Those wishing to upgrade their polluting vehicles to a cleaner one, to meet Sheffield's Clean Air Zone (CAZ) emissions standards, still have a chance to apply for support before the scheme closes for new applications on Saturday 31 May 2025, with any leftover funds used to support the transition to cleaner, greener electric buses.
The Financial Assistance Schemes were first introduced in December 2022 to support drivers of LGVS, HGVS, taxis, coaches and buses to upgrade their polluting vehicles to cleaner ones, ahead of the Clean Air Zone going live on Monday 27 February 2023.
Since then, the council has provided a total of £6.9m in grant support to upgrade or replace 1,754 vehicles to become less polluting.
The Financial Assistance Schemes were never meant to be a permanent fixture and, owing to high take up when it first started, the scheme is naturally coming to a close. The Council is now doing a final call-out to those who are eligible, to urge them to apply for funding support.
The Financial Assistance Schemes have helped so many people across Sheffield, and I want to thank those who have taken the time to apply and upgrade or replace their polluting vehicles to cleaner ones.
We all have a responsibility to change, to protect the environment around us and take us that step closer to cleaner air and healthier lives for local people. I urge everyone to head to the online application form to find out if they are eligible for support before time runs out. Moving forward, we will be focussing remaining funding on priority areas that we feel can help to further improve the air quality in Sheffield, this includes the big steps we’re taking to electrify Sheffield’s buses.
Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council
To be eligible for financial assistance, applicants must have owned the vehicle to be replaced for a minimum of 12 months before the CAZ was introduced in February 2023.
When will the FAS scheme officially close?
The financial support schemes will close to new applications on Saturday 31 May at 23.59pm. All grants will need to be paid out by Sunday 31 August at 11.59pm.
Following a final three-month period for new applications onto the scheme, any remaining funds will be used to support the council’s plans to improve air quality in Sheffield through zero emission bus upgrade.
We initially heard about Sheffield City Council’s Financial Assistance Scheme through social media, and since then we’ve received financial support for three of our vehicles, the funding was a massive help towards the costs.
The process of applying for funding for all three vehicles was really straightforward and seamless, which is really refreshing. We had a fantastic experience dealing with the team and from the outset through to completion, it was very smooth and quick.
The Clean Air Zone is a great idea, and it’s got to happen to clean up our air quality. Sheffield prides itself on being a green city with lots of parks and green spaces. The CAZ goes hand in hand with that.
For those concerned about the costs involved, especially if you’re a smallish business, this incentive is crucial support, and I fully recommend that those who are eligible apply.
Local business owner, James Bird, Founder and Managing Director at James Bird Landscapes
Find more information about the eligibility criteria and apply online by visiting the website: Apply for financial support to upgrade or replace a polluting vehicle | Sheffield City Council