The Mayor of London's scrappage scheme for vans and minibuses has been extended to HGVs, heavy vans, buses and coaches to help clean up London's air. It supports small businesses with up to 50 employees and charities to replace or retrofit older, more polluting vehicles that don't meet the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) standards.

Scheme suspended to new applicants 

Due to unprecedented demand and limited available funding, the Scrappage Scheme for heavy vehicles is currently suspended. New applications are not being accepted.  

If you've already applied to the scheme, we'll contact you to provide the outcome of your application and advise whether you're eligible for a grant payment, subject to available funds. 

If you've received a confirmation of eligibility letter from TfL, you can continue to scrap your vehicle and submit your evidence to claim your grant payment. 

Please note, TfL will not be liable for any costs you incur if you decide to scrap or retrofit your vehicle before receiving the relevant correspondence from us. 

Information given on this page is to help approved applicants continue to scrap their vehicle. Eligibility details are from before the scheme suspension. 

Organisation and vehicle eligibility

If your vehicle doesn't meet the ULEZ emissions standards you will need to pay a daily charge to drive it within the zone. Under the scrappage scheme, eligible small businesses with up to 50 employees and charities can apply for funds to scrap or retrofit up to three HGVs, heavy vans, buses or coaches.

From 1 March 2021, LEZ emissions standards will become tougher to match the ULEZ emissions standards. The following organisations were able to apply: 

Micro businesses who must have:

  • 10 or fewer employees
  • Up to £632k turnover OR up to £316k balance sheet total in the preceding and current financial year AND
  • Companies House registration as an active company in the UK OR be VAT registered in the UK

Small businesses who must have:

  • 50 or fewer employees
  • An annual turnover of not more than £10.2 million OR a balance sheet total of not more than £5.1 million AND
  • Companies House registration as an active company in the UK OR be VAT registered in the UK

Sole traders who must be:

  • A self-employed person who owns and operates a business in the UK as an individual

Charities who must be an:

  • Entity registered with the Charities Commission as an active charity

Vehicles you intend to scrap must be:

  • An HGV, large van, specialist vehicle (over 3.5 Tonnes GVW), bus or coach (over 5 Tonnes GVW) and owned by an eligible organisation for more than calendar 12 months before the start of the heavy vehicle scrappage scheme on 28 September 2020
  • Insured for business use
  • Road taxed with a valid MOT
  • Surrendered for secure scrapping at either Perivale or Charlton Metropolitan Police Pounds 

Vehicles you intend to retrofit must be:

  • An HGV, large van, specialist vehicle, bus or coach owned by an eligible organisation for more than calendar 12 months before the start of the heavy vehicle scrappage scheme on 28 September 2020
  • Insured for business use
  • On the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) register
  • Retrofitted by a CVRAS approved company

Grant payments

Information given on this page is to help approved applicants continue to scrap their vehicle. Eligibility details are from before the scheme suspension.

Scrap and replace a ULEZ Non-Compliant  HGV, heavy van, specialist vehicle, bus or coach (£15,000 Grant)

The vehicle being scrapped must be:

  • a HGV, large van or specialist vehicle over 3.5 Tonnes Gross Vehicle Weight or a bus or coach over 5 Tonnes GVW that doesn't meet the ULEZ standards (this includes pre Euro VI diesel vehicles)

Replacement vehicle must be:

  • a HGV, large van or specialist vehicle over 3.5 Tonnes Gross Vehicle Weight or a bus or coach over 5 Tonnes GVW that  meets the ULEZ standards (Euro VI diesel vehicles)
  • Purchased or on a hire/ lease contract that is at least two years long.

To be eligible an organisation must fulfil one of the following criteria:

  • Registered within the Greater London Area
  • Hold a valid Operating Licence with an Operating centre within the Greater London area
  • Hold a London Service Permit

However, if you don't fulfil one of these criteria you can still apply if the vehicle you want to scrap has been driven within the Greater London Area at least 26 times between 28 March 2020 and 28 September 2020. You will need to submit evidence of these journeys such as delivery sheets or vehicle tracker data.

Retrofit an eligible HGV, heavy van, specialist vehicle, bus or coach (£15,000 grant)

The vehicle being retrofitted must be:

  • An eligible HGV, heavy van or specialist vehicle over 3.5 Tonnes Gross Vehicle Weight or a bus or coach over 5 Tonnes GVW that doesn't meet the ULEZ standards (this includes pre Euro VI diesel vehicles)
  • Listed on the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) register and retrofitted by one of their approved companies.

You will need to check that your vehicle's make and model appears on the CVRAS register and then contact the approved company who will be able to advise you if your vehicle can be retrofitted. Make sure you do this before you apply.

The register can be downloaded from the CVRAS website Not all vehicles can be retrofitted with CVRAS approved technology. If your vehicle is not on their register you can't receive a grant to retrofit it under this scheme.  

To be eligible an organisation must fulfil one of the following criteria:

  • Registered within the Greater London area
  • Hold a valid Operating Licence with an Operating centre within the Greater London area
  • Hold a London Service Permit

However, If you don't fulfil one of these criteria you can still apply if the vehicle you want to retrofit been driven within the Greater London area at least 26 times between 28 March 2020 and 28 September 2020. You will need to submit evidence of these journeys such as delivery sheets or vehicle tracker data.

If you have applied to scrap a vehicle with a private (personalised) number plate

If you receive a confirmation of eligibility letter you should remove your private plate and then scrap your vehicle. When you surrender your vehicle to the Metropolitan Police Pound you will need to take the DVLA plate transfer documents. You will also need to submit these documents when you claim your grant payment.

Due to unprecedented demand and limited available funding, the Scrappage Scheme for heavy vehicles is currently suspended. New applications are not being accepted.

If you've already applied to the scheme, we'll contact you to provide the outcome of your application and advise you whether you're eligible for a grant payment, subject to available funds.

If you've received a confirmation of eligibility letter from TfL, you can continue to scrap your vehicle and submit your evidence to claim your grant payment.

Please note, TfL will not be liable for any costs you incur if you decide to scrap or retrofit your vehicle before receiving the relevant correspondence from us.

Submitting evidence of scrapped or retrofitted vehicle

Evidence that your vehicle has been scrapped and replaced 

After you've scrapped your vehicle, you need to upload an image of the collection receipt issued to you by the Metropolitan Police pound.

You will also need to upload evidence of a ULEZ compliant replacement vehicle. This will include:

  • Vehicle registration document (V5C)
  • Motor insurance certificate (for business use)
  • Sales invoice, lease document hire agreement (for a duration of more than two years)

Evidence that your vehicle has been retrofitted

After your vehicle has been retrofitted, you need to upload the following evidence to complete your application:

  • Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme vehicle installation certificate
  • Vehicle retrofit invoice

You must be logged into the same London Road User Charging account that you submitted your application from or your grant payment will be delayed.

We will aim to process your evidence within 10 working days. We will contact you with the outcome.

Once approved, your grant payment will be sent by post to the named organisation at the address on your application form.

Make an enquiry

You can ask questions about the heavy vehicles scrappage scheme. If you've applied but changed your mind, please tell us that you'd like to withdraw your application. As the scheme is now suspended you cannot submit a new application here.

Disclaimer

We may review how this scheme is operating (such as the length of the scheme, eligibility checks, grant payment options and more) and make changes when necessary. The scheme has limited funds and operates on a first come basis. See how TfL uses your data on the Road User Charging privacy page.

Organisations supporting ULEZ scrappage schemes

If you're scrapping your vehicle(s), consider replacing through a vehicle sharing service. Find offers available to you through third party organisations.