Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 27
27
Not Addressed
Cost disparity for public charging disproportionately impacts demographic groups without off-street parking
Conclusion
The Department acknowledged that there are certain demographic groups who are less likely to have off street parking, meaning that people may pay more to drive electric vehicles due to the type of home they live in.49 For example, the Motability Foundation stated that disabled people are less likely to own their own home and have access to off–street parking with private charging, which impacts them financially.50 The Department stated that the cost disparity in charging, depending on whether one has access to off–street parking or not, is probably the single biggest challenge to the electric vehicle transition in the UK.51 However, while monitoring that cost disparity, it was not monitoring specifically how different groups of people were impacted by it. It told us that it could do so in future.52 Charge point accessibility
Government Response Summary
The government details general monitoring of the Public Charge Point Regulations and charging costs, but does not specifically commit to monitoring how cost disparity impacts different demographic groups, which was the core issue highlighted in the committee's observation.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented: April 2025 4.2 The department has appointed the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) to act as the regulator for the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 (PCPR). The department will monitor compliance through reporting from OPSS. In addition, the impact of the PCPR will be assessed through the department’s Technology Tracker, monitoring of open data from chargepoints, and engagement with industry and consumer groups. The PCPR will be reviewed within five years of coming into force, as per section 13 of the Regulations, and the department will publish the outcomes of this review. 4.3 The department already monitors the cost of charging across a range of charging channels, including domestic chargepoints, and fast, rapid and ultra-rapid public charging. This is undertaken on an ongoing basis using publicly available information on electricity tariffs and data purchased from Cornwall Insight on the cost of electric vehicle charging. 4.4 The government will continue to work with HM Treasury to understand the variance in costs associated with public and domestic charging and the extent to which any change in policy might impact the price of public charging, as well as consumer demand for EVs.