ECOS/ECOP Schemes Are Ending - Why SalSac Is the Smart Replacement for Dealers & Manufacturers
- Richard Quilter
- Oct 1
- 2 min read
The end of Employee Car Ownership Schemes (ECOS/ECOP) is set to disrupt how car dealers and manufacturers provide staff vehicle benefits. For years, these schemes offered a tax-efficient way to get cars into the hands of employees while keeping control of supply. Now, with HMRC changes closing the door on ECOS, businesses risk losing a key recruitment, staff retention, and stock management tool.
But this doesn’t have to be the end of internal car schemes. SalSac has the next best thing: a Salary Sacrifice platform designed specifically for the automotive industry.
With SalSac, dealers and manufacturers can:
Offer cars to employees through a fully compliant salary sacrifice arrangement.
Maintain control of pricing, margins, and stock.
Provide a modern, tax-efficient benefit (especially attractive with low BIK on EVs).
👉 Don’t wait until ECOS is gone. Now is the time to transition your staff benefit scheme. Contact SalSac today to see how your dealership or manufacturing group can migrate smoothly and keep control.
Why ECOS/ECOP Are Ending
ECOS once provided a clever way for employees to have a car while avoiding high costs. Dealers and manufacturers used them not only as staff perks but also as a way to cycle cars back into the business as nearly-new stock.
From 2026, HMRC will reclassify ECOS so that cars supplied under these schemes are taxed as company cars. This effectively removes the tax advantage, making them unattractive and costly.
Why Salary Sacrifice Works Better
Salary sacrifice has emerged as the future of car benefit schemes. Instead of contrived ownership models, employees give up a portion of their gross salary in exchange for a car. The benefit is taxed fairly, but when used with low-emission or electric vehicles, the savings remain significant.
For employers, salary sacrifice is simple, transparent, and strongly supported by HMRC. Unlike handing everything over to external providers, SalSac allows you to keep control of how the scheme works inside your organisation.
What Makes SalSac Different
SalSac isn’t just another leasing product. It’s a tool built for dealers and manufacturers to run salary sacrifice schemes internally and externally. You set the rules, the pricing, and the stock availability, while SalSac handles the operational complexity, payroll integration, and administration.
That means:
You keep the margin instead of losing it to third parties.
You protect your brand by deciding which cars, specs, and offers staff can access.
You offer a future-proof perk that helps attract and retain employees even after ECOS ends.
Ultimately, hit targets and put more eco-friendly EVs on the road.
The Road Ahead
ECOS and ECOP had their place, but they’re no longer fit for the future. The industry needs a replacement that’s compliant, tax-efficient, and still beneficial for both staff and the business.
SalSac is that replacement. It’s ready now, so you don’t have to wait for legislation to force your hand.
👉 Take control of your staff car scheme today. Contact SalSac and see how you can turn the end of ECOS into an opportunity to modernise, retain value, and strengthen employee benefits.
