargers connected to your OWN electricity supply via a gully.