URL: https://democracy.dacorum.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=2686

Decision Maker: Portfolio Holder for Corporate & Commercial Services

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Purpose: This report covers new business rate relief that the Government has announced to run for 10 years from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2036. The Electric Vehicle Charging Point (EVCP) Relief Scheme will operate from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2036. At the Budget on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor announced that eligible, dedicated electric vehicle charging points will receive 100% relief on their business rates bills until 2036. If eligible, EVCP relief will be backdated to 1 April 2023. As the scheme is designed for a limited period only, the Government is not making changes to legislation, but instead providing detailed guidance, and asking local authorities to use powers under s47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to set up the schemes. Government will then fully repay the cost of relief awarded in line with their guidance. At present, there are none of this type of hereditament on the Rating List, but the Valuation Office has been working with providers and expects to start adding them to the list from September. Where an EVCP is added to the Rating List from a date earlier than 1 April 2026, the scheme permits EVCP relief to be awarded from the start of the business rates liability.

Content: This report covers new business rate relief that the Government has announced to run for 10 years from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2036. The Electric Vehicle Charging Point (EVCP) Relief Scheme will operate from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2036. At the Budget on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor announced that eligible, dedicated electric vehicle charging points will receive 100% relief on their business rates bills until 2036. If eligible, EVCP relief will be backdated to 1 April 2023. As the scheme is designed for a limited period only, the Government is not making changes to legislation, but instead providing detailed guidance, and asking local authorities to use powers under s47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to set up the schemes. Government will then fully repay the cost of relief awarded in line with their guidance. At present, there are none of this type of hereditament on the Rating List, but the Valuation Office has been working with providers and expects to start adding them to the list from September. Where an EVCP is added to the Rating List from a date earlier than 1 April 2026, the scheme permits EVCP relief to be awarded from the start of the business rates liability. This report covers new business rate relief that the Government has announced to run for 10 years from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2036. The Electric Vehicle Charging Point (EVCP) Relief Scheme will operate from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2036. At the Budget on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor announced that eligible, dedicated electric vehicle charging points will receive 100% relief on their business rates bills until 2036. If eligible, EVCP relief will be backdated to 1 April 2023. As the scheme is designed for a limited period only, the Government is not making changes to legislation, but instead providing detailed guidance, and asking local authorities to use powers under s47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to set up the schemes. Government will then fully repay the cost of relief awarded in line with their guidance. At present, there are none of this type of hereditament on the Rating List, but the Valuation Office has been working with providers and expects to start adding them to the list from September. Where an EVCP is added to the Rating List from a date earlier than 1 April 2026, the scheme permits EVCP relief to be awarded from the start of the business rates liability. Decision made and reasons:   This decision adopts the following discretionary business rate relief scheme. Electric Vehicle Charging Point Relief Scheme (EVCP Relief) This is a scheme to cover the period 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2036, for occupied, eligible EVCP properties. Also, if an eligible hereditament is added to the Rating List with a start date from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026, then EVCP relief can be backdated to begin from the Rating List start date. The total amount of government-funded relief available for each property is 100% of the chargeable amount. Hereditaments will be eligible for the relief where they are: operational, energised, accessible and open to customers. The sites must also be specially classified by the Valuation Office as an EVCP under Special Category code 718.   Relief will not be available where charging bays form part of a larger hereditament and do not have a separate rateable value assessed by the Valuation Office. There is no cap on the value of this relief under the subsidy control principles. There are currently no eligible EVCP hereditaments on the Rating List, but the Valuation Office has said it expects to start adding details of sites to the List from September 2026. This means it is not currently possible to estimate the benefit this relief will bring to the local area, but the Government has estimated that it will be worth around £500 million nationally during the lifetime of the scheme. The detailed guidance for this scheme can be found atBusiness rates: Electric Vehicle Charging Points Relief – local authority guidance - GOV.UK, and the Council will make decisions based on the eligibility criteria within that document. Authority to make decisions of this type has been delegated to the Portfolio Holder (Corporate and Commercial) by cabinet decision CA/78/17.     The only alternative option is not to introduce the scheme. This has been rejected because of the risks to local businesses, and the risk of reputational damage to the Council.  

Date of Decision: September 7, 2026