Solar Panel Grants UK 2026: Every Scheme You Can Still Apply For

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# Solar Panel Grants UK 2026: Every Scheme You Can Still Apply For

If you have been searching for a way to slash the cost of going solar in 2026, the funding landscape has just shifted under your feet. ECO4 — the £4 billion scheme that paid for tens of thousands of free solar installations between 2022 and early 2026 — closed to new applications in March. In its place, a patchwork of new national schemes, devolved programmes and council-run pots has appeared, and the rules around who qualifies have changed.

This guide walks you through every solar panel grant and funding route open to UK homeowners in April 2026, what you actually get, who is eligible, and the realistic odds of being approved. We have also included the lower-profile routes — like the 0% VAT rule, Solar Together group-buying, and the Smart Export Guarantee — that almost everyone qualifies for but most homeowners overlook.

The Big Picture: What Changed in 2026

For four years, ECO4 was the main way low-income households in England, Scotland and Wales got free solar panels. The scheme was funded by a levy on energy suppliers and delivered through approved installers. It officially closed to new applications on 31 March 2026, although a small number of in-flight installations were allowed to complete into April.

It has been replaced by a more devolved structure:

• **England** — the Warm Homes: Local Grant, delivered by individual local authorities
• **Wales** — Warm Homes Nest (existing scheme, expanded budget)
• **Scotland** — Warmer Homes Scotland and the Home Energy Scotland Loan
• **Northern Ireland** — the Affordable Warmth Scheme

Alongside the means-tested grants, the 0% VAT rule on solar and battery installations remains in place for every UK homeowner until 31 March 2027, and the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) continues to pay for any electricity you export to the grid. These two measures are not grants in the traditional sense, but together they can knock several thousand pounds off the lifetime cost of a solar system for any household, regardless of income.

1. Warm Homes: Local Grant (England)

The Warm Homes: Local Grant is the headline replacement for ECO4 in England. It is administered by individual local authorities — not central government — which means the application process and exact terms vary depending on where you live.

What you can get: Up to £15,000 towards a package of energy efficiency upgrades. Solar panels are eligible, but they are usually installed alongside insulation, draught proofing, or a heating system upgrade rather than as a standalone measure. The aim is to take the home from EPC band D, E, F or G up to at least band C.

Who qualifies:

• Household income under **£36,000** per year (gross), OR
• Receipt of qualifying means-tested benefits (Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit, etc.), AND
• Property has an EPC rating of D, E, F or G, AND
• Property is in an eligible local authority area (most of England is now covered, but check with your council)

How to apply: Contact your local council directly. Many authorities have set up dedicated portals through their main website — search for "[your council name] Warm Homes Local Grant". Demand is heavy and most councils are operating waiting lists, so apply early in the financial year.

Realistic timeline: From application to installation is currently 4–9 months for most councils. If you need urgent measures (e.g. a broken boiler), flag this in your application.

For a deeper look at what counts as an EPC D-G property and how to check yours, see our guide to improving your EPC rating.

2. Warm Homes Nest (Wales)

Warm Homes Nest is the Welsh Government's flagship fuel poverty scheme. It was given a substantial budget boost in the 2026/27 spending round, and the eligibility criteria were widened in April 2026 to capture more low-income owner-occupiers.

What you can get: A free package of energy efficiency improvements that can include solar PV, battery storage, insulation, and a heat pump or efficient boiler. There is no fixed cap, but most packages are valued between £8,000 and £18,000.

Who qualifies:

• Owner-occupier or private tenant in Wales
• Receiving qualifying means-tested benefits OR earning under £31,000 (single) / £36,000 (couples)
• Home is energy inefficient (typically EPC E, F or G)

How to apply: Call Nest free on 0808 808 2244 or apply through nest.gov.wales.

3. Warmer Homes Scotland

Run by Warmworks on behalf of the Scottish Government, this scheme provides a fully managed package of measures including solar PV in many cases.

What you can get: Free installation of energy efficiency measures, with average package values around £6,000–£12,000. Solar panels are increasingly being included where the property has suitable roof space.

Who qualifies:

• Owner-occupier or private tenant in Scotland for at least 12 months
• Receiving a qualifying benefit
• Home has an EPC rating of D or below
• Heating system is broken, inefficient or absent

How to apply: Call Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282.

4. Affordable Warmth Scheme (Northern Ireland)

Northern Ireland's main grant route for low-income households. It is income-based rather than benefit-based, which catches more borderline cases than the GB equivalents.

