Protective Multiple Earthing. It's the UK's TN-C-S supply arrangement, where neutral and earth are combined in the network and split at your property.

Not under normal operation. The risk is specific to an open PEN fault, an uncommon event where the combined conductor fails, and that risk is what the EV-specific protection requirements address.

Most UK homes do. A PME supply takes its earth from the supplier's cable; a TT supply has its own earth rod nearby. Your installer or DNO can confirm.

PME is the name for the earthing system. PEN is the name of the specific conductor (Protective Earth and Neutral combined) inside that system whose failure is the thing being protected against.

Only on a PME supply, and primarily for outdoor use, per BS 7671 Regulation 722.411.4.1. See our earth rod guide and the main PME page for the full decision tree.

No. A PEN fault gives no visible warning at the property, the supply continues working normally. That's exactly why active monitoring (a PEN fault detection device, or the charger's own built-in detection) is needed rather than relying on noticing something's wrong.

No. A power cut means no supply at all. A PEN fault can occur while the supply otherwise continues to work, which is part of what makes it hard to notice without a monitoring device.

The electrical work itself is typically notifiable under Part P rather than requiring separate DNO notification for the protection device, but your installer should confirm based on the specifics of the job and any wider supply changes involved.

Typically just the circuit it's fitted to, usually the EV charger circuit specifically, rather than the whole installation, since that's where the EV-specific outdoor risk applies.

Like any electrical device, yes, which is why periodic function testing is specified rather than treating it as fit-and-forget. Follow the manufacturer's test interval and procedure.

The specific TN-C-S terminology and the EV-specific regulatory response are a UK (BS 7671) context, though combined neutral-earth network designs exist in other countries under different names and rules.