Solar panels in the UK: 2026 cost + SEG guide by town

How solar PV works on UK roofs

A typical UK solar PV install puts 10–14 monocrystalline panels on the roof, rated 400–440 W each, total 4–5 kW peak. Annual output depends on roof orientation, pitch and shading: a south-facing roof at 35° pitch in southern England generates around 850 kWh per kW per year (so ~3,400 kWh for a 4 kW system); the same system in northern Scotland does about 720 kWh per kW. Half of that output is typically used in the home directly (offsetting your electricity bill at full retail rate, usually 25–35p/kWh), and half is exported (paid at the SEG rate, 3–15p/kWh depending on supplier).

Adding a battery (typically 5 to 15 kWh) shifts the self-consumption share upward — usable solar at night instead of selling cheap and buying back expensive. The marginal-return point in 2026 sits around the 5 kWh tier: smaller batteries don’t cover an evening peak; larger batteries cost more than the export savings recover.

Browse by town

Each town page below carries live EPC band data for the area + solar-specific context (roof age, common property type, install considerations). Sample size shown next to each town. We’re expanding coverage steadily — if your town isn’t listed yet, the suitability checker below works for every UK address.

Check your specific home

Town pages give the local context; whether solar PV pays back on your specific home comes down to roof orientation, usable area, shading from neighbours / trees, and your daytime electricity usage. Propertoasty’s free pre-survey check uses the Google Solar API’s high-resolution roof segmentation alongside your EPC to size a system and estimate payback in about five minutes.

Run a free pre-survey check on your home — panel count, expected kWh/year, payback in years, and a list of MCS-certified installers covering your area.

Solar panels in the UK: 2026 cost + SEG guide by town

How solar PV works on UK roofs

Browse by town

Check your specific home

Sources