With a week to go before London’s expanded ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) goes live, all Londoners can now apply for grants to scrap their older, polluting car or motorcycle.

Transport for London (TfL) announced that the scrappage scheme had been expanded, with all Londoners now eligible and payments to van fleets increased, earlier this month. 

The scrappage payment for vans was increased from £5,000 to £7,000, while grants to replace a non-compliant van with an electric van will increase from £7,500 to £9,500.

Small businesses and sole traders are able to scrap three vans or minibuses.

In addition, payments to fleets retrofitting vehicles increased from £5,000 to £6,000.

Additional support is also be available to charities, with payments available for minibuses increased from £7,000 to £9,000, while disabled Londoners saw wheelchair adapted vehicle grants double from £5,000 to £10,000. 

Since the changes were introduced, TfL said that 204 small businesses have had their applications approved and £1.45 million has been committed.

With extra money being added to the fund and those most in need having had priority access to support, the Mayor and TfL have opened up the fund to include every single Londoner with a non-compliant car or motorcycle.

The team overseeing the scrappage scheme are processing applications in a matter of days, so TfL and the Mayor are urging Londoners with a non-compliant car to apply now to get their scrappage grant as quickly as possible.

TfL says it has increased the resourcing of the scrappage scheme to respond to the expected increase in demand.

All London residents with non-compliant vehicles can now apply to get £2,000 for scrapping a car or £1,000 for scrapping a motorcycle from today (Monday, August 21).

Alternatively, applicants can opt for a higher-value package of up to two bus and tram passes plus a lower grant.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Every single Londoner with a non-compliant car and motorbike is now eligible to get support.

“There’s still plenty of money available in the scrappage scheme and, with one week to go until the ULEZ is expanded, I am urging all Londoners with non-compliant vehicles to apply now.”

London’s ULEZ currently covers an area between the North and South Circular roads but is due to be expanded across the entire capital from August 29.

Drivers of affected vehicles who do not pay the £12.50 daily charge will face a fine of up to £160.

To comply with the ULEZ, petrol cars and vans must be Euro 4 and diesel cars and vans must be Euro 6. Motorcycles and mopeds must be Euro 3 to comply.

The original ULEZ scheme was introduced in April 2019 to cover central London before being expanded to the North/South Circular boundaries in October 2021.