Andy Burnham hands 2p per mile charges to drivers with two October rules

Andy Burnham hands 2p per mile charges to drivers with two October rules Andy Burnham's new rules will hand 2p per mile charges to drivers. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By Alex Evans , Deputy Audience Editor 17:39, Sun, Oct 25, 2026 Updated: 17:41, Sun, Oct 25, 2026 Andy Burnham pledges more than £1.5bn in spending Two new rules put in place by Prime Minister Andy Burnham will hand 2p per mile charges to drivers both with and without driveways. And in some cases, depending on your energy deal and type of EV car, the prices could be even lower. Andy Burnham’s new VAT cut on electricity took effect from October 1 and could drive the cost of charging an electric car on your driveway down to as little as 2p per mile or in some cases, even lower, depending on your tariff and expected mileage range. In July, the new Prime Minister announced that VAT on electricity , currently set at 5%, is set to be removed from bills from October in a bid to tackle the cost of living crisis. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT And just weeks later, from October 21, the Department for Transport announced a new rule which would allow drivers without driveways to access those cheap charging rates too. Drivers will no longer need planning permission to install cross-pavement chargers which run under pavements from people’s homes to their cars, the DfT said. It said in its announcement: "This will save drivers up to £300 on installation and open up home charging for as little as 2p per mile. This is all part of the government’s bid to deliver ‘everyday fixes’ that help people with the cost of living." Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT HMRC confirms tax-free Personal Allowance boost to £13,830 for 'backdating' HMRC stopping £2,000 payments for households in September Andy Burnham's VAT plan could help EV drivers at home (Image: Getty) The DfT added: "Cross-pavement charging means residents without off-street parking can plug into cheaper domestic electricity prices, helping them access savings of up to £1,750 on running costs. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT "By slashing unnecessary red tape for these home chargers, the government is speeding up installations, putting money back in drivers’ pockets and revving up the transition to electric." It means that drivers both with and without driveways can access these 2p per mile charges on average thanks to the rule changes. Andy Burnham announced that the VAT cut will automatically apply to tariffs which are already fixed, not just for households on the standard price cap or those taking new deals. VAT on domestic electricity will be cut from 5% to 0% from October 1 for six months, which was Andy Burnham’s first significant policy announcement as Prime Minister in July. EV lobby groups have long warned that the difference between home charging costs and relying on public charging points risks reducing the switch to electric motoring among lower income households. Tanya Sinclair, chief executive of Electric Vehicles UK, told the Press Association: “Millions of drivers without off-street parking have no choice but to pay 20% VAT when charging in public, while those with a driveway will now pay none at all. 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 . “If this Labour Government is serious about a fair transition, it cannot ask EV drivers to pay different prices for the same electricity simply because of where they live.” RAC head of policy Simon Williams urged to government to extend the VAT cut to public charging points as well, so that those who cannot use a driveway charger or a cross-pavement charger can still access cheaper rates. He said earlier this year: “We urge the new Prime Minister to give serious consideration to lowering VAT on public EV charging, so that those without driveways can make the switch to electric motoring more affordably.” Dickson Abegunde, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Zoopla, said: "For buyers considering an electric vehicle, access to charging can be an important factor when choosing a home. Zoopla was proud to be the first property website to help buyers discover nearby on-street chargers and search for homes with EV charging facilities. "The government’s decision to remove planning permission requirements for qualifying cross pavement charging solutions is another welcome step towards making EV ownership more accessible, particularly for households without off-street parking." Andy Burnham Money saving Electric cars Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments