Install a home charger for your electric car.
Install a home charger for your electric car.
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Fast, convenient charging at home
Why a wallbox
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7.4 kW: about 3 times faster than a 3-pin plug.
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Off-peak scheduling built in, app control. Reimbursement with Voltaback.
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Ideal if you drive a lot or charge several vehicles.
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Installing a charger in a block of flats
Installing a charger in a block of flats
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Want to install a home charger (wallbox) at your house or in a block of flats? Here is what matters: which power to choose, what it costs, the installation rules, the grants available in 2026, and how to get reimbursed if it is a company car.
Which power to choose: 7.4, 11 or 22 kW?
A 7.4 kW single-phase wallbox is the UK standard and enough for the vast majority of households: it charges most vehicles overnight. 11 or 22 kW needs a three-phase supply, which is rare in British homes and costly to add; your car also often limits the power it accepts on AC (many top out at 7 or 11 kW).
How much does an installed charger cost?
Budget around £800 to £1,500 installed, depending on the charger, the cable run and any upgrade needed to your supply (indicative prices).
Item | Indicative price |
|---|---|
7.4 kW smart wallbox (single-phase) | £400 to £800 |
11 or 22 kW wallbox (three-phase supply) | £600 to £1,200 |
Installation by an OZEV-approved installer | £300 to £700 |
Total installed (7.4 kW) | £800 to £1,500 |
Installation: smart charging rules, BS 7671 and the DNO
Have your wallbox fitted by a qualified installer, ideally OZEV-approved: it is the condition for the warranty, for BS 7671 compliance and for grants. The installer runs a dedicated circuit with a suitable RCD and open-PEN protection, notifies the DNO, and issues an Electrical Installation Certificate. Under the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021, any home wallbox sold in Great Britain must be smart: off-peak charging by default, a randomised start delay and secure connectivity.
Smart charger: scheduling, load management, off-peak tariffs
Every new UK wallbox can be controlled from an app: off-peak scheduling, consumption tracking, and with some EV tariffs the supplier itself steers charging to the cheapest hours. Load management adapts charging power to your home's consumption to avoid overloading the main fuse, often without having to upgrade your supply.
Wallbox or socket: which to choose?
It all depends on how you use it:
3-pin plug or 16 A socket | Wallbox | |
|---|---|---|
Power | 2.3 to 3.7 kW | 7.4 kW |
Range added per hour | 7 to 15 miles | 25 to 30 miles |
Installation | Registered electrician | OZEV-approved installer recommended |
Installed price | £0 to £600 | £800 to £1,500 |
Ideal for | Low daily mileage | High-mileage drivers, fleets, blocks of flats |
Not sure which to choose? Take the test to find the right solution for you. And if you drive little, charging from a socket is often enough and much cheaper.
Installing a charger in a block of flats
In England and Wales, there is no statutory right to charge: a leaseholder must ask the freeholder or managing agent for consent, usually under the lease, and a renter needs the landlord's written permission. Raise it early and ask for a survey of the car park's electrical capacity, as the supply often limits how many chargers can be added.
Two approaches: an individual installation (your charger on your own supply) or a shared infrastructure with load management for the whole car park, run by a chargepoint operator. Operators handle the survey, the DNO application and operation, and residential car parks can attract a dedicated government grant.
What grants are available in 2026?
- EV chargepoint grant: for flat owners and renters, towards a smart chargepoint fitted by an OZEV-approved installer. Check the current amount on gov.uk.
- Landlords and residential car parks: separate grants cover chargepoints and infrastructure for landlords and blocks of flats.
- Where to check: the current amounts and conditions are on gov.uk.
- Homeowners with a driveway: no national grant for a house; some councils run local schemes, and the standard 20 % VAT rate applies to the charger and its installation.
Pay less: charge on your real off-peak hours
The old Economy 7 night window is no longer the only option. With a smart meter (72 % of British homes have one), EV tariffs such as Octopus Go or Intelligent Octopus offer around 7p/kWh off-peak, against 26.32p/kWh under the Ofgem price cap (October to December 2026), and dynamic tariffs such as Agile change price every half hour. Schedule charging from the wallbox app, or let your supplier do it, on your real cheapest hours. Well managed, home charging costs several times less than a rapid public charger at around 79p/kWh (Zapmap).
How do you get reimbursed for charging a company car?
If you charge a company car at home, the electricity comes out of your pocket. Your employer can reimburse all of it, private miles included, with no tax or NIC: either at real cost on your own tariff (Octopus Go, Intelligent Octopus, Agile, Economy 7…), or at the HMRC Advisory Electricity Rate of 7p per business mile charged at home. That is what Voltaback does: 100 % software, no hardware to install, a record per vehicle and automatic reimbursement accurate to the penny. See how it works for drivers or across a company fleet.
FAQ
Your questions about home chargers
A 7.4 kW single-phase wallbox is enough for most households and charges most vehicles overnight. 11 or 22 kW is only worthwhile if your home already has a three-phase supply and you drive a lot or charge several vehicles.
Rarely. On AC, most vehicles only accept 7 to 11 kW. A 22 kW charger only speeds up charging if your car AND a three-phase supply allow it. Check your model's AC charging power before oversizing.
Yes. 11 and 22 kW require a three-phase supply, which most UK homes do not have and which the DNO must approve. On single-phase, the charger is limited to 7.4 kW, plenty for daily use.
It is required to claim a government grant and strongly recommended in every case: the installer guarantees a BS 7671-compliant installation, notifies the DNO and issues the certificates needed for the warranty.
Budget around £800 to £1,500 installed for a 7.4 kW smart wallbox, depending on the charger, the cable run and the condition of your supply.
On a 7.4 kW wallbox, around 6 to 8 hours for an average battery (50 kWh), i.e. one night. At 11 kW, it is almost twice as fast if your car and supply allow it.
Yes, with the freeholder's or managing agent's consent (and the landlord's if you rent). The EV chargepoint grant for flat owners and renters, and grants for residential car parks, can cover part of the cost: check gov.uk.
Often, yes. Load management temporarily reduces charging power when your home is drawing a lot, which protects the main fuse and, in many cases, avoids a supply upgrade from the DNO.
Yes, a wallbox can be removed and reinstalled. Have an electrician remove and refit it safely, and the new installation notified.
The EV chargepoint grant for flat owners and renters, grants for landlords and residential car parks, and the Workplace Charging Scheme for businesses. There is no national grant for a house with a driveway. Check current amounts on gov.uk before signing a quote.