No driveway? £500 grant via on-street scheme
Updated 19 May 2026By Umut Tosmanoglu6 min read
Owner-occupiers and renters without off-street parking qualify for the 2026 OZEV On-Street Parking scheme. The grant pays £500 per socket when you install via a cross-pavement gully — a recessed cable channel approved by your council under Section 50 of the Highways Act 1980.
- Charge from your own electricity supply
- Pay off-peak tariffs (Intelligent Octopus Go etc)
- No public charger queues
- Council-approved + Highways Act compliant
Free on-street eligibility check
Full postcode (e.g. M1 1AA) or just the first part (e.g. M1) is fine.
UK gully providers compared
Three main providers offer cross-pavement gully solutions in the UK. Council approval lists vary — always check yours first.
Kerbo Charge
£700–£1,000
Most widely approved (~80% of UK councils)
Recessed channel with flush cover. Established 2022.
Gul-e
£600–£900
Strong in South East England
Lightweight solution, fast install. Conservation-area friendly.
Charge Gully
£800–£1,100
Emerging UK-wide
Heavier-duty design. Newer entrant, smaller council coverage.
Gully cost is separate from the £500 OZEV grant (which applies only to the EV charger unit + install).
5 steps to on-street charging
- 1
Check if you can park outside your house
You don't need a guaranteed space, but you need to typically park within reach of your house. Most councils require the charger cable to run via a cross-pavement gully (not draped across the pavement).
- 2
Choose a gully provider
Kerbo Charge, Gul-e, and Charge Gully are the main UK options. Costs run £600–£1,200 for the gully install (separate from the charger). Some councils approve only specific providers — check your council.
- 3
Apply for council approval
Submit a Highways Licence or Section 50 application. Fees vary widely by council — from around £50 (some London boroughs) to £700-£800 (some county councils, including pavement reinstatement). Decision time varies 4–12 weeks. Council assesses pavement width, pedestrian flow, and existing utilities.
- 4
Install gully + EV charger
Gully install first (typically 1 day). Then OZEV-authorised installer fits the charger and applies for the £500 grant. Combined project takes 4–8 weeks from approval to completion.
- 5
Claim £500 grant via installer
The installer applies for the OZEV grant on your behalf. Grant deducted from charger invoice (not the gully). Your net cost is typically £900–£1,800 for the full project (gully + charger after grant).
No-driveway charging by city
Section 50 fees, pavement width rules and approved gully providers vary by council. Pick your city for local guidance.
No-driveway FAQs
I own my house but have no driveway — do I qualify?
Yes. The On-Street Parking scheme (1 of 4 active OZEV schemes since April 2026) covers owner-occupiers without off-street parking. You must use a cross-pavement gully solution approved by your local council. Grant is £500 per socket at 75% funding.
What's a cross-pavement gully?
A cross-pavement gully (also called a 'cable channel' or 'kerb crossing') is a small recessed channel cut into the pavement. Your EV charging cable runs inside this channel so it doesn't create a trip hazard. The channel typically has a flush cover and is approved by your highways authority.
How much does the gully itself cost?
The gully install runs £600–£1,200 typically, separate from the EV charger and grant. Costs vary by pavement width, complexity, and council fees. Some councils offer reduced fees for the highways licence — check locally.
Which gully providers are available in the UK?
Three main providers as of 2026: (1) Kerbo Charge — the most council-approved option, typically £700–£1,000 installed; (2) Gul-e — strong in the South East, £600–£900; (3) Charge Gully — emerging UK-wide option. Council pre-approval lists vary — always check your specific council.
Will my council approve a cross-pavement gully?
Approval is increasingly common but not universal. Councils consider: pavement width (need at least 1.8m clearance), pedestrian flow, existing underground utilities, conservation area status, and adjacent road safety. Approval rate is roughly 70-80% on first application across active UK councils.
Can I just run a cable across the pavement instead?
No — and this is important. Running a charging cable across a public pavement creates a trip hazard and is generally illegal under Highway Acts. Some councils prosecute. The cross-pavement gully exists exactly to allow safe legal charging across a public footway.
I rent and have no driveway — does this work for me?
Yes, the On-Street Parking scheme covers renters and owner-occupiers. Renters need: (1) landlord permission, (2) council Highways Licence approval. Both are achievable. Some landlords are more open to gully solutions than driveway alterations because the asset (the charger + gully) generally stays with the property.