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The secret benefit your employees didn’t know existed

02/03/2026

The secret benefit your employees didn’t know existed

By Matt Waller, General Manager at The Charge Scheme.

Electric vehicle salary sacrifice has become one of the most valued workplace benefits in the UK, with uptake rising 51 per cent in 2024 and schemes now accounting for 40 per cent of all new electric car registrations. 

Employees love it, employers pay nothing to run it, and the tax efficiency delivers genuine savings that people notice in their monthly budgets. There is, however, the cost of actually charging the vehicle, which has often been overlooked.

Around 40 per cent of UK households lack off-street parking, which means no driveway, no home charger, and reliance on public networks, where prices range from 44p to 89p per kWh. Two employees driving the same model car can end up with very different monthly costs based purely on where they live. This shouldn’t be the case. 

Salary sacrifice for electric vehicle charging fixes this, by applying the same tax efficiency that makes vehicles affordable to keep them charged, cutting costs by 20 to 50 per cent, depending on tax position. This translates to £500 to £1,000 saved annually for most employees, with no change to how or where they charge their vehicles.

Real examples can really highlight the savings – Emma drives a Tesla Model 3, covers 15,000 miles a year and does most of her charging on public networks. She can save £1,063 annually. 

David drives a Hyundai Kona Electric, does 25,000 miles with a mix of home and public charging, and saves £1,026. Neither changed their routine, they just paid less.

For the many organisations already running electric vehicle salary sacrifice, adding charging support is straightforward, low on administration, and still costs the business nothing, making it a solid workplace benefit.

Here’s how you could implement it in your organisation.

Find out who needs it. Start by checking your payroll or benefits platform to identify which electric vehicle and hybrid drivers lack home charging, as they are the ones who will benefit most.

Time the conversation well. The best moment to raise it is when someone is choosing their vehicle or coming up for renewal, because that is when charging costs feel most relevant.

Lead with specific numbers. Talking about saving £500 to £1,000 a year lands far better than vague promises about “reducing charging costs”.

Frame it as completing the benefit. Employees already trust the electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme, so positioning charging support as the missing piece rather than something new makes it easier to understand.

Remember who it helps most. Employees without driveways are often renters, often younger, and often in roles where every pound counts, making this practical support for the people who need it.

Original Article: HR News

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