UK charging industry could face £100m bill under business rate changes

Industry bodies say proposals will force site closures, slow investment and cost drivers up to 300 a year more

The UK charging industry has said it could face a 100m bill as the government considers making public charger operators pay business rates for the first time, at a time when slower-than-expected electric car sales have put pressure on the sector.

ChargeUK, an industry body, said that its estimates suggest that operators will have to pay business rates on as many as 64,000 parking bays beside chargers which have not, up to now, been liable for the taxes. The lobby group said the change could add as much as 300 to the annual charging bill for some people if the cost is passed on to the customer.