Andy Burnham’s new driveway rule hits UK drivers with ‘£2,060 penalty’

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Andy Burnham’s new driveway rule hits UK drivers with ‘£2,060 penalty’ Andy Burnham's new driveway rule update this October is great news for some EV owners, but others will be confused why they are paying a lot more. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By Luke Chillingsworth , Cars Reporter 08:00, Sun, Oct 25, 2026 Andy Burnham's new rule change has widened the 'driveway divide' (Image: Getty) Andy Burnham’s new driveway rule changes introduced this October are hitting some UK motorists with a staggering £2,060 penalty, according to new analysis.

The Prime Minister slashed VAT rates on domestic electricity on October 1, with rates cut from 5% to 0% . Although aimed at cutting electricity bills, the new update will have a knock-on effect for anyone charging their electric car at home. Those topping up on their driveway are likely paying just 7p per kWh due to the lower VAT rates, around 2p per mile . However, the same can’t be said for the millions of road users without access to off-street parking.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Many of these are still relying on public charging bays to top-up tier cars despite VAT at 20% and rates closer to 50p per kWh. There had been pressure from the car industry to bring public charging rates into line with domestic rates, but what Mr Burnham did was actually extend the so-called "driveway divide”. New analysis from costpermile.co.uk found that a homeowner topping-up at home using a smart charging tariff would pay around £200 per year in electricity fees.

Meanwhile, those relying on rapid chargers in the community would be splashing out over £2,200 per annum. Get the latest politics news - straight from our team in Westminster and more I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you.

This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . Experts at costpermile.co.uk said: “A homeowner with a driveway charging their EV overnight spends just £200 annually in electricity. A terraced-home dweller who drives the exact same 10,000 miles but relies on public rapid chargers spends £2,260 annually — paying an extra £2,060 every year simply because they park on the road.”

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Andy Burnham introduces new 2p per mile driveway rule – starts in October Andy Burnham needs to overrule this silly, hated EU rule - scrap it now Driveway VAT fees changed from October 1 (Image: Getty) Hippo Leasing has also warned that Mr Burnham’s decision to cut domestic VAT instead of tackling the 20% VAT fees could cost some drivers hundreds of pounds. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Tom Preston, Chief Executive Officer at Hippo Leasing previously warned that the current 20% VAT rate on public EV charging costs effectively “penalises motorists who don't have a driveway”.

Tom added: “Equalising public charging VAT with the 5% domestic rate could save high-mileage EV drivers around £389 a year, making electric leasing far more accessible for urban households.” However, the Government has stressed that the VAT tax cut will help households with their energy bills, taking around £45 off the yearly Ofgem price cap. Andy Burnham Driveway Electric cars Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments

Read the original article on express.co.uk

What we found (2)

The Express calls a VAT cut on household electricity a "driveway rule" and claims it hits drivers with a "£2,060 penalty". Its own source says the £2,060 is the gap between home and public charging costs, a gap that exists because public charging is dearer, not a charge the VAT cut created. Public charging VAT stays at 20%, so nobody is billed anything new.

Headline goes beyond the article
Serious
“new driveway rule hits UK drivers with ‘£2,060 penalty’”
Why this matters
The headline calls a VAT cut on domestic electricity a "driveway rule" and says it "hits UK drivers" with a "£2,060 penalty".
The impression it gives
A reader believes Andy Burnham brought in a rule about driveways that imposes a new £2,060 charge on drivers.
The context
The body says the change cut VAT on domestic electricity from 5% to 0%, and public charging VAT is unchanged at 20%. The £2,060 is costpermile.co.uk's estimate of the yearly gap between home and public rapid charging, which its experts put down to where people park, not to the VAT cut. No rule penalises anyone.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“rates cut from 5% to 0%”
- Elsewhere in the article“paying an extra £2,060 every year simply because they park on the road”
- Elsewhere in the article“despite VAT at 20% and rates closer to 50p per kWh”
Show it in the article
Uses figures that mislead
Serious
“hitting some UK motorists with a staggering £2,060 penalty”
Why this matters
The Express presents the whole £2,060 gap between home and public charging as a "penalty" caused by the October rule change.
The impression it gives
A reader believes the VAT cut costs drivers without driveways £2,060 a year.
The context
The source's own words give the £2,060 as the difference between £200 for home charging and £2,260 for public rapid charging, caused by where people park. The VAT cut only removed a 5% tax from the much smaller home bill. It added nothing to public charging costs.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“paying an extra £2,060 every year simply because they park on the road”
- Elsewhere in the article“spends just £200 annually in electricity”
- Elsewhere in the article“rates cut from 5% to 0%”
Show it in the article
“others will be confused why they are paying a lot more”
Why this matters
The Express says drivers without driveways are "paying a lot more" because of the update.
The impression it gives
A reader believes public charging prices rose because of the October change.
The context
The article's own facts show public charging VAT is still 20%, so those drivers pay the same as before. Only home charging got cheaper.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“still relying on public charging bays to top-up tier cars despite VAT at 20%”
Show it in the article
“just 7p per kWh due to the lower VAT rates”
Why this matters
The Express credits the 7p per kWh price to the VAT cut.
The impression it gives
A reader believes the VAT change brought home charging down to 7p per kWh.
The context
The article's own analysis puts the low home cost down to a smart charging tariff. A cut from 5% VAT to zero takes only about 5% off any home price.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“topping-up at home using a smart charging tariff”
- Elsewhere in the article“rates cut from 5% to 0%”
Show it in the article
“could cost some drivers hundreds of pounds”
Why this matters
The Express reports Hippo Leasing as warning that the decision "could cost" drivers hundreds of pounds.
The impression it gives
A reader believes the VAT cut takes hundreds of pounds from some drivers.
The context
The Hippo Leasing quote the article prints says a cut to public charging VAT "could save" high-mileage drivers about £389. That is a saving drivers did not get. It is not a cost the decision imposed.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“could save high-mileage EV drivers around £389 a year”
Show it in the article
Written straight
A home charger pays about £200 a year and a public rapid charger about £2,260, a gap of £2,060 that costpermile.co.uk says comes from parking on the road. The October VAT cut lowered home costs slightly and left public charging VAT at 20%.

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Andy Burnham’s new driveway rule hits UK drivers with ‘£2,060 penalty’

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