MP urges Government to tackle EV ‘charging divide’ and grant millions more drivers access to home charging

Helen Maguire MP tables amendment to Planning and Infrastructure Bill enabling drivers without private driveways to access reliable and affordable home charging solutions 

Helen Maguire, Liberal Democrat MP for Epsom and Ewell, intervened during the Planning and Infrastructure Bill Report Stage on Monday night, urging the Government to back her set of amendments designed to grant the estimated 40% of households in the UK without private driveways better and easier access to reliable and affordable home charging, ensuring they aren’t left behind in the UK’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs). 

During her speech, Helen argued that drivers without private driveways are unfairly penalised when it comes to charging an EV, “because bureaucratic barriers mean that they face charging costs that are 10 times more expensive compared with those who can charge their car at home”. 

Closing this so-called ‘charging divide’, she argued, is “an issue that is not only about infrastructure, but about fairness, affordability and climate action”. 

Nearly 40% of UK households – at least 8 million homes – cannot access off-street parking and are currently locked out of affordable home charging. These drivers are often forced to rely on public EV chargers which can be up to 10 times more expensive than charging at home, undermining the economic case for switching to electric. 

Tabled by Helen Maguire MP and backed by a cross-party group of MPs including Conservative MP Alberto Costa and Liberal Democrat MPs Gideon Amos, Martin Wrigley, and Caroline Voaden, the proposed amendments would: 

• Allow cross-pavement charging solutions such as covered cable gullies to be installed more easily, bringing them into line with permissions for public EV infrastructure. 

• Extend permitted development rights to approved on-street setups, eliminating costly planning applications for renters, leaseholders, and other residents without private driveways. 

• Equip local councils with the tools they need to support safe, low-cost, accessible charging options for a wider group of EV users. 

Dr Vicky Edmonds, CEO of EVA England, said: 

“We’re grateful for the strong parliamentary engagement on this vital issue which, if addressed now, will make the transition more affordable, accessible and successful, avoiding a two-tier EV charging system for UK drivers. Without these amendments, we risk leaving drivers without the luxury of a dedicated parking space facing very different and costlier options for charging their car. We hope the Government will consider taking this very sensible action during the next stage of the Bill in the House of Lords.” 

The Government did not immediately respond to the amendment during Monday night’s Report Stage debate. Following this Stage’s conclusion today, the Bill will pass over to the House of Lords for further consideration. 

The amendments were supported by a coalition of EV and clean transport advocacy groups, including New AutoMotive, the REA, and Kerbo Charge. 

Ben Nelmes, CEO of New AutoMotive, says: 

“Giving more people the ability to charge their electric car at home will help reduce emissions and achieve the government’s clean power mission, but more importantly it will help more motorists save hundreds of pounds a year in running costs when they switch to an EV, not to mention the convenience of being able to charge your car where you live.” 

Matt Adams, Head of Transport and Innovation, says: 

“This is a common sense amendment in a time where we simply must help more people get into EVs. Cost and convenience are the two key barriers to EV adoption and this amendment removes both, through cheap, convenient next to home charging. Government simply must put this through now or risk two or more years of delay at a time when they are setting increasing sales targets for EVs in the UK.” 

With a new public chargepoint installed every 29 minutes and binding EV targets on the horizon, these reforms are a practical step toward fairer, more affordable electrification for all.

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Notes to editors: 

• The amendments [amendments NC93, 122–127] were tabled by Helen Maguire MP (Liberal Democrat, Epsom and Ewell) between Monday 2^nd and Wednesday 4th June and considered during the Planning and Infrastructure Bill Report Stage on Monday 9 June. 

• These amendments would streamline access to cross-pavement charging for renters and leaseholders, enabling access to lower-cost home charging for more drivers. This would in turn reduce pressure off the public charging network, make charging more equitable, and give more petrol and diesel drivers – living in flats or tenancies, for instance – the confidence to switch. 

• The transcript for Helen Maguire’s intervention is the House of Commons is available here. 

• The Planning and Infrastructure Bill Report Stage ended yesterday, 10 June, after which it will balance over to the House of Lords for consideration.