🌞 A solar panel system costs about £9,000 for the typical three-bedroom home

🏠 Roof-mounted systems are the cheapest type, especially compared to solar tiles

🤔 Labour and scaffolding are the biggest cost factors

🔋 A battery will add around £2,000 to the cost, if you get it at the same time

💷 You'll usually need to pay for a replacement battery and inverter after 10-12 years

How much do solar panels cost?

There are certain solar panel costs that are ‘fixed’, meaning they generally stay the same regardless of how many solar panels you install. This includes labour, scaffolding, plus your inverter and battery. In many cases, adding a few extra solar panels to your system doesn’t add as much to the cost as you might think, whereas it has a big impact on your savings.

🤔 Thinking of going solar? Here's why a larger system makes sense ⬇️

The UK's first solar subscription

Solar panel cost breakdown

For roofs with significant amounts of shading, microinverters are a much more sophisticated solution than optimisers. They’re about three times the price of optimisers, but you save on not having to buy a string inverter. You also get what you pay for; microinverters will significantly increase the amount of electricity your system can generate.

If your inverter is larger than 3.68kW then you will need DNO approval, but Sunsave will take care of everything. We’ll apply for the G99 on your behalf, and if the grid requires, we can limit export from your inverter at the point of installation - so you can use its full power at home, whilst still meeting the export requirements of the grid.

Sign up for Sunsave Plus

How much money do solar panels save you?

Any household appliance that heats or cools should be used as efficiently as possible to keep running costs low. Some of the most energy-hungry everyday appliances include washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers and EV chargers. If your home has solar panels, these are the things to use in the middle of the day when you’re generating the most energy.

The best solar export tariff for your household depends on a few factors. For instance, if you have a heat pump and/or an electric car with your solar panels, it could be worth considering an export tariff like Octopus Outgoing and combining it with import tariffs like Octopus Go or Cosy Octopus. At Sunsave, we’ll always recommend an export tariff that’s best for you.

If you’re thinking about electrifying your heating by switching to a heat pump, solar panels are a no-brainer. A heat pump will dramatically increase the amount of electricity your household uses, but solar panels can step in and provide a big chunk of it. You also don’t need to get a specific, “solar-compatible” heat pump - all heat pumps work with solar panels.

How to keep the costs of solar panels down

What are the costs of maintaining your solar panels?

Next steps

Solar panel costs: FAQs

Are solar panels in the UK worth it?

How much do solar panels cost for a three-bedroom house in the UK?

How much does a 3kW solar panel cost in the UK?

How much does one solar panel cost in the UK?

Can I get free solar panels in the UK?

How many solar panels do I need for a four-bedroom house in the UK?

Is a 12kW system enough to run a house?

How much is the grant for solar panels in the UK?

How much do solar panels cost? [UK, 2024]

What's in this guide?

How much do solar panels cost in the UK?

✂️ Solar panels will cut your electricity bills by 103%, on average

🏡 They'll typically raises your home’s value by 3%

🌍 Going solar can reduce your home's CO2 emissions by 61%

💷 You can earn money selling your excess electricity to the grid

🛡️ Protect yourself from rising energy costs

Is it worth getting solar panels in the UK?

🐴 Hear it from the horse’s mouth…

The five reasons to get solar panels

Solar panels produce less electricity in the winter than they do in the summer, but across a 12-month period it balances out and leads to significant energy bill savings. You’ll need to rely on the grid a fair amount in the winter months, but in the summer months you’ll tend to produce more electricity than you need and sell the excess to the grid.

The relationship between solar panels and property value is already very good, and it’s going to keep on improving. As more people switch to heat pumps and electric cars and the demand for electricity rises, the value of solar panels will go up too. In fact, McKinsey estimates that electricity demand in the UK will rise by 50% between 2022 and 2035.

How long does it take for solar panels to pay for themselves?

When you get solar panels installed, it’s important to remember that they’ll be generating the most energy during the middle of the day, so that’s the best time to do high-energy tasks. Put simply, if you don't have a home battery, the more of your solar power you use, the less you need to buy from the grid later

About half of UK households have less than £5,000 in savings, according to the FCA, which puts solar panels out of reach for millions.

