Home charging installation costs between £800 and £3,500 in the UK, depending on your electrical setup, the charger type, and whether your home needs upgrades to handle the power demand

The price you pay splits into two parts: the charger itself and the installation work. A standard 7kW wall-mounted charger costs £400 to £800 new. A faster 22kW charger runs £1,000 to £2,000. But the real expense is usually the installation—running cable from your consumer unit (fuse box) to the charger location, upgrading your electrics if needed, and making sure everything meets Building Regulations and safety standards.

Most of that cost goes to an electrician's labour and any work your home requires before the charger can be safely installed. If your home's electrical supply is already modern and your consumer unit has spare capacity, installation might be straightforward—£500 to £1,000 in labour. If your home needs a new consumer unit, a dedicated circuit, or an upgrade to your main supply from the network operator, costs climb fast. Some homes need £2,000 to £3,000 in electrical work alone.

Key Takeaways

  • A 7kW charger costs £400 to £800; a 22kW charger costs £1,000 to £2,000, but installation labour is usually the larger expense.
  • Your electrician must assess whether your home's consumer unit and wiring can handle the charger's power demand without upgrades.
  • If your home needs a new consumer unit or a supply upgrade from the network operator, total cost can reach £3,500 or more.
  • Some local councils and energy companies offer grants or rebates that can cover £500 to £1,500 of the installation cost.
  • Installation must be carried out by a may have access to electrician and certified to Building Regulations and BS 7909 safety standards.

What the charger itself costs

A 7kW AC (alternating current) charger is the most common choice for home use. It charges a typical electric car from empty to full in 8 to 12 hours overnight. Wall-mounted models from established brands cost £400 to £800 before installation. Tethered chargers (with a cable permanently attached) are usually cheaper than untethered ones (where you plug in your own cable).

A 22kW three-phase charger is faster—it can add 100 miles of range in 2 to 3 hours—but only works if your home has a three-phase electricity supply. Most UK homes have single-phase supply, so this option is less common. When it is available, the charger costs £1,000 to £2,000, and installation is more complex because three-phase wiring is heavier-duty.

Budget chargers from lesser-known manufacturers can be cheaper, but you lose warranty support and may face compatibility issues with your car. Stick with brands that have been on the market for several years and offer at least a five-year warranty on the unit itself.

Installation labour and electrical work

An electrician's first job is to inspect your consumer unit and the route from it to where you want the charger. If your home's wiring is modern (built in the last 15 to 20 years) and your consumer unit has a spare circuit breaker, installation is straightforward. The electrician runs cable (usually armoured cable buried in the wall or run through conduit), installs a dedicated circuit breaker in your consumer unit, and mounts the charger. This work typically takes one day and costs £500 to £1,000 in labour.

If your consumer unit is old, full, or damaged, it must be replaced before the charger can be installed safely. A new consumer unit costs £400 to £800 for the unit itself, plus £800 to £1,500 in labour to remove the old one, install the new one, and reconnect all your home's circuits. This work requires a may have access to electrician and must be certified to Building Regulations.

If your home's main electricity supply cannot handle the charger's power draw, the network operator (the company that owns the cables to your property) must upgrade your supply. This is the most expensive scenario. A supply upgrade can cost £1,500 to £3,000 or more, depending on how far the upgrade must reach and how busy the network operator is. You pay for this work, though some grants cover part of it.

Grants and rebates that reduce your cost

The UK government's Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) offers a grant of up to £350 towards the cost of installing a charger at your home. You must own or lease a vehicle that qualifies under the scheme (most new electric cars do), and your home must have off-street parking. The grant is paid directly to the installer, so your out-of-pocket cost is reduced by that amount. The scheme is administered through a network of approved installers, and you explore through them rather than directly to the government.

Some energy suppliers and local councils run their own schemes. Scottish Power, for example, has offered grants of up to £500 in certain regions. Octopus Energy and other suppliers periodically run promotions. These schemes change, so check with your energy supplier and your local council's website to see what is currently available in your area.

Grants typically cover the charger and basic installation only—they do not cover consumer unit replacement or supply upgrades. If your home needs those works, you pay the full cost unless a specific local scheme covers it.

Why installation costs vary so much between homes

The distance from your consumer unit to the charger location matters. If you want the charger on the front of your house and your consumer unit is at the back, the electrician must run cable the full length—more cable, more labour, more cost. If the route crosses a cavity wall or requires the cable to be buried underground, costs rise further.

The age and condition of your home's wiring affects price too. Homes built before 1970 often have outdated consumer units and wiring that cannot safely handle a charger without replacement. Homes built between 1970 and 2005 may have adequate wiring but an old consumer unit. Homes built after 2010 usually have modern electrics and spare capacity, so installation is cheaper.

Whether your home has single-phase or three-phase supply also matters. Three-phase homes (more common in rural areas and properties with larger gardens) can install a 22kW charger more easily, but the charger itself costs more. Single-phase homes are limited to 7kW unless they pay for a supply upgrade.

What happens during installation day

A may have access to electrician will visit to assess your home before giving a firm quote. They will check your consumer unit, test the wiring, measure the distance to the charger location, and identify any upgrades needed. This survey usually takes 30 to 60 minutes and is often free, though some electricians charge £50 to £100.

On installation day, the electrician will turn off your electricity supply to the relevant circuits (or the whole house if the consumer unit needs work), run the cable, install the circuit breaker, mount the charger, and test everything. The work takes 4 to 8 hours depending on complexity. Once finished, the charger must be certified to BS 7909 (the UK safety standard for EV chargers) and the installation must be signed off to Building Regulations. Your electrician handles this paperwork.

After installation, you will receive a certificate of compliance. Keep this document—you may need it for insurance purposes or if you sell your home.

Comparing installation costs to public charging

Home charging is almost always cheaper per mile than public rapid chargers. A public rapid charger costs 30p to 50p per kWh; home charging costs 15p to 25p per kWh depending on your electricity tariff. Over a year of regular driving, home charging saves hundreds of pounds. The upfront installation cost is recovered through lower charging costs within 3 to 5 years for most drivers.

If you do not own your home or cannot install a charger, you are not locked out of EV ownership—public charging networks are expanding, and many workplaces now offer charging. But home charging is more convenient and cheaper, so it is worth exploring whether installation is possible before you rule it out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install a charger myself to save money?

No. EV charger installation must be carried out by a may have access to electrician and certified to Building Regulations and BS 7909 safety standards. Attempting it yourself is dangerous and will void your car's warranty. Your home insurance may also refuse to cover damage caused by an uncertified installation.

What if my consumer unit is full and I cannot afford to replace it?

Some electricians can install a sub-board (a smaller circuit box) next to your existing consumer unit instead of replacing the whole unit. This is cheaper—usually £300 to £600 in labour—but still requires a may have access to electrician and Building Regulations certification. Ask your electrician whether this option is safe for your home's wiring.

How long does installation take from booking to charging?

A straightforward installation (no consumer unit work, no supply upgrade) takes 1 to 2 weeks from survey to completion. If your consumer unit needs replacement, add 1 to 2 weeks. If a supply upgrade is needed, add 4 to 12 weeks because the network operator controls the timeline. Book your electrician early if you are planning to buy an electric car.

Will my electricity bill go up a lot if I charge at home?

Charging a typical electric car uses about 15 to 20 kWh per day if you charge fully every night. At current UK rates (15p to 25p per kWh), that is £2.25 to £5 per day. Many suppliers offer cheaper off-peak rates (10p to 15p per kWh) if you charge between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., which cuts the cost further. Your bill will rise, but home charging is still cheaper than petrol or diesel.

Do I need planning permission to install a charger?

No. Installing a wall-mounted charger on your own home does not require planning permission in most cases. If you live in a listed building or a conservation area, check with your local council first. Apartment dwellers and those in shared buildings may need landlord or management company consent, but not formal planning permission.