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UK Public EV Chargers Now Outnumber Fuel Pumps, DfT Says

New grants for home and workplace chargers add momentum to a milestone industry leaders frame as largely symbolic.

Overview

  • The Department for Transport reports 116,052 public electric vehicle charge points as of January 1, 2026.
  • Using 8,329 petrol stations and an RAC Foundation average of 7.3 pumps per site, officials estimate 60,802 fuel pumps nationwide.
  • Labour has confirmed grants of up to £500 per charge point for renters, flat owners, residential landlords, on-street households, schools and businesses, with enhanced Workplace Charging Scheme support from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
  • EVA England says the milestone reflects progress, citing survey data that 69% of EV drivers saw network improvements over the past year.
  • Industry voices welcome a ‘tipping point’ yet stress that the charger-versus-pump comparison is symbolic, noting over one million home and workplace units per Zapmap and ongoing concerns about reliability, location and public-charging costs.