Things to consider before you get solar panels

FAQs

What is the main disadvantage of solar panels?

How many solar panels does it take to power a house?

Are there any alternatives to solar panels?

How long does it take to make your money back on solar panels?

How much do solar panels cost for a three-bedroom house?

How long do solar panels last?

Do solar panels affect your EPC rating?

Here's how much you can save with solar panels, their average break-even point, and all the factors that affect these numbers.

Are solar panels worth it? | UK, 2024

Are solar panels worth it in the UK?

🏡 There are multiple solar panel grants – but only for certain households

⚡ ECO4 helps low-income and vulnerable households switch to solar

🙌 Everyone can benefit from the 0% VAT rate

💷 All households can profit from selling their excess electricity to the grid

🌞 If you don't qualify for any grants, you can still switch to solar at no upfront cost

What are the grants and schemes for solar panels?

How do I qualify for free solar panels in the UK?

Are there any upcoming solar panel grants?

1. What is ECO4?

2. What is the Home Upgrade Grant?

3. What is the Smart Export Guarantee?

The Feed-in Tariff scheme was fantastic, and it came in at a time when the UK’s residential solar industry needed some serious encouragement. But we don’t really need the Feed-in Tariff today; solar panels are much better and can provide far greater energy bill savings, their costs have fallen dramatically, and some of the solar export tariffs pay very competitive rates.

4. What are solar panel loans?

5. What are green home rewards?

6. What is the solar VAT discount?

7. What is the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund?

8. What is the Welsh Government Warm Homes Programme?

9. What are social housing PPA schemes?

10. What is Solar Together?

Our methodology

Read about our calculations

Defunct grants & schemes

Discover which solar panel grants you're eligible for, how much they can save you, and how you can access them.

The 10 best solar panel grants & funding options [UK, 2024]

The 10 best solar panel grants & funding options

📈 Shipping prices are rising, so the overall cost of going solar is increasing

🌏 86% of the world’s solar panels are from China, so shipping costs are unavoidable

🚢 It’s not worth waiting for shipping costs to fall

⏪ The fall in solar panel prices could be about to reverse

The rising cost of solar panel installations

Why can’t we produce more solar panels in Europe?

Is it worth waiting for shipping costs to fall?

Can we make solar panels cheaper?

How long does it take for solar panels to pay for themselves in the UK?

Are cheap solar panels any good?

Solar panel prices are set to increase. Here are the reasons why, including China’s dominance, and what this means for domestic solar costs.

Will solar panels get cheaper? [UK, 2024]

Will solar panels get cheaper?

⚖️ The risks of buying used solar panels almost always outweigh the benefits

❌ Second-hand panels are often sold on because they are defective or unreliable

🌞 There are many better alternatives, such as solar subscriptions

Should you buy used solar panels?

Why are used solar panels risky?

Sensible ways to reduce the cost of solar panels

Summary

Used solar panels: FAQs

Is it safe to buy used solar panels?

What happens to solar panels that are no longer usable?

We run through the key disadvantages of getting used solar panels instead of brand new ones, including reduced output and maintenance problems.

Used solar panels: are they a good idea? [UK, 2024]

Used solar panels: are they a good idea?

🏆 Trina Solar is the best solar panel brand of 2024

🌍 The winning panels are from six countries across three continents

🛡️ All these solar panels can withstand a bombardment of large ice balls

🔥 They’ve also endured an 85°C room with 85% humidity for 2,000 hours

❌ 66% of brands saw at least one of their panels fail a test

What are the best solar panels?

The methodology

Best solar panels: FAQs

Which brand of solar panel is best?

Which solar panels are most effective?

Are bigger solar panels better?

Does the brand of solar panel matter?

How many solar panels to power a house?

Here are the best solar panels of the year, based on months of rigorous durability, reliability, performance, and longevity testing.

