The Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) is expanding to cover all London boroughs from 29 August 2023. ULEZ is designed to combat poor air quality in the city, and all vehicles that don't meet specific emissions standards must pay a daily charge of £12.50 to enter the zone. However, there is good news for those who don't want to or can't upgrade their vehicles to meet the standards - the Mayor of London has launched a £110 million scrappage scheme to help replace high-polluting vehicles with cleaner ones.
The application process for the Mayor's new £110m scrappage scheme is divided into two sub-schemes based on vehicle type and applicant. The ULEZ car and motorcycle scrappage scheme is for Londoners on certain low-income or disability benefits with cars, motorcycles, and wheelchair-accessible vehicles that do not meet the ULEZ emissions standard. The ULEZ van and minibus scrappage scheme is for eligible sole traders, micro-businesses, or charities with a registered address in London to scrap or retrofit a van or minibus that does not meet the ULEZ emissions standard.
Eligible applicants can receive up to £2,000 for scrapping a car or get up to £1,000 for scrapping a motorcycle. For wheelchair-accessible vehicles, there is a payment of £5,000 to scrap or retrofit to the ULEZ standard. To qualify for the wheelchair-accessible grant payment of £5,000, mobility experts must have converted the vehicle you apply with to allow a disabled person to access the vehicle as the driver or passenger.
The ULEZ van and minibus scrappage scheme provides a grant payment of £5,000 - £9,500 to eligible micro businesses (with up to 10 employees), sole traders, and registered charities. Your organization must operate within the 32 boroughs of London or the City of London.
The application process is online, and applicants need to upload evidence to prove their identity and eligibility. If you have received a grant payment under the previous TfL scrappage scheme, you cannot apply to the equivalent sub-scheme again. For eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the ULEZ car and motorcycle scrappage scheme or the ULEZ van and minibus scrappage scheme pages.
Successful scrappage scheme applicants can unlock several exclusive offers to support the Mayor's ambition to improve air quality in London. These include money-off services for bikes, cargo bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters, discounts on car clubs with fleets that meet the ULEZ emissions standard, and other great deals. Londoners who are not eligible for the scrappage scheme can also take advantage of several offers to save money. To check the eligibility of your vehicle and begin your application, click here. Short and sons accountants recommend taking advantage of the scrappage scheme and exploring all funding options available to you. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help.