Scottish Local authorities say constrained budgets and slow access to government funding are the biggest barriers to installing public electric vehicle (EV) charge points, according to a new national survey.
The research, based on responses from a total of 101* local authorities across England, Wales and Scotland, found that the overwhelming majority (92%) of Scottish councils cite pressure on council budgets as their main obstacle to expanding public EV charging.
Nealy seven in ten (69%) also say central government funding is a significant barrier, while 38% say a lack of local demand for EV charging in Scotland is a major hurdle. Nearly a third (31%) say logistical and delivery challenges, including grid capacity and site constraints, are holding projects back.
The findings come despite rapid growth in the UK’s charging network, with nearly 88,000 charge points installed across over 45,000 locations, and 7,484 chargers located in the Scotland**. But local authority-led deployment continues to play an essential role in this growth, and is crucial to ensuring coverage in residential areas, smaller towns and rural communities, and for drivers with no driveways or means to privately charge their vehicles. However, progress is being threatened by complex funding processes, administrative delays and infrastructure constraints.
The survey results are published in ‘Accelerating the UK’s EV future’, the latest Local Authority Insight Report produced by charge point operator (CPO) Believ.
Scotland’s main barriers to EV charging point installation are:
- 1. Budgetary issues (council budgets): 92%
- 2. Budgetary issues (government funding): 69%
- 3. Low EV ownership/local demand: 38%
- 4. Logistical/delivery challenges: 31%
- 5. Public sector procurement challenges: 23%
When asked to comment on the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Funding (EVIF), more than two thirds (69%) of Scottish councils stated a preference for more direct and targeted access to funds.
Guy Bartlett, Believ CEO, says the latest report shows that to accelerate the positive progress we have seen in local authorities’ EV charging infrastructure rollouts, we must address known barriers:
“The report is the only piece of research of its kind, talking to more than a third of Scotland’s local authorities, directly to the Councillors responsible for the EV charging rollout. And as such, we must act on the results,” he says.
“The clear and urgent priorities of unlocking funding, streamlining processes, incentivising EV uptake, and expanding and signposting guidance must be addressed. The responsibility for this lies in tandem with the charging industry and government – with the right partnerships, the UK can build an EV charging network that works for everyone.”
Believ’s fully funded, end-to-end proposition empowers local authorities to accelerate charge point deployment, overcome financial and logistical barriers, and ensure no community is left behind in the UK’s drive for cleaner air for all.
For a deeper dive into obstacles local authorities are facing and proposed solutions, download the 2026 Believ Local Authority Insight Report: https://client.believ.com/local-authority-insight-report-2026
*13 local authorities were interviewed in Scotland.
