The short answer
There is no single national solar grant. Instead, a mix of schemes helps different households. Some cut the price of a system, some offer cheaper borrowing, and one is a tax break open to everyone.
Where you live matters, because each UK nation runs its own help. Your income and your home’s energy rating matter too, although VAT relief ignores both.
Here is the quick picture as of October 2026:
- Everyone in the UK: 0% VAT on solar panels and batteries until 31 March 2027.
- England, lower incomes: the Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund solar panels.
- UK-wide, any income: a government-backed low-interest loan scheme is due to reach customers through lenders from September 2026.
- Scotland and Wales: separate schemes, run by Home Energy Scotland and Nest.
- Northern Ireland: no grant for homeowners, though the zero VAT rate applies.
0% VAT for everyone
Installing solar panels and batteries in a home is zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027. After that date, the reduced rate of 5% is due to apply. GOV.UK says this applies in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The installer applies the relief, so it should show on your quote because the sale and fitting come from the same firm. Standalone batteries have qualified since 1 February 2024. On a £6,400 system, 5% would add about £320. Our post on 0% VAT on solar panels and batteries explains the rules in more detail.
England: the Warm Homes: Local Grant
The Warm Homes: Local Grant is for lower-income homes in England. Your council arranges a survey, suggests upgrades and pays for the work you agree. You do not pay. The upgrades can include solar panels, insulation, smart controls and air source heat pumps.
To qualify, your home must be privately owned, either by you or your landlord. It must also have an EPC of D, E, F or G. Household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less. You may still qualify above that if you live in a certain postcode area or someone in your home gets certain benefits.
Funding is not available everywhere, because it depends on your council. GOV.UK says that if you are eligible and your council has funding, it will arrange a home survey. It will usually contact you within 10 working days. Landlords may have to pay for some of the work.
You apply on GOV.UK. A genuine offer comes through your council, so be wary of anyone who calls you first.
If you find the online form hard, there is a helpline on 0800 098 7950. It runs Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, and on Saturday from 9am to 12pm, but it is closed on bank holidays. The line is there to help you apply, because the form can be tricky.
The Warm Homes Plan, published in January 2026, says low-income households will get around £5 billion of support to 2030. From 2027/28 the government intends to join its low-income schemes into one. Details may change, so check GOV.UK before you apply.
The plan also promises a new Warm Homes Agency from 2027. It is meant to give impartial advice on home upgrades, online and by phone. Until then, your council and the nation-based services below are the best free sources, because they know the local schemes.
Loans for solar and batteries
The Warm Homes Loan Scheme aims to make borrowing cheaper. Government gives lenders a grant of up to 20% of each loan. Lenders must pass this on by cutting the interest rate. The scheme covers solar panels and batteries, including standalone batteries.
The scheme has no income test, and it relies on each lender’s own affordability checks. It is therefore aimed at people who can afford to borrow, not at low-income homes. It covers homes anywhere in the UK. The rules (September 2026) set an initial consumer launch from September 2026, and a second lender window for early 2027. Products and rates come from the lenders, however, so compare them yourself.
Installers must be MCS certified, and the products must be MCS certified too. Our post on MCS certification explains what that means, and why it matters for your guarantees. Before you borrow, ask for the total amount you will repay, not just the monthly cost.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Scotland. Home Energy Scotland runs interest-free loans and grants for low-carbon upgrades. Its terms say that renewable energy work needs an MCS installer and MCS certified products. Call 0808 808 2282 or use its funding finder to see what applies to your home.
Wales. The Welsh Government’s Nest scheme offers free improvements to eligible homes. You must own or privately rent your home. You also need a means-tested benefit or a low income, and an EPC of E or below (D or below with an eligible health condition). The Warm Homes Plan says Nest can provide insulation, solar panels and heat pumps. Call Nest on 0808 808 2244.
Northern Ireland. nidirect says there is no financial support for homeowners who want to generate their own electricity. However, solar panels benefit from the zero rate of VAT.
Schemes that are closing, or not for solar
Some well-known schemes do not help with solar panels, or are ending. This short list may save you time.
- ECO4 closes on 31 December 2026, and the government says there will be no successor supplier scheme.
- Great British Insulation Scheme ended on 31 March 2026, according to Ofgem.
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme pays towards heat pumps and biomass boilers in England and Wales. It does not cover solar panels.
If you plan to add a heat pump, our post on solar panels and heat pumps shows how the two fit together.
“Free” solar offers: what is genuine?
A real grant comes through a council or a named scheme. It does not come from a cold call, a door-knock or a “limited time” deal. The Warm Homes Plan also describes “solar-as-a-service” pilots, where a household pays a monthly fee and no upfront cost. Those were small trials, so read any such offer with care, because the monthly fee runs for years.
Ask what you will pay in total, who owns the panels, and what happens if you sell your home. Our post on free solar panel schemes separates genuine help from poor deals. The guide to choosing an installer lists the checks to make.
Check before you accept any funding
Work through these steps before you sign anything:
- Confirm the scheme name on GOV.UK or your nation’s official site.
- Check that your installer is MCS certified, using the MCS website.
- Ask for the total price, in writing, with VAT shown.
- Compare at least three quotes, as our post on how much solar panels cost explains.
For typical prices and savings, see solar panel costs and savings. If you are weighing a battery, read solar batteries and export. When you are ready to plan, use our guide to planning your installation.
How we keep this page current
Scheme rules change often, so we date every fact, since an old rule can cost you money. This page was last revised on 10 October 2026. We checked each rule against the official pages listed below.
Common questions
Can I get free solar panels from the government?
Only some lower-income homes can. In England, the Warm Homes: Local Grant can pay for solar panels if your home and income qualify. Most other households pay for their own system, though 0% VAT lowers the cost.
Who qualifies for the Warm Homes: Local Grant?
Your home must be in England, privately owned or rented, and have an EPC of D to G. Household income must usually be £36,000 or less, although some postcodes and benefits also qualify. Your council decides which upgrades suit your home.
Is there a solar grant in Northern Ireland?
nidirect says there is no financial support for homeowners who want to generate their own electricity. However, installing solar panels there benefits from a zero rate of VAT.
When does 0% VAT on solar panels end?
The zero rate applies until 31 March 2027. After that, the reduced rate of 5% is due to apply, as of October 2026. Check GOV.UK for any change before you sign.
Are solar loans available yet?
Government rules for the Warm Homes Loan Scheme set an initial consumer launch from September 2026. However, lenders choose and launch their own products, so ask lenders directly. Check that any loan says its total cost clearly.