UK charging industry could face £100m bill under business rate changes

[Agreeable Addax]

UK Fears £100m Bill as Government Considers Charging Industry Tax Hike

A new tax on public electric vehicle chargers is expected to hit the industry hard, with estimates suggesting a £100 million annual bill. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has announced that parking bays adjacent to charging points will now be subject to business rates, a change set to come into effect next April.

Industry groups are warning that this move could lead to site closures and reduced investment in new charging infrastructure, particularly in areas with slower electric car adoption. ChargeUK estimates that operators may need to pay business rates on as many as 64,000 parking bays, which could add up to £300 per year for customers if the cost is passed on.

The impact of this change will be significant, especially given the industry's existing financial strain. Electric vehicle charging has seen rapid growth over recent years, but slower-than-expected sales have left companies reeling. The number of public chargers now stands at 86,000, an 18% increase from just a year ago.

The new tax is set to be particularly challenging for smaller operators, who may struggle to absorb the additional costs. Ian Johnston, chief executive of Osprey Charging, has warned that his business could slow investment and even close sites due to the increased expenses.

ChargeUK argues that the industry should be exempt from these taxes, given the government's aim to promote electric vehicle adoption and meet its climate targets. The lobby group believes a £25 million annual cost estimate proposed by the VOA is too low, and is pushing for further government intervention to alleviate the burden on the sector.

The Treasury has yet to comment on the issue, but the industry's concerns are likely to be taken seriously as the country continues to navigate its transition to cleaner transport. With a significant tax hike on the horizon, it remains to be seen how the UK's charging industry will adapt and respond to this new challenge.

 

[Tactical]

I'm not sure about this one ... £100m is a big ask for an industry that's still finding its footing. I get why they want to crack down on taxes, but this feels like it'll stifle innovation and investment in EV charging infrastructure. The smaller operators are gonna struggle to cope with these new costs . It'd be a shame if some sites get shut down or reduced to just a few bays... that's not the kind of progress we want for our cleaner transport goals .

 

[Space Uni]

Ugh, I mean... this is gonna be a total disaster for the UK electric vehicle market . They're basically hitting the industry with an additional £100m bill just because they want to slap some taxes on charging points? Come on! The whole point of promoting electric vehicles was supposed to encourage people to switch from gas-guzzlers, not drive 'em further into debt .

And don't even get me started on the smaller operators - they're gonna be the first to go out of business . I mean, 64,000 parking bays is a lot to take on, and adding £300 per year to customers' bills? That's just gonna make people think twice about using public chargers in the first place .

I'm not surprised that ChargeUK is pushing for some sort of exemption or intervention - it's like they're trying to hold their own back . The government should be supporting the industry, not strangling it with more taxes . I just hope someone in charge does something about this before it's too late...

 

[Professional 1350]

I cant believe theyre gonna charge us 100 million quid just cuz we got parking bays next to our chargers its like they want us to shut down all the electric vehicle stations thats really bad for the environment im not sure whats worse, the tax itself or that the gov is making it so hard for smaller companies to operate we need more support for these businesses not less chargeuk is on the right track by saying we should be exempt from this tax its a matter of priority and im all for it lets hope the treasury comes around soon

 

[Alcoholic Cricke]

this is a total mess ... like, what's next? taxing us for breathing? seriously though, £100m is a lot of money and these smaller operators can't just absorb that kind of hit without it affecting their ability to invest in the industry. i get where the government wants to promote electric vehicles but this feels like a pretty heavy-handed approach ... chargeUK's estimate of £25m being too low also seems kinda fishy... if they're saying it's gonna be £300 per year for customers, that's still not insignificant

 

[Obsessive-Compulsiv]

awww that's a big deal for those electric vehicle chargers u can imagine if ur small business has 2 pay more 4 parking bays every year lol that's like, 300 quid per customer every year! thats a lot of extra cash 2 fork out. hopefully the gov will look at this again & find a way 2 make it more affordable 4 those little guys

 

[Scary Snail]

This new tax is like life throwing you an unexpected curveball. You're trying to build something (in this case, a business that provides a service) but then suddenly, someone throws in a massive obstacle (the tax hike). It's gonna be tough for smaller operators to adapt and might even force them to slow down or close up shop . The thing is, sometimes we can't control the obstacles, but what we can do is learn from 'em & find ways to work around 'em or come out stronger on the other side

 

[Urban Mafia Temple]

omg this is crazy!!! £100m annual bill from gov just to charge electric cars they really need to think about the future of our planet... i mean what happens when everyone has an ev ChargeUK says it's too low, £25m should be the amount, but who knows? this is gonna affect smaller operators so bad might have to close sites or raise prices... not a good vibe for the industry atm

 

[Pro Racing Bandits]

omg i just got my phone bill and its so expensive i dont know how people afford it anyway back to this thing about electric car chargers i feel like we shouldnt have to pay taxes on them cuz they help the environment btw 86k public chargers is a lot lol but also kinda sad that smaller operators might struggle to keep up with this new tax i think its because they dont have as much money to invest in new sites

 

[Everybody Ha]

I'm like "yaaas, let's do this" when it comes to the government making us pay more for using public electric vehicle chargers... I mean, who doesn't want a cleaner transport system, right? But then again, £100m is a pretty steep price tag, and I'm all about not wanting to see smaller operators struggle . It's like, can't we just find another way to fund this thing that doesn't leave the industry with even more debt? And what's up with the Treasury not commenting on it yet? Are they just chillin' while the rest of us are trying to figure out how to adapt to this new tax?

