The UK government has announced an additional £4 million in funding to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure across National Health Service facilities in England, bringing total investment under the programme to £22 million.
The funding, provided by the Department for Transport, forms part of the NHS Chargepoint Accelerator Scheme and is intended to support the installation of hundreds of additional EV charging sockets at NHS sites.
The initiative aims to accelerate the electrification of the National Health Service fleet, which includes approximately 20,000 vehicles and is considered the second-largest public sector fleet in the United Kingdom.
With the latest allocation, total government funding for NHS charging infrastructure now stands at £22 million, including £10 million provided by the Department of Health and Social Care earlier this year and £8 million allocated by the Department for Transport in the previous year. The programme has already supported the installation of more than 1,000 charging sockets for electric ambulances and other NHS fleet vehicles.
The government said electrifying the fleet could help decarbonise around 460 million miles of travel annually while lowering fuel and maintenance costs. Chris Gormley, Chief Sustainability Officer at NHS England, said zero-emission vehicles are “expected to save the NHS tens of millions every year, which can then be reinvested directly into frontline care for patients.”
Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister Keir Mather said the initiative supports both emissions reduction and public sector cost savings. “Backing the switch to electric for our NHS fleet will save our health sector millions and help to clean up 460 million miles worth of journeys across England – that’s good for taxpayers, patients and our communities,” he said.
Health Minister Karin Smyth added that the transition to electric vehicles would also help redirect savings toward healthcare services. “Savings made from this investment will be redirected back to where they’re needed – getting patients seen on time again,” she said.
The government noted that the funding complements broader initiatives aimed at supporting EV adoption, including grants for home and workplace charging installations and continued investment in public charging infrastructure.