Solar panel grants in the UK: what exists in 2026?

The short answer: no general grant — but real support exists

If you're waiting for a "solar panel grant" to appear, here is the truth: there is no general UK grant that pays for solar panels on an ordinary home in 2026. The old feed-in tariff closed to new applicants years ago, and nothing has replaced it as a direct subsidy.

But "no grant" doesn't mean "no help". Three things genuinely cut the cost right now — and the biggest one isn't called a grant at all.

1. 0% VAT — the biggest saving most people get

Residential solar panel and battery installs are 0% VAT until 31 March 2027 (checked October 2026). On a typical £7,000 4kW system, that saves roughly £1,200–£1,600 versus standard VAT — more than most "grants" people imagine. It applies automatically through your installer; there is nothing to claim. Note the deadline: after March 2027 the rate position may change, so quotes for 2027 installs should spell out the VAT treatment.

2. Smart Export Guarantee — paid for your surplus

The Smart Export Guarantee isn't a grant, it's an ongoing payment: suppliers pay you for electricity you export. In October 2026, standalone export tariffs paid roughly 3–6p per kWh, or 12–16p/kWh when your import tariff is with the same supplier. A typical 4kW system might earn £80–£200 a year (estimate) — modest, but it shortens the payback period by a year or so and it runs for as long as you have the system.

3. ECO4 — for eligible low-income households

ECO4 can include solar PV as part of a whole-house package for eligible households — typically those on certain means-tested benefits, in EPC D–G homes. But solar is not the scheme's focus (insulation and heating are), and the scheme ends on 31 December 2026. If solar is all you want, ECO4 probably isn't your route. See our ECO4 eligibility guide.

What about "free solar panels"?

Adverts promising free solar panels are almost never what they seem. The common models: rent-a-roof deals (a company installs panels on your roof free, but keeps the export payments and ties up your roof for 20+ years — terrible if you ever sell), and lead-generation funnels that harvest your details for installers after a "grant checker" quiz. Genuine ECO4-funded solar exists but is means-tested and survey-led — nobody legitimate promises it from a Facebook ad without asking about your circumstances.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is not for solar

Worth saying plainly because the confusion is everywhere: the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme is for heat pumps, not solar panels. If a salesperson mentions BUS money for your solar quote, that is a red flag about everything else they say.

So what should you actually do?

Price the system properly with the solar cost calculator — the 0% VAT saving is already the discount, and at £1,565–£1,686 per kW installed, the economics stand on their own for most suitable roofs. Check the grant checker in case you qualify for ECO4. And get competing quotes: with no grant paperwork involved, the only variable that matters is the installer's price and quality.

Council group-buying schemes

One avenue people miss: several councils run group-buying schemes for solar, where vetted installers bid in an auction for the area's pooled demand and residents get a fixed, transparent quote. You won't get a grant, but the auction dynamic typically shaves a meaningful chunk off the going rate — and the council vetting filters out the cowboys. Check your council's website for anything solar-related; schemes open in waves and not every area runs one.

Also worth knowing: some new-build developments now include solar as standard (developers chasing planning and EPC targets), and a growing number of social landlords are fitting panels across their stock — if you rent from a housing association, it's worth asking what's planned for your street.

FAQs

Are there any grants for solar panels in the UK?

No general grant. The real support is 0% VAT to 31 March 2027, SEG export payments, and ECO4 for eligible low-income households (ends 31 December 2026).

Can I get free solar panels?

Not through any general scheme. "Free solar" adverts are usually rent-a-roof deals or lead funnels — read the terms very carefully.

Is there VAT on solar panels?

0% on residential installs until 31 March 2027 — worth roughly £1,200–£1,600 on a typical 4kW system.

Does ECO4 cover solar panels?

Sometimes within a whole-house package for eligible households, but solar isn't the scheme's focus and it ends December 2026.

What is the Smart Export Guarantee?

Payments for exported solar power: ~3–6p/kWh standalone in October 2026, or 12–16p with the same supplier for imports.