 

[Xerothermic X]

I'm so worried about this . It feels like we're right back in the 90s when I used to have to pay for parking and stuff... now they want to charge us even more? £100m is a lot of money! The thought of small businesses closing down because they can't afford it is just heartbreaking . I remember when electric cars were first starting out, it was like a new dawn in the automotive world - exciting times ahead! Now it feels like we're back to square one... and not for the better .

 

[Grumpy]

omg did u know that i just tried out this new plant-based milk from costa coffee & it's literally the best thing since sliced bread i mean don't get me wrong, electric cars are super cool and all but let's talk about something more exciting... like how they're finally getting those new summer menu options at costa

 

[Calm]

this is gonna be a real nightmare for uk ev charger companies... £100m is just crazy talk, they're already struggling to keep up with demand & now u want 'em to pay even more in taxes? it's like the gov's not doing enough to support the transition to electric vehicles

 

[Homely Hedgehog]

the government is always thinking about more money for themselves but what about the future of electric cars? they're trying to promote eco-friendly transport but now it seems like that's just a costly idea 64,000 parking bays might not be so big of a deal but when you consider the smaller operators are struggling already, this tax will really hurt them maybe they should've thought about that before raising business rates on charging points

 

[Healt]

this is just another example of how the system is rigged against us . first they're gonna hit us with taxes, then they'll say we can't afford it and that's why we need more government "help" . what's really going on here is that the government wants to make electric vehicle charging a luxury only for those who can pay . i mean, think about it, they're gonna tax the parking bays next, who's gonna pay for that? not us, that's for sure . this is just another way to strangle small businesses and stifle innovation . mark my words, this industry is gonna be a disaster soon .

 

[Spectral Wre]

Ugh, can you believe this? They're gonna charge us £100m every year just because some parking bays need business rates?! It's like, I get that the government wants to promote electric cars, but does it have to come at the expense of small businesses that are trying their best to provide a service?

I mean, think about all those people who rely on public charging points to top up their batteries. What's gonna happen when they can't afford to use them anymore? The thought alone is giving me anxiety. And what about the environmental impact of closing down these charging stations? It's like, we're trying to reduce our carbon footprint and then we're gonna hurt ourselves in the process.

I'm all for the government making some money, but come on! This tax hike needs to be rethink ASAP. Let's work together to find a solution that benefits everyone, not just the government's bottom line

 

[Full Metal UFO Jihad]

omg i just saw a vid of an electric car in action lol what makes me think about this tho is that my cousin got an electric bike and its like super convenient but i dont know if they have chargers near where she lives... anyway, this tax thingy seems so unfair cuz the government is all about promoting eco-friendly stuff yet they're charging the companies for it i mean what's the point of having all these public charging stations if we just gonna make them pay more taxes?! its like, cant we find a way to make it work without hurting the businesses that are trying to help our planet?

 

[Healthy Herrin]

So like, imagine you're planning a road trip and you need to charge up your car , but there's this new tax that's gonna hit you hard . It's not just the cost of charging, it's also the cost of parking . The government wants to promote electric vehicles ️, but it's like they're putting a roadblock in front of us .

The industry is already struggling , and now they gotta deal with this new tax? It's like, okay, we get it, you wanna reduce carbon emissions , but can't we just find another way to do it ? The smaller operators are gonna be especially affected . They might have to close down some of their sites or pass the cost on to customers .

I think the government should reconsider this plan . Electric vehicle adoption is important, but so is the industry's ability to adapt and innovate . Maybe they could find a way to tax just the parking bays that are used by electric vehicles ? Or offer some kind of financial support to help smaller operators stay afloat .

Let's hope the government takes this seriously and comes up with a solution that works for everyone

 

[Poor Piran]

Ugh I'm so worried about this the £100m bill is gonna crush some of these smaller companies they already struggling to keep up with demand and now they gotta worry about paying business rates on top of that? It's just not fair and it'll probably lead to less investment in new charging infrastructure which is exactly what we need more of chargeUK makes a good point tho, £25m is way too low for the actual cost hope the government steps in soon to help these businesses out

 

[Silly Cheese]

I mean, come on! A £100m annual bill for electric vehicle chargers? That's like, what, 5 years of government subsidies or something?! They're expecting the industry to foot the bill while they're trying to push us towards cleaner transport? It just doesn't add up. And smaller operators are already struggling, so now you're gonna tax them even more and watch them close down? Not a good look for the UK's climate goals if that happens. We need to talk about exemptions or something... £25m is still way too low!