What you can get: Insulation, heating upgrades and, in some cases, solar PV. Average package values are around £5,000.

Who qualifies: Gross household income under £23,000, plus you must own your home or rent privately.

How to apply: Through your local council's Home Improvement service, or by contacting the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

5. The 0% VAT Rule (Available to Everyone)

This is the single biggest "grant" most homeowners overlook because it is not branded as one. Since April 2022, all UK homeowners pay 0% VAT on the supply and installation of solar panels, batteries and other energy-saving materials. The rule is currently due to expire on 31 March 2027, after which VAT is expected to return to the reduced rate of 5%.

What you save: On an average 4 kW solar + battery system costing £8,500 (incl. installation), you save £1,700 versus the standard 20% VAT rate.

Who qualifies: Every UK homeowner. There is no income test, no benefits requirement, and no EPC restriction. Your installer simply quotes the price ex-VAT.

Action point: If your installer quotes a price "+ VAT", they are wrong. Ask them to re-quote at zero rate. If they refuse, find another MCS-certified installer.

For our full breakdown of installation costs — including the impact of 0% VAT — see our solar panel costs guide.

6. Solar Together Group-Buying Schemes

Solar Together is a council-led group-buying initiative run in partnership with iChoosr. Households in participating areas register interest, and installers bid for the bulk contract. The winning installer offers a price typically 33–37% below market rate.

What you save: On an 8 kW system, the typical Solar Together discount versus a direct quote is £2,500–£4,000. There is no obligation to accept the offer once you receive it.

Who qualifies: Any homeowner in a participating local authority area. Schemes have run in Greater London, the Midlands, Yorkshire, the South East, Hampshire, Norfolk and many others. Check solartogether.co.uk to see if your council is currently registering.

Catch: Registration windows are short — usually 6–10 weeks per council per year. Sign up to email alerts if your area is not currently open.

7. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

Not a grant, but worth understanding. Under the SEG, any licensed electricity supplier with more than 150,000 customers must offer you a tariff to buy any solar electricity you export to the grid. Rates vary wildly between suppliers, from 1p/kWh at the low end to 27p/kWh on Octopus Energy's Outgoing Fixed tariff.

What you can earn: A typical 4 kW system in the UK exports around 1,800–2,400 kWh per year. At a competitive 15p/kWh export rate, that is £270–£360 per year in pure income — for the 25-year life of the system that is £6,750–£9,000.

Action point: You can be on a different supplier for your import (what you pay for) and your export (what you earn). Compare SEG rates separately at Ofgem's SEG tariff list.

8. The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) — Note

The Home Upgrade Grant 2 closed to new applications in March 2026 and has been folded into the Warm Homes: Local Grant. If you applied to HUG2 before the deadline, your application is still being processed by your local authority — you do not need to re-apply.

9. Green Mortgages and Discounted Finance

A growing number of mortgage lenders now offer discounted rates or cashback for homes with good EPC ratings or for borrowing against energy efficiency upgrades. NatWest, Halifax, Nationwide and Barclays all offer green additional borrowing products with rates 0.25%–0.5% below their standard further advance rates. This is not a grant, but for households who do not qualify for means-tested support, financing solar at a green rate over 5–10 years can be cheaper than paying upfront if the cash is earning interest elsewhere.

What to Do If You Do Not Qualify for Any Grant

The reality is that most working households will not qualify for the means-tested schemes above. Here is a practical playbook for the 70% of homeowners who fall outside the eligibility criteria:

1. Always insist on 0% VAT. This is your guaranteed £1,500–£2,500 saving. 2. Register for Solar Together if your council participates. Even if you decide not to take the offer, the quote is a useful benchmark. 3. Get three MCS-certified quotes. Prices vary by 25–40% for the same system. Use the MCS installer database to find vetted installers. 4. Pair with battery storage. A battery dramatically improves payback by letting you self-consume more of what you generate. See our solar batteries explained guide for current pricing. 5. Switch to a time-of-use import tariff. Octopus Agile, Intelligent or Cosy can knock another £200–£400 off your annual bill on top of solar. 6. Apply for SEG with the highest-paying supplier. Octopus Outgoing Fixed currently leads at 15p–27p/kWh.

A homeowner who pays full price for a £7,500 solar + battery system, but uses 0% VAT, gets the median Solar Together discount, and signs up to a 15p SEG export tariff, is paying roughly £5,800 net — an effective 23% discount versus the headline price, with no grant required.

