Julian backs FairCharge’s campaign to align VAT on EV charging
February 23, 2023
This week, Julian attended a drop-in session in Parliament hosted by FairCharge to discuss the affordability and practicalities of Electric Vehicle charging points.
It is well known that the electric vehicle still has many hurdles to overcome before it can be considered the mainstream option for motorists. Charging vehicles being a principle factor. It is paramount that Britain doesn’t fall behind the rest of the western world when it comes to investment in infrastructure for the electric vehicle being rolled out on mass over the next decade.
An extensive, reliable and consumer-centric public charging network is vital to increase the confidence of drivers to switch to electric vehicles, especially for the significant proportion of households without off-street parking.
This is why Julian is calling on the Government to implement
FairCharge’s campaign to bring VAT rates for public charging points to be
brought in line with the 5% rate users of private chargers must pay. The RAC
Foundation estimate that 38% of UK households do not have access to off-street
charging, these often being lower income households living in terraced housing
and apartment blocks.
This week also saw the announcement of a £22 million
extension to the Local EV Infrastructure Fund, of which City of York Council
will receive £1,243,028. Nationally this funding will deliver 2,400 charging points
and 600 gullies as well as leverage nearly £17 million in private investment.
Julian remains keen to see the transition to Net-Zero achieved a manner that is business and consumer friendly. It is important that the private sector is placed front and centre of the development. Thus, Julian would like to see proposals from the Government that allow the private sector to develop more public charging points at a faster rate.
After the event, Julian was quoted as saying: “it was really
good to attend this event to better understand the challenges we face to
transition to Net-Zero. I remain committed to the targets set down by the
Government, but I’m mindful that we must remain flexible in the face of the war
in Ukraine and inflation and reducing VAT rates is a good way to help consumers
in the short term.
As always, I believe in a carrot rather than a stick
approach. We need to make the switch to electric as easy and seamless as
possible for the consumer rather than make it feel restrictive and a downgrade
on their current vehicle.”
