Quick answer: A typical domestic solar panel installation costs a modelled average of £6,496 in July 2026, with most systems falling between £4,222 and £10,069. A typical household could save up to £577 a year (estimate), giving a modelled simple payback of around 11 years.
This page collects the key solar cost statistics from our UK Home Energy Cost Index — national averages, the typical range, all 12 regional prices and the savings maths behind the payback figure. For what the panels actually do and whether your roof suits them, start with our solar panel guide.
Key solar panel statistics for 2026
- The average solar panel installation in the UK costs £6,496 — Green Reach Energy Cost Index, July 2026 (modelled).
- Typical UK solar installations range from £4,222 to £10,069 depending on system size and spec — Green Reach Energy Cost Index, July 2026 (modelled).
- London is the most expensive place in the UK to install solar, at a modelled average of £7,795 — Green Reach Energy Cost Index, July 2026 (modelled).
- Northern Ireland is the cheapest UK region for solar at £5,976, 8% below the national average — Green Reach Energy Cost Index, July 2026 (modelled).
- The gap between the most and least expensive regions for solar is £1,819, or roughly 30% — Green Reach Energy Cost Index, July 2026 (modelled).
- A South East installation averages £7,276, second only to London — Green Reach Energy Cost Index, July 2026 (modelled).
- North West households pay a modelled average of £6,171 for solar, 5% below the UK figure — Green Reach Energy Cost Index, July 2026 (modelled).
- Scotland’s modelled average solar cost is £6,236; Wales comes in at £6,106 — Green Reach Energy Cost Index, July 2026 (modelled).
- A typical household with solar panels could save up to £577 a year on electricity bills (estimate) — Green Reach Energy Cost Index, July 2026 (modelled).
- Modelled simple payback for solar is around 11 years at current prices — Green Reach Energy Cost Index, July 2026 (modelled).
- Solar panels and batteries carry 0% VAT until March 2027 — GOV.UK, checked July 2026.
- Smart Export Guarantee rates for exported solar power typically run at 4–15p/kWh — checked July 2026.
- Every unit you use yourself avoids grid electricity at 26.11p/kWh under the July–September 2026 Ofgem price cap.
Solar panel costs by UK region
Labour rates drive most of the regional spread. The index below applies our regional labour multipliers to the national baseline — London carries a 20% premium, while everywhere north and west of the Midlands sits below the national average.
| Region | Modelled average installed cost | vs UK average |
|---|---|---|
| UK average | £6,496 | — |
| London | £7,795 | +20% |
| South East | £7,276 | +12% |
| East of England | £6,886 | +6% |
| South West | £6,821 | +5% |
| West Midlands | £6,366 | −2% |
| East Midlands | £6,301 | −3% |
| Scotland | £6,236 | −4% |
| Yorkshire & the Humber | £6,171 | −5% |
| North West | £6,171 | −5% |
| Wales | £6,106 | −6% |
| North East | £6,041 | −7% |
| Northern Ireland | £5,976 | −8% |
All modelled figures on this page come from the Green Reach Energy Cost Index — our July 2026 estimates built from national installed-price baselines and regional labour indices, not quotes for your specific home. Real solar prices vary with property type, spec and installer, so treat these as a starting point and read how we calculate costs for the full method and its limitations.
Grants and export payments
There is no direct cash grant for solar panels, but two supports matter: solar panels and batteries are zero-rated for VAT until March 2027, and the Smart Export Guarantee pays typically 4–15p/kWh for the power you export. Our full round-up of every energy grant still open in 2026 covers what else you may qualify for.
To see what a system this size could do for your own bills at the current price cap, run the numbers in our savings calculator.
Download the dataset
The full Cost Index — 9 upgrades × 12 UK regions, July 2026 — as CSV: gre-cost-index.csv. Free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0) — please credit Green Reach Energy and link the methodology. Figures are modelled estimates, not quotes.