Home → Solar panel costs
Updated 2026How much do solar panels cost in the UK?
Straight answer: £6,411 to £7,990 for solar, plus about £2,444 for battery storage. Here's exactly what drives that number, and why the smallest system is the worst value on the list.
| System | Capacity | Generates / year | Solar only | Cost per kWp | With 5.2 kWh battery | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 panels | 2.7 kWp | 2,695 kWh | £6,411 | £2,374 | £8,855 | ≈ 14 yrs |
| 10 panels | 4.5 kWp | 4,492 kWh | £7,201 | £1,600 | £9,644 | ≈ 9 yrs |
| 14 panels | 6.3 kWp | 6,289 kWh | £7,990 | £1,268 | £10,434 | ≈ 7 yrs |
Prices from the OVO regional partner pricing matrix. Generation at the UK average of 998 kWh per kWp. Excludes non-standard scaffolding, roof repairs and unusual electrical work.
Why the small system costs nearly twice as much per unit
Break the price apart and it becomes obvious. Every installation carries a large fixed cost that doesn't change with system size:
- Labour: £2,051, identical on all three system sizes
- Scaffolding, inverter, DNO application, MCS certification, near-identical
- Panels themselves, the only part that genuinely scales
Model it and the whole matrix collapses to a single line:
Installed cost ≈ £5,227 + £439 per kWp
That formula reproduces all three published prices to within £1. Roughly two-thirds of a small installation is fixed cost that you pay whether you fit 6 panels or 14.
Which leads somewhere useful: going from 2.7 kWp to 6.3 kWp costs 25% more and generates 133% more electricity. If your roof has the space, half-filling it is the single most expensive decision you can make.
Work out your own numbersSolar panel costs by region
The installed price is the same wherever you are: our partners work to one national price list, so a 14 panel system is £7,990 in Aberdeen and £7,990 in Plymouth. What changes with your postcode is what the roof gives back each year, which is why the sunniest regions pay the same price back fastest.
| Region | kWh per kWp / year | 14 panels (6.3 kWp) generates | Export income at 20p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devon and Cornwall | 1,060 | 6,678 kWh | ≈ £740 |
| South Coast and Wessex | 1,040 | 6,552 kWh | ≈ £725 |
| London and the Thames Valley | 1,000 | 6,300 kWh | ≈ £700 |
| Yorkshire | 910 | 5,733 kWh | ≈ £635 |
| North East Scotland | 850 | 5,355 kWh | ≈ £595 |
Generation figures are regional averages for a south-facing roof at optimal pitch, on the UK average of 998 kWh per kWp. The full 12 region table is on the home page, and every area has its own page with local figures: find yours on the solar installer coverage map.
How much does a solar battery cost?
About £2,444 for roughly 5.2 kWh of usable capacity, around £470 per usable kWh, fitted and commissioned.
That figure is flat across all three system sizes, so as a proportion of the job it matters much more on a small install than a large one.
The part people miss: a battery also lifts your OVO export rate from 15p to 20p per kWh. On a system exporting 3,500 kWh a year, that uplift alone is worth about £175 a year, before you count a single penny of stored-energy saving.
Add the off-peak charging saving on top and the battery typically covers its own cost well inside the panels' warranted life.
What's included in the price
Included as standard
- Panels, mounting and roof fixings
- Inverter and all electrical work
- Scaffolding for a standard two-storey house
- DNO application and MCS certification
- Battery and installation, where specified
- 10-year workmanship warranty
- Handover, app setup and export registration
Quoted separately if needed
- Non-standard or extended scaffolding
- Roof repairs or tile replacement
- Consumer unit upgrades
- Long or awkward cable runs
- Scaffolding on listed or unusual buildings
- Bird protection mesh
Your regional partner confirms all of this on your free remote design, before you commit to anything.
A fixed written price for your roof, with nothing hidden underneath it.
Instant prices are a thing of the present
You should not need a salesperson in your front room to find out what solar costs. Answer a few questions and see a real number for your home.
If it looks right, this is the whole process from there:
- We consult and design, on videoYour roof on screen, sized around how you actually use energy. About 45 minutes.
- You get a quote in writingA fixed price from your local expert, on the call, not posted out next week.
- Letter of authority and grid applicationYou sign an LOA so we can handle the grid application for you, and a deposit holds your install slot.
- Technical survey, then installYour local team confirms everything agreed remotely, then fits it. Usually one to two days.
Solar & battery installers in Bristol
Yes, show me →Cost questions, answered
Is there VAT on solar panels and batteries?
No. Domestic solar panels and battery storage installed in residential property in Great Britain currently attract 0% VAT. Every price on this page is what you'd actually pay. The relief is scheduled to run until 31 March 2027, after which the rate is due to return to 5%.
Are there grants for solar panels in the UK?
There's no general solar grant for most households. The ECO4 scheme can cover solar for low-income and vulnerable households through their energy supplier, and the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme applies to heat pumps rather than solar.
For most people the real support is the 0% VAT and the export tariff, at 20p per kWh, OVO's SEG Install Exclusive is worth considerably more over 25 years than a one-off grant would be.
Can I pay monthly or spread the cost?
Finance is available through selected regional partners. Your local partner will confirm what's available in your area and what the monthly figure looks like on your design call.
Worth doing the sums on: if your annual benefit is around £1,435 on a 14-panel system with battery, that's roughly £120 a month against a monthly finance payment.
Do solar panels add value to a house?
Evidence suggests owned solar panels tend to have a positive effect on sale price and can improve an EPC rating, which matters increasingly to buyers and lenders.
The important word is owned. Older rent-a-roof schemes, where a third party owns the panels and leases your roof, have historically complicated sales. Everything we install is owned outright by you.
What are the ongoing costs?
Very little. Solar PV has no moving parts. Expect an inverter replacement at some point in a 25-year life, typically £800 to £1,500, and occasional cleaning if your panels are heavily shaded by trees or sit at a shallow pitch.
Your 10-year workmanship warranty covers installation faults, and panels, inverter and battery carry their own manufacturer warranties.
How much can I actually save a year?
On a 14-panel system with battery, around £1,435 a year, made up of the electricity you no longer import, the export income at 20p per kWh, and the saving from charging your battery off-peak.
A 10-panel system lands around £1,025 and a 6-panel system around £627. Your own figure depends on roof orientation, shading and how much electricity you get through.
Get a real price for your actual roof
Free 45-minute video design with a local OVO expert. You'll leave the call with a written price, whether or not you buy anything.