With rising pollution and increased awareness of the need to protect our planet, it comes as no surprise that so much is being done to try and ensure that London’s air is as clean as it can possibly be. The congestion charges were one of the first things to be implemented, then came the Ultra-Low Emission Zone and another thing that was also introduced around the same time was the Van Scrappage Scheme.
The aim of this particular scheme, much like many of the other schemes out there, is to encourage the businesses in London who use vans in their everyday business, to switch to vehicles that are much better for the environment. But how does this scheme work and how do you qualify for it?
The Basics
The scheme is for vans and minibuses that are currently in use. Should you meet the qualifications of the scheme and abide by the rules that are set out, once your old vehicle is scrapped then you will be offered £6,000 towards a new electric model, or £3,500 to fund cleaner transport options.
Who qualifies for the London Scrappage Scheme?
The first thing that you need to be able to prove if you want to apply for this particular scheme is that you are based in London, be that the City of London or one of the boroughs. You also need to be able to show that you have 10 or less employees, as this will qualify you as a small business. Your turnover should also be below £632k per year or you should have a £316k balance sheet total for the preceding and the current financial year. Finally, you must also be registered with Companies House as an active company in the UK, or be VAT registered within the UK.
Which vehicles qualify for the scheme?
Once you know whether or not your business qualifies, then you also need to take a look at the vehicles that you have within your business.
If you do wish to scrap any of them as a part of the scheme, then they need to be:
- A van or minibus which has been owned by a registered micro business or charity for more than 12 months before the 22nd February 2019
- The vehicle must be insured for business use
- It must be road taxed and have a valid MOT
- It must then be scrapped at an Authorised Treatment Facility
- The vehicle should also not be up to the London ULEZ standard
If you are thinking about arranging to have your van scrapped and you want to make sure that you fit into the requirements of this scheme, then check out the scrappage options on car.co.uk.
