The North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has launched the scheme in response to high demand for repair.
The scheme kicked off on 1 April 2025 and applies to repair shops in Hackney, Haringey and Waltham Forest.
The initiative is being delivered in partnership with The Restart Project, ReLondon and FixFirst.
North London residents can apply for a voucher online and will receive a QR code to use at participating businesses.
Customers receive their discount of 50% (up to £50) at payment and the businesses claim back the cost.
The waste authority said it expects vouchers to sell out quickly each month, but that it will ensure residents get more chances to sign up even if they miss the early voucher releases.
Fiona Dear, co-director at The Restart Project said: “Repair is hugely popular, but cost is one of the main reasons that people don’t fix their electricals, so we’re delighted to be trialling the first electrical repair voucher scheme in the UK.
“The trial will directly reduce repair costs for Londoners, encourage more people to try out repair, and support north London’s repair businesses.
“We look forward to seeing the impact of the trial and making the case for further, longer-term schemes in the UK.”
The voucher scheme was launched at an event on Tuesday at Neil Electrics in Wood Green, attended by Mete Coban MBE, deputy mayor of London for Environment and Energy and chair of ReLondon, and Fiona Dear, co-director of the Restart Project.
Repair voucher schemes
A recent Suez report found that if every UK household reused or repaired just two extra items a year, it would keep 23 million more items in use, generating £1.6 billion for local economies and creating 74,200 skilled jobs.
A recent trial in Austria found that vouchers got more people into the habit of repair: 80% of repair businesses noticed increases in the number of repairs during the trial, and more people than usual continued to bring their items for repair once it had ended.
North London Community Fund
Since 2017, the NLWA has run a community fund which has awarded almost £1 million to 81 projects aiming to change the landscape of waste and recycling in north London.
Councillor Clyde Loakes MBE, chair of NLWA, said: “Offering people discount vouchers is a fantastic way to make repair affordable and attractive and support the move towards a circular economy.
“This initiative has great potential – not only to normalise getting everyday items fixed instead of replaced, but also to give us the evidence we need on whether discounted repair services can keep things in use for longer.
“We hope to share our evaluation with others, as we attempt to shift the dial on repair, making it a critical part of everyday household waste prevention and the emerging circular economy.”
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