The Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund free solar panels for eligible households. Solar is now the UK’s most-installed Warm Homes measure. Here’s every funding route available in 2026 — and what’s coming.
Free solar panels in 2026 are available through the Warm Homes: Local Grant if you meet eligibility criteria. This includes household income below £36,000 (or living in a priority postcode area), EPC rating D–G, and ownership or private tenancy of an English property with a participating local authority.
For those who don’t qualify for a free grant, the Warm Homes Loan Scheme (Rollout developing — consumer products launching as lenders are approved) may offer subsidised finance. There is no general “free solar panels for everyone” scheme in 2026.
Solar was the #1 Warm Homes measure: According to Government statistics published 30 July 2026, solar PV accounted for 38% of all Warm Homes: Local Grant measures installed to the end of June 2026 — more than insulation or heat pumps.
DESNZ reports around 5,470 households upgraded and 11,250 measures installed to the end of July 2026 (up from ~5,100 households / 10,460 measures last month). Solar PV leads at 38%, insulation 24%, and batteries have risen to 18%. Regionally the South East leads (23% of upgraded homes), then the North West (19% — and the highest average measures per household at 2.33) and the East of England (14%). TrustMark holds ~14,700 lodged measures across ~6,700 households, so validated totals are likely to revise upward under DESNZ’s new methodology. Figures are provisional. Next release: Thursday 26 November 2026.
| Scheme | Status | Who for | What it provides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm Homes: Local Grant | ✅ Open | EPC D–G, income <£36k, homeowner/tenant England | Fully funded solar installation |
| Warm Homes Loan Scheme | 🕐 Expected Sept 2026 | Homeowners who don’t qualify for grants | Subsidised finance for solar |
| 0% VAT on solar panels | ✅ Permanent | All UK homeowners | No VAT on installation (saves ~£500–1,000) |
| Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) | ✅ Ongoing | All solar owners exporting to grid | Payment for electricity exported |
| Plug-in solar (balcony solar) | 🕐 Rules changing 2026 | Homeowners/renters with limited space | Small-scale DIY solar permitted |
| ECO4 solar | ❌ Not covered by ECO4 | — | ECO4 can include solar PV within qualifying whole-home ECO projects where scheme requirements are met (subject to a 10kWp generation-capacity cap). It is not a universal standalone “free solar panel grant” — eligibility and measure selection depend on the ECO project and property. |
Check whether your postcode area is covered by an active Warm Homes: Local Grant programme.
EPC D–G and household income below £36,000 typically required, though priority postcode routes may not require income verification.
If eligible, contact your local authority or their WH:LG delivery partner. The council arranges and funds the work.
Compare private solar installation quotes through Insulation Comparisons and explore the Warm Homes Loan Scheme when available.
Yes. The Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund free solar installation for eligible English homeowners and private tenants with EPC D–G and household income below £36,000 (or in a priority postcode). The Warm Homes Loan Scheme is Warm Homes Loan Scheme rollout is underway. The first lender application round has closed, with further lender participation expected later in 2026. Consumer products will become available as approved lenders launch them.
Yes, in specific circumstances. ECO4 can include solar PV within qualifying whole-home projects, subject to a 10kWp generation-capacity cap — typically for electrically heated or off-gas homes where panels contribute to the required efficiency uplift. It is not a universal free-solar grant; England's main funded solar route is the Warm Homes: Local Grant, where solar was 38% of all installs to end-July 2026. Solar is funded through the Warm Homes: Local Grant instead.
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) requires licensed energy suppliers to pay homeowners for excess solar electricity exported to the grid. Rates vary by supplier. Check current rates on the Ofgem website.
Yes. Solar panel installations in the UK benefit from a 0% VAT until 31 March 2027 under current rules. This typically saves £500–£1,000 on the overall installation cost.