Spotting "Free Solar Panels" Scams

A note of caution. Search results for "free solar panels UK" are increasingly dominated by lead-generation sites that misrepresent ECO4 (now closed) and the Warm Homes Local Grant. Common red flags:

• Promises of "100% free solar panels for every household" — false.
• Pressure to provide bank details or pay an "admin fee" up front — never required for legitimate grants.
• Companies that are not on the [MCS certified installer database](https://mcscertified.com).
• Requests to sign a contract before any survey of your roof.

All legitimate grant routes go through your local authority, the devolved equivalent (Nest, Warmworks), or your energy supplier. You will never be asked to pay anything towards a means-tested grant installation.

Useful Hardware for Getting the Most From Solar

If you are paying privately and want to maximise the return on your install, a few add-ons make a meaningful difference:

• **A smart energy monitor** — the [Shelly EM 50A 1-channel WiFi energy meter](https://amzn.to/3Wq8KsP) (Amazon UK, ~£62) lets you see real-time generation and consumption from your phone, which makes a noticeable difference to how much solar you actually self-consume.
• **A solar diverter for your hot water tank** — the [iBoost+ Solar PV Immersion Diverter](https://amzn.to/4hF5ePV) (~£280) automatically sends surplus solar to your immersion heater rather than exporting it, typically saving £150–£300 a year on hot water.
• **A battery-powered EV charger** if you drive electric — see our pick of the [best home EV chargers in the UK](/blog/best-ev-charger-uk) for current models that integrate with solar systems.

*Affiliate links above use the Amazon Associates programme (tag: thehomeenergyhub-21). We earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, which costs you nothing extra and helps fund our independent guides.*

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there really still free solar panels in the UK in 2026?

Yes, but only for low-income households on means-tested benefits, or with household income under £36,000 in England. The Warm Homes: Local Grant (England), Warm Homes Nest (Wales), Warmer Homes Scotland and Affordable Warmth (NI) all include solar PV in their eligible measures. ECO4 — the previous main route — closed to new applications in March 2026.

Can I get a grant if I am not on benefits?

Most full grants are means-tested, but the Warm Homes: Local Grant in England now uses an income threshold (£36,000) rather than a benefits test, so working households on lower-to-middle incomes can sometimes qualify. Outside of the grants, the 0% VAT rule and Solar Together group buying are open to all homeowners.

How long does the grant application process take?

Realistically, 4–9 months from initial application to a finished installation. Demand is heavy in the first year of the new schemes. If you have an urgent need (e.g. broken heating), flag it in the application.

Is there a grant for solar batteries on their own?

Not as a standalone product. Battery storage is eligible for 0% VAT until March 2027 and is included in the package of measures under the Warm Homes Local Grant, but there is no UK-wide grant that pays purely for a retrofit battery.

What happens after the 0% VAT ends in 2027?

VAT on solar installations is currently expected to revert to the reduced 5% rate, not the standard 20%, when the zero rate expires on 31 March 2027. On a typical £8,500 system, that is the difference between paying £0 in VAT today and £425 in VAT after 1 April 2027 — still cheap, but worth front-loading if you are planning to install in the next 12–18 months.

Do I still get paid for the electricity I export under SEG?

Yes. The Smart Export Guarantee continues to operate independently of the grant schemes. Any solar PV system ≤5 MW connected through an MCS-certified installer is eligible to apply for an SEG tariff with any of the major suppliers.

The Bottom Line

The grant landscape in 2026 is more fragmented than it was under ECO4, but for low-income and fuel-poor households the headline support is actually larger — up to £15,000 per home under the Warm Homes Local Grant in England, with similar packages available in the devolved nations. For everyone else, the combination of 0% VAT, Solar Together discounts and a competitive SEG tariff means a solar install in 2026 is still significantly cheaper in real terms than at any point in the last decade.

The most important action you can take this week is two minutes long: check whether your local council is open for Warm Homes Local Grant applications, and whether your area has a live Solar Together window. Both are time-limited, and demand is comfortably outstripping supply.

If you are weighing up whether the maths actually works for your home, our solar panel costs guide walks through real install prices and payback periods for typical UK roofs, and our heat pump cost guide is worth a read if you are considering pairing solar with a low-carbon heating upgrade in the same Warm Homes Local Grant package.