To be eligible for the Low Emission Zone Support Fund, you must meet all of the following criteria (you can also download the eligibility criteria).
1. Your business must have an operating site within 20km of a low emission zone. If you are unsure, a sustainable transport coordinator will be able to confirm this.
2. Your business must own a vehicle that does not meet the minimum emissions standards of low emission zones:
- Euro 3 or older petrol vehicles – this generally applies to those registered before 2006.
- Euro 5 or older diesel vehicles – this generally applies to those registered before September 2015.
You can use the Vehicle Checker to see whether your vehicle would be allowed to enter a zone.
3. The vehicle must hold a current MOT, be fully taxed and cannot hold SORN status. If you are unsure, you can check online if your vehicle is taxed and its MOT status.
4. The vehicle must be registered in the name of the business owner or under the business name as stated on the submitted application.
5. You must have owned the vehicle prior to 17 September 2020 and utilise it for business operational purposes.
6. Your business must be an active micro business or a sole trader. To fit this definition, you must:
- Employ nine or fewer full-time employees.
- Have a turnover of £632,000 or less, or a balance sheet of up to £316,000 in the preceding and current financial year.
7. The Low Emission Zone Support Fund cannot be used in conjunction with Transport Scotland’s Switched on Taxis Loan or Low Carbon Transport Loan. This is a standalone fund and the applicant must not apply for the aforementioned funding until six months following grant payment from the Low Emission Zone Support Fund. In addition, the applicant must not have received funding from these programmes six months prior to applying.
8. A business may apply to dispose of a maximum of three vehicles under this fund.
9. You must commit to replace the vehicle with a zone compliant model if a replacement vehicle is required for business needs.
This support fund has been made available to help applicants avoid low emission zone penalties by moving away from non-compliant vehicles. We expect applicants to replace the scrapped vehicle with sustainable travel options, choosing to travel better where possible. We expect applicants who plan to purchase another vehicle to replace the scrapped vehicle with one that meets the low emission zone standards, therefore avoiding future penalties and helping to improve local air quality.
If you wish to apply for this funding, you MUST NOT scrap your vehicle until you have received a grant offer letter from Energy Saving Trust confirming funding.
If you would like additional information on the scheme, please email: LEZfund@est.org.uk