UK driving charge changes to watch in 2026

Several UK road-charging and emissions schemes have changed recently, while others are easy to misread because they use similar names but different rules. This guide focuses on the driver questions that matter before a journey: will there be a charge, is the vehicle allowed, when is payment due, and which official page should be checked.

London Congestion Charge

£18 in advance or on the day, £21 within three days after travel

Cleaner Vehicle Discount

Now tiered for eligible EVs on Auto Pay

English Clean Air Zones

Seven charging zones are listed by GOV.UK

Oxford temporary charge

Separate council scheme with its own permits and payment rules

London Congestion Charge changes are now live

TfL's Congestion Charge is now £18 when paid on the day of travel or in advance, and £21 when paid within three days after travel. The charge applies during the published charging hours: 07:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday, and 12:00 to 18:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, and bank holidays, with no charge from Christmas Day to the New Year's Day bank holiday inclusive.

Daily charge

£18 paid on the day or in advance

Later payment

£21 within three days after travel

EV discount

25% for eligible electric cars on Auto Pay; 50% for eligible electric vans, HGVs, and quadricycles on Auto Pay

Resident discount change

New-applicant rules change from 1 March 2027

Electric vehicles no longer get a blanket 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount. Eligible electric cars on Auto Pay receive a 25% discount, while eligible electric vans, HGVs, and quadricycles on Auto Pay receive a 50% discount. TfL says those rates are due to reduce again from 4 March 2030.

The Residents' Discount is also changing for new applicants from 1 March 2027. Existing discount holders keep the 90% discount if they renew, while new applicants generally need an electric vehicle unless they qualify under specific benefit-related rules.

• If you already use Auto Pay, check that the correct vehicle is on the account before relying on an EV discount.
• If you usually drive into central London only occasionally, check whether ULEZ, LEZ, Congestion Charge, and tunnel charges are all relevant to the same trip.
• If you live in the Congestion Charging Zone, check whether you are an existing discount holder or a new applicant before assuming the 2027 rules apply the same way.

English Clean Air Zones remain city-specific

England's national Clean Air Zone service currently lists Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield, and Tyneside. The vehicle classes affected vary by city, so a private car may be chargeable in a Class D zone but outside the charged classes in a Class B or C zone.

• Use the GOV.UK checker for English Clean Air Zones before travelling.
• Remember that London ULEZ and LEZ are separate TfL schemes.
• Keep an eye on payment deadlines: English CAZ charging runs by calendar day, from midnight to midnight.
• GOV.UK says CAZ charges can be paid up to six days before travel and by 11:59pm on the sixth day after entering the zone.

Oxford has a temporary congestion charge

Oxford's temporary congestion charge is managed by Oxfordshire County Council and has its own map, permit process, exemptions, and payment rules. It is not a national Clean Air Zone, so drivers should use the council's official payment and permit pages rather than the GOV.UK CAZ checker.

The council's public pages describe six temporary charging locations in Oxford and say payment must be made by midnight the day after passing a charging location. The same council section also links to permit guidance, exemptions, hospital-access information, and fraud-avoidance advice.

Greater Manchester is not introducing a charging CAZ

The UK government confirmed on 23 January 2025 that Greater Manchester's clean-air plan would proceed without a charging Clean Air Zone. For drivers, the practical point is simple: do not rely on old CAZ-signage, historic proposal pages, or outdated third-party summaries when planning trips in the area.

What to check before a 2026 trip

• Check the vehicle against the official scheme, not just the city name.
• Check whether payment is per day, per crossing, or tied to a specific charging point.
• Check whether discounts require registration before travel, especially Auto Pay, resident discounts, Blue Badge discounts, and local business discounts.
• Check the payment deadline immediately after the trip if Auto Pay or an exemption was not already in place.