The 9 best solar panels [2024]

The 9 best solar panels in 2024

🏠 Thousands of households joined rent-a-roof solar panel schemes in the 2010s

🛑 They often made it difficult to sell your home or even get an extension

🔙 Some people were unable to exit their contract

🌞 You can now get solar panels at no upfront cost, without handing over control

✋ Solar roof leases are still available, but you should be wary of them

What were rent-a-roof solar panel schemes?

What were the problems with rent-a-roof solar panel schemes?

Are rent-a-roof schemes still available?

Thinking of signing up for a rent-a-roof scheme?

Rent-a-roof solar panels: FAQs

Do you still own your roof if you have solar panels?

What is the rent-a-roof scheme from British Gas?

Can I rent my roof for solar?

Here's how rent-a-roof schemes worked, what their main issues were, what caused their downfall – and the better alternatives.

Rent-a-roof solar panels: what went wrong? [UK, 2024]

Rent-a-roof solar panels: what went wrong?

💷 Solar panel loans usually come with no upfront cost

📅 They typically last between two and 10 years – though some are longer

📋 Most solar panel loans come with certain eligibility requirements

☀️ Sunsave Plus is the UK’s first solar subscription, lasting 20 years

❌ Avoid solar panel loans that require a roof lease or have inflation-linked fees

What is a solar panel loan?

What are the benefits of a solar panel loan?

Pitfalls to look out for with solar panel loans

Why is Sunsave Plus different to a standard solar panel loan?

Are solar panel loans worth it?

Solar panel loans: FAQs

Can I get a loan to buy solar panels?

Can I get funding for solar panels in the UK?

Is it harder to sell a house with solar panels in the UK?

Here's how solar panel loans usually work, how they differ from paying for solar upfront, and how Sunsave Plus fits in.

Solar panel loans & finance | Is it worth it? [UK, 2024]

Solar panel loans & finance: is it worth it?

🏠 69% of people in the UK are 'likely' to buy a home with solar panels on

⬆️ You’ll almost always raise your EPC grade by getting solar panels

☀️ Solar panels will typically add 3% to your home’s value

📈 Other UK studies range between 0.9% and 14%

⚡ A solar & battery system will reduce a household’s electricity bills by 103%, on average

Is there more demand for solar homes?

Do solar panels increase your property’s EPC rating?

Why do solar panels directly increase property value?

What do other studies say?

Solar panels and property value: FAQs

Do solar panels increase house prices?

What is the return on investment of solar panels?

What is the average cost of installing solar panels in the UK?

Will solar panels affect my mortgage?

How many solar panels do I need for a four-bedroom house?

Do I need to tell my electricity supplier I have solar panels?

Learn about how solar panels affect property prices around the UK, and why they're so popular with homebuyers.

Do solar panels increase the value of your home? [UK, 2024]

Do solar panels increase the value of your home?

🌞 Solar Together gets communities cheaper solar installations through group-buying

💷 The upfront cost is still high, despite the group-buying aspect

🤝 The scheme is only available in England

👎 Some households have had bad experiences with Solar Together

🏡 Most houses are eligible for Solar Together

What is Solar Together?

The pros and cons of Solar Together

Who can access Solar Together?

How to sign up for Solar Together

Solar Together success stories

Solar Together’s failures

The best alternatives to Solar Together

Solar Together: FAQs

What is the Solar Together scheme?

Who runs Solar Together?

Is Solar Together worth it?

Considering the switch to solar? Find out how Solar Together works and whether it's right for you, including key pros and cons

Solar Together: explained [UK, 2024]

Solar Together: is it worth it?

✅ A Flexi-Orb or MCS certification means you can expect a top-tier installation

🔍 Output and savings estimates should be checked by a third-party expert

🏆 Make sure your installer uses high-quality solar panels

📅 Ask how long your installation will take – and keep checking

Learn about the sensible questions to ask any solar panel installer to ensure you're getting a top quality installation.

Solar panel quotes: 7 questions to ask installers [2024]

Solar panel quotes: 7 questions to ask before installing solar

Costs