Solar panels and a battery are a big purchase, so it is worth knowing what help actually exists before you spend anything. For most homeowners the honest answer is that there is no grant, but every home gets 0% VAT on an installed system until 31st March 2027, and you can be paid for the electricity you export.
This page sums up where each scheme stands and points you to the official sources and our more detailed guides. If you are new to solar, start with our homeowner’s guide to solar panels.
Can You Get Help Paying for Solar Panels?
Sometimes, but not for most households. Lower-income households in England with an EPC of D to G may get the Warm Homes: Local Grant, which councils run and which can pay for solar panels where a home assessment recommends them. ECO4 runs until 31st December 2026, but it only pays for solar in homes heated by a heat pump, high heat retention storage heaters or qualifying electric heating.
Everyone else pays for their system, with 0% VAT and export payments helping the numbers. Since the end of October 2026 there is also the government’s Warm Homes Loan Scheme, which lowers the interest rate on some loans for solar and batteries. It is a loan, not a grant. Our guide to installing solar panels explains what happens from survey to switch on.
What Solar Grants and Schemes Are Available in the UK?
Here is where the schemes homeowners ask about stand in November 2026:
| Scheme | What it does | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Warm Homes: Local Grant | Councils pay for measures such as solar panels where a home assessment recommends them. Runs until 31st March 2028. | England only. EPC D to G, and household income usually £36,000 a year or less, or certain benefits, or a qualifying postcode |
| ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation) | Ends 31st December 2026. Only pays for solar where the home is heated by a heat pump, high heat retention storage heaters or qualifying electric heating | Households on certain benefits; owner-occupied homes need an EPC of D to G |
| Warm Homes Loan Scheme | A loan, not a grant. The government pays lenders to lower the interest rate. Up to £15,000 for solar and up to £15,000 for a battery | People who own their home in the UK, subject to the lender’s credit and affordability checks |
| 0% VAT | No VAT on solar panels and batteries installed in a home until 31st March 2027 | Every home, applied by the installer |
| Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) | Payment from an energy supplier for the electricity you export. Not a grant | MCS certified installation and installer, and a meter that records half-hourly exports, usually a smart meter |
| Home Upgrade Grant 2 (HUG2) | Closed. Replaced by the Warm Homes: Local Grant | Not open |
What About Community-Funded Solar Projects?
Community energy schemes are run by co-operatives, community benefit societies and similar groups, and they usually put solar on shared buildings or land rather than on individual homes.
Great British Energy runs a Community Fund for projects that are at least 50% community owned. Check gbe.gov.uk to see whether a round is open, or ask your council about community energy groups near you.
Local Grants and Support in Your Area
Councils deliver the Warm Homes: Local Grant and sometimes run schemes of their own, and what is open changes from month to month. Our East Midlands solar grants guide lists what each council in our area has open, county by county. Elsewhere in England, start with the eligibility check on GOV.UK.
Other Government Solar Support Options
The Feed-in Tariff closed to new applicants in 2019. What remains for every home:
- 0% VAT: no VAT on solar panels and batteries installed in a home until 31st March 2027.
- Smart Export Guarantee (SEG): payments from an energy supplier for the electricity you export to the grid.
Who’s Eligible for Solar Panel Funding?
For the Warm Homes: Local Grant, your home must be in England and privately owned, with an EPC of D, E, F or G, and your household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less, unless someone in the household gets certain benefits or you live in a qualifying postcode area. The council arranges a home survey and decides what is installed, so solar is not guaranteed.
For the Warm Homes Loan Scheme there is no income limit, but you must own the home and pass the lender’s credit and affordability checks. We do not apply for grants or loans on anyone’s behalf, but we will tell you straight whether a scheme is likely to apply when we design your system.
Ready to Lower Your Energy Bills?
Whatever help applies to you, the starting point is the same: a design for your roof and a clear written price. We will show you what the system should generate, what it costs with 0% VAT already reflected, and an honest payback range.
Are there grants for installing solar panels in the UK?
Only some households. The Warm Homes: Local Grant can pay for solar for lower-income homes in England with an EPC of D to G. ECO4 ends on 31st December 2026 and only covers solar in homes with qualifying electric heating. HUG2 has closed.
Who qualifies for solar grants?
Eligibility often depends on income, benefits, or your home’s EPC rating.
How much do solar panels cost after a grant?
If you qualify for the Warm Homes: Local Grant, the council pays for the work it agrees with you. If you do not qualify, there is no grant to take off: the price is the installed price, with 0% VAT already applied.
What is the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)?
It pays you for any excess electricity you export back to the grid.
Can I apply for more than one solar grant?
Some can be combined and some cannot. 0% VAT applies to any home installation, however it is paid for. You cannot use a Warm Homes loan and another government grant to pay for the same solar panels or battery.
What if I’m not eligible for a grant?
We do not offer or arrange finance, but we give you one clear written quote to work from.
Is installation disruptive?
No—most systems are installed with minimal disruption in just a few days.
FAQs
Q1. Can I get a grant for solar panels on my house?
Only if you qualify for a scheme such as the Warm Homes: Local Grant (England, EPC D to G, lower household income). Most homeowners pay for their system and get 0% VAT and export payments.
Q2. What are solar grants for homeowners?
Money from the government or a council that pays for some or all of an installation, usually only for lower-income households. A loan, such as one under the Warm Homes Loan Scheme, is not a grant: you pay it back.
Q3. Are solar grants available for all types of homes?
No. The Warm Homes: Local Grant needs a privately owned home in England with an EPC of D to G, and the council decides what is installed after a survey.
Q4. Can I use a solar grant for solar batteries?
Under the Warm Homes: Local Grant a battery can only be fitted alongside new or existing solar panels. 0% VAT covers a battery whether it goes in with panels, on its own, or later.
Compare current export rates in our solar export tariff comparison or start with domestic solar installation.
