Solar panel advice
Plain answers on costs, batteries, planning and living with solar, written by the people who fit it. Every figure is sourced and dated.
Costs and savings
Costs and savingsAre solar panels worth it in the UK in 2026?For most owner-occupied homes in England, yes: a typical 4.4kW system pays for itself in 7.5 to 10 years. Here are the real sums, town by town, and the cases where solar does not add up.7 min readCosts and savingsEV charger installation cost: what you will pay in 2026A standard 7kW home charger costs £800 to £1,200 fitted. Here is what pushes the price up, who can still get a grant, and how much you save by charging overnight or from your own solar panels.7 min readCosts and savingsSolar panel grants in England: what you can actually get in 2026Free solar is real for some low-income homes, but most households get help through 0% VAT, cheap Warm Homes loans and export payments instead. Who qualifies for what, with the sums.6 min readCosts and savingsSolar panel payback period: how long until solar pays for itself?At late 2026 prices a 4.4kW system pays back in about 8 years in Brighton and just under 10 in Manchester. Here is the arithmetic, town by town, with and without a battery.7 min readCosts and savingsThe best energy tariffs for solar panels, batteries and EVsExport rates run from 4.1p to 18p a kWh and overnight EV rates from 6.49p to 9.5p. Which pairing is best depends on whether you have a battery, an EV or a heat pump. Rates checked September 2026.6 min read
Getting it installed
Getting it installedHow many solar panels do I need for my house?A typical three-bedroom home needs 7 to 10 modern 440W panels. Here is the four-step method we use, with the sums for different house sizes, towns and roofs.7 min readGetting it installedHow long does solar panel installation take?The fitting itself is a one or two day job. What decides the total time is paperwork: grid approval for larger systems, planning in protected areas, and your cooling-off period.6 min read
Batteries
BatteriesHow much does a solar battery cost in the UK?Most home batteries cost £2,800 to £6,500 installed, and fitting one with new panels is the cheapest way to do it. Prices per kWh, the payback sums and when a battery is not worth it.6 min readBatteriesThe best solar batteries in the UK, compared on real specificationsSeven home batteries sold in England, side by side on usable capacity, power, warranty terms, coupling and installed price, plus which one a surveyor would suggest for which kind of home.7 min readBatteriesWhat size solar battery do I need?Match the battery to the electricity you use after the sun goes down. For most homes that means 5 to 10kWh, and we show how to work out your own number.7 min read
Living with solar
Living with solarDo solar panels work in winter? What English roofs really produceYes, but far less than in summer. Our PVGIS modelling shows a Manchester roof makes about 26% of its June output in December, and a London roof about 31%.7 min readLiving with solarHow long do solar panels last?Panels are warranted for 25 to 30 years and usually keep going well beyond that, losing around half a percent of output a year. The inverter is the part you will replace.7 min readLiving with solarSmart Export Guarantee (SEG): rates, rules and how to applyExport tariffs now range from 4.1p to 20p per kWh, so the one you pick can be worth over £400 a year. Current rates, eligibility and the steps to get paid.6 min readLiving with solarSolar panel maintenance and cleaning: what is worth doingRain does most of the cleaning on a pitched roof in England. Here is when a professional clean actually pays, what it costs, how to spot a fault from your app, and the one part you will probably replace.6 min readLiving with solarSolar panels and selling your house: paperwork, lenders and valueOwned panels with a full paperwork pack rarely hold up a sale. A leased roof can. Here is what the TA6 form, mortgage lenders and buyers will ask for, and what the research says about value.6 min read
Planning and rules
Planning and rulesDo you need planning permission for solar panels in England?Most houses do not: roof panels are permitted development if they stay within a few simple limits. What changed in August 2026, and when you do need permission or consent.7 min readPlanning and rulesIs my roof suitable for solar panels? Eight checksDirection, pitch, shade, space, roof covering, strength, planning and wiring. Our PVGIS data shows how much each roof direction and angle really costs you.7 min readPlanning and rulesMCS certification explained: what it means for your solar panelsMCS is the quality standard for small solar installations, and its certificate is what lets you be paid for the power you export. Here is what it covers, what it does not, and how to check an installer in two minutes.6 min read
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