Government set to change rules on cross-pavement charging
Wed 22 April 2026
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The Government says it will legislate this summer to allow people without a driveway to charge their electric vehicle using cross-pavement solutions. The promise came as part of a wide-ranging statement on energy policy in response to the Iran War. The announcement included a commitment from Government to de-link the price of renewable electricity from that of gas to enable customers to benefit from cheaper, home-produced renewables.
The announcement also committed the Government to increase EV charging provision in new buildings and those undergoing major renovations, as well as give renters and leaseholders greater access to charging by making it easier to request and install chargepoints.
Ed Miliband, the Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary (quoted in The Guardian) said "the overwhelming lesson of this crisis is we need to go faster... because every solar panel we put up, every wind turbine we build, every heat pump we install, every EV on the road makes our country more secure.”
The Government pledged to introduce permitted development rights to expand EV charging provision, which will allow for cross-pavement charging solutions and associated charging points. There will be a consultation on changes to building regulations and the introduction of what the Government is calling an ‘Ability to Charge’.
Government estimates suggest that around eight million households (32%) in England don't have access to off-street parking and are therefore unable to benefit from cheaper, off-peak charging which is also subject to the lower (5%) rate of VAT than public chargepoints.
Vicky Edmonds, chief executive officer of EVA England (quoted in Fleet News) said: “Plans to introduce permitted development rights for EV charging and cross-pavement solutions are a major breakthrough for the millions without driveways who currently face a two-tier system of higher costs and fewer options."
Michael Goulden, CEO at Kerbo Charge, added: “We've long called for the Government to cut through the red tape that has been holding back cross-pavement charging, and today's commitment to introduce permitted development rights this summer is exactly the kind of decisive action needed.
“With home charging five to 10 times cheaper than public alternatives, this opens the door to genuinely affordable EV ownership for the millions of drivers who've been locked out simply because they don't have a driveway."
In a related development, new research by Vauxhall found that 42% of of local authorities will have cross-pavement charging solutions available by the end of 2026.
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