Ulez scrappage scheme: What you need to know

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The Ulez scrappage scheme comes to a close on 8 September

Yasmin Rufo & Harry Low
BBC News

The Ulez scrappage scheme enables Londoners who are replacing non-compliant cars to claim up to £2,000.

It operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Compliance means drivers will not have to pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive within the Ulez area, which expanded to cover all London boroughs on 29 August 2023.

The scrappage scheme will be closed for new applications on 8 September.

How do I know if my car is Ulez compliant?

Broadly, these are the non-compliant vehicles:

  • Motorbikes that do not meet Euro 3 standards (pre-2007 models)

  • Petrol cars and vans that do not meet Euro 4 standards (pre-2006 vehicles)

  • Diesel cars and vans that do not meet Euro 6 standards (pre-2015 vehicles)

  • Buses, coaches and lorries will need to meet or exceed the Euro VI standard, or pay £100 a day to drive within the zone

If your vehicle is not compliant, you have a choice of either paying the daily charge to drive within the zone, replacing your car or finding another way to travel.

Those eligible for help from Mayor Sadiq Khan's £160m scrappage scheme can get up to £2,000 for scrapping a car or up to £1,000 for scrapping a motorcycle. For wheelchair-accessible vehicles there is a grant of up to £10,000.

TfL

Who can apply?

Money from the scrappage scheme can be claimed if you live in a London borough.

How much can I claim?

Londoners with non-compliant vehicles can claim a maximum of:

  • Cars: £2,000

  • Vans: £7,000

  • Small businesses* and sole traders with vans: £7,000 per vehicle (up to three)

  • Charities with a registered address in London that use a minibus: £9,000 per vehicle (up to three)

  • Disabled Londoners with wheelchair-adapted vehicles: £10,000

  • Retrofitting a vehicle: £6,000

*Small businesses are defined as those with fewer than 50 employees.

To find out more about the scrappage scheme, you can visit the TfL website.

Speaking about the scrappage scheme expansion on 4 August, Mr Khan said: "I have continued to listen to the concerns of Londoners over recent months and today I can announce a huge expansion to the scrappage scheme that means that all Londoners with non-Ulez-compliant cars will now be able to get financial support to switch to greener, less polluting vehicles."

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