Tight budgets and funding delays ‘biggest block to charger roll-out’, say councils

Long waits for government funding and budget constraints are the two key barriers to public charging roll-out by councils.

Three-quarters of local authorities surveyed by charging operator Believ said that pressure on council budgets was the single biggest obstacle to expanding public EV charging.

The research, based on responses from 101 local authorities across England, Wales and Scotland, found that almost two-thirds (63%) also cited problems with government funding as holding them back.

While the UK Government has pledged £381 million to local authorities in England via the LEVI fund, it has been criticised for the slow allocation and distribution of funds. Believ is now calling for the tendering process to be simplified and sped up to help councils support EV drivers in their areas.

It also called for better advice and training for councils as they look to install more public chargers.

While the UK’s public charging network continues to grow, concerns remain about the speed and scale of council-backed charger roll-out. Believ CEO Guy Bartlett says that despite private investment, council support is still crucial, especially in smaller towns and rural communities, and in residential areas where large numbers of drivers don’t have driveways or means to privately charge.

 

He said: “The clear and urgent priorities of unlocking funding, streamlining processes, expanding and signposting guidance must be addressed.

“The responsibility for this lies in tandem with the charging industry and government – with the right partnerships, the UK can build an EV charging network that works for everyone.”

Almost half of councils (42%) cited logistical or delivery challenges as a roadblock to better charger provision while almost a third (31%) said that a lack of demand among residents was a barrier to further roll-out.

However, more positively, three-quarters of UK councils now have formal EV charging plans, up from two-thirds in the previous report from Believ. The majority have also issued or are about to issue tenders to charge point operators, and 2026 is expected to see a rapid increase in LEVI-backed charger roll-out.

According to the latest survey, only 12% of local authorities do not expect to complete their planned rollout by 2030.

Bartlett added: “This report is the only piece of research of its kind, talking to more than a quarter of local authorities, directly to the councillors responsible for the EV charging rollout. And as such, we must act on the results.“