The 7x Funding Gap
Most UK businesses can claim £350 per EV charging socket through the Workplace Charging Scheme. That covers roughly 75% of the cost of a standard charger.
Schools get £2,500 per socket.
That is not a typo. The government enhanced rate for educational establishments is more than seven times what a typical business receives. A school installing 10 chargers could receive £25,000 in grant funding. A business installing the same 10 chargers gets £3,500.
| Category | Per Socket | Max Sockets | Max Grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Business | £350 | 40 | £14,000 |
| State School / Academy | £2,500 | 40 | £100,000 |
Why Schools Get More
The enhanced rate exists for clear policy reasons. The government wants to:
- Electrify school transport fleets. School minibuses and pool cars are prime candidates for going electric, but only if there is somewhere to charge them on site.
- Support staff who drive to work. Teachers and support staff in rural and suburban areas depend on their cars. Workplace charging makes the switch to electric viable.
- Reduce air pollution at school gates. The school run is one of the largest contributors to localised air pollution. Encouraging EV adoption among school communities directly addresses this.
- Use school car parks as community charging hubs. Schools have large car parks that sit empty evenings and weekends. Chargers installed there can serve the wider community.
What Schools Can Claim
Workplace Charging Scheme — Enhanced Rate for Education
- £2,500 per charging socket (vs £350 standard rate)
- Up to 40 sockets per application
- Maximum grant: £100,000
- Covers 75% of purchase and installation costs
- Includes cabling, groundworks, and electrical upgrades
- Application deadline: March 31, 2026
At 75% coverage and £2,500 per socket, most schools will find that the grant covers the vast majority of their installation costs. For smaller installations of 5-10 chargers, the grant may cover the project entirely.
Who Is Eligible
The enhanced education rate is available to:
- State-funded schools — primary and secondary
- Academies — including free schools
- Multi-academy trusts (MATs) — can apply for multiple sites
- Further education colleges — sixth form colleges, FE colleges
- Special schools and pupil referral units
Private schools and independent institutions are not eligible for the enhanced rate, though they may still qualify for the standard £350/socket rate if they meet other WCS criteria.
The Real Numbers
The vast majority of England's 32,000+ state schools have car parks. Most have staff who drive to work. Almost all would benefit from EV chargers. Yet fewer than 3% have applied for this funding.
The reasons are predictable: schools are stretched thin, business managers are juggling dozens of priorities, and most have never heard of the Workplace Charging Scheme. The ones that have often assume the £350 standard rate applies to them, not realising they qualify for £2,500.
This means there is a significant window of opportunity for any school that acts before the March 31, 2026 deadline.
How Virevia Helps Schools
We understand that schools do not have procurement teams or time to navigate government grant applications. That is exactly why we exist.
Virevia connects schools with OZEV-approved EV charging installers who handle the full process:
- Free eligibility check — we confirm your school qualifies in under 2 minutes
- Installer matching — we connect you with approved installers who specialise in education settings
- Paperwork handled — the installer manages the OZEV application on your behalf
- No cost to the school — our service is free. Installers work with us because we bring them qualified projects
There are no fees, no obligations, and no pressure. If your school is eligible, we help you get connected. If not, we will tell you that too.
Check Your School's Eligibility
Find out in under 2 minutes if your school qualifies for up to £100,000 in EV charging grants. Free, no obligation.
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