How much do solar panels cost?

Solar panels could reduce your bills and even earn money by generating electricity you can sell back to your energy company.

But the average solar panel system of 3.5kWp will cost around £6,100 to install, according to estimates from the Energy Saving Trust.

The exact cost will vary, depending on the size of your home and how much electricity you want to produce. 

Find out: are solar panels worth it? 

Solar panels cost

Solar panel systems on homes are typically up to 4kWp. A system of this size can generate more than 3,000kWh of electricity per year. 

For comparison, a home using a 'medium' amount of electricity gets through 2,700kWh a year on average, according to energy regulator Ofgem. A 'high' using household takes 4,100kWh a year.  

The cost of a solar PV system depends on:

• size, including how many panels
• solar panel type
• type of building they'll be fitted on
• quality of the inverter and other components
• installation and labour
• additional costs such as necessary upgrades to your home's electrics and solar monitoring systems.

What's the typical cost of solar panels?

We’ve worked with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to find out the average prices for various sizes of solar PV systems. 

The tables below reveal how much you should expect to pay for the supply and installation of a new, typical standard design solar PV system, including all fixings, inverter and control system. These prices don't include solar panel battery storage.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the prices. If you’re not a member, join Which? to get instant access to this, plus our solar panel brand reviews.

Solar panel cost by system size

Solar panel costs by electricity generation

The more electricity the system can generate, the greater the savings on your electricity bill can be – but the bigger the initial cost.

It’s important your system is sized correctly for your household’s electricity use, so you don’t overpay. 

If you're not sure what size system is appropriate for your home, we’ve also listed prices you should expect to pay based on your annual electricity use. You can find this on your annual energy statement or in your online account.

Solar panel cost by electricity use

Solar panels generate most of their electricity during the day, when you may not be around to use it. So, unless you fit a home storage battery too, you'll still need to buy electricity from the grid, especially on dark winter evenings. 

Battery storage lets you bank electricity generated by your solar panels until you need it. But batteries are expensive, so it will take longer for your system to pay for itself. Find out more about solar panels and battery storage. The cost of a battery is not included in the prices above.

The solar energy you don't use is sent to the National Grid. You won't get paid for this automatically, but you can sign up for a type of tariff called Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) if you want be paid for your excess electricity. To qualify you'll need to:

• sign up with an energy company to receive its Smart Export Guarantee tariff
• have a solar PV system installed by a registered MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) installer or equivalent.

Currently, MCS is the most widely accepted certification. The equivalent scheme offered by the Flexible Energy Oversight Registration Body (Flexi-orb) is also accepted by most SEG rate providers. Be sure to check with your prospective provider before installing your panels to ensure that your certification scheme is accepted. 

SEG rates are often less than what you pay for electricity, so it's worth shopping around.

Find out more: Smart Export Guarantee explained

Can I get a grant or loan to help pay for solar panels?

There are no dedicated government grants to help you pay for solar panels, though funding may be available as part of other government schemes. Some energy suppliers may also offer financial support to help pay for solar panels, so it's worth checking. 

In January 2026, the government announced low and zero interest loans for solar panels as part of its Warm Homes Plan. We don't know when they'll be available yet, but all homeowners will be able to apply for these government-backed loans. Some low-income families struggling to pay their energy bills will get free solar panels installed. Read more about the Warm Homes Plan.

Solar panel installation costs

Quotes for solar panel installation typically include the cost of labour and mounting (the system needed for the panels and the scaffolding required). More complex installations are costlier as they take longer and require more work and potentially more specialist hardware.

Examples of more complicated installations include:

• where structural upgrades are necessary so the roof can support the panels
• challenging roof layout, including if it's difficult to access
• where the roof materials (e.g. tiles or slates) need replacing.

The Federation of Master Builders estimates that installation costs typically account for around 10-20% of the overall system cost. If, for example you pay £6,100 to install a 3.5kWh system, your solar panel installation costs would typically be between £610 and £1,220. Rates vary depending on where you live.

How to get a quote for solar panels

All the prices above are averages. You'll need to get quotes from solar panel companies to find out what it would cost to meet your specific requirements. 

We'd suggest you get at least three quotes, to allow you to compare prices for your specific system and home.

Use our Which? Trusted Traders search tool below to find local solar panel experts near you for quotes and installation.

Should you get solar panels from your energy supplier?

Energy suppliers are increasingly offering installation of solar PV panels and storage batteries, and you don’t have to be an existing customer. Some offer the ability to pay in instalments and 0% finance to pay for your installation, so it might be worth seeking a quote alongside those of local installers.

Choosing an energy supplier to install your solar PV can be especially beneficial if you plan to make use of an Solar Export Guarantee (SEG) tariff (to be paid for the excess energy you export to the grid), because some offer exclusive rates for customers who have bought their solar tech through them. 

• E.ON Next offers a range of solar panel and battery packages, from £4,995 for a typical 6-panel system. Customers whose electricity is supplied by E.ON Next and have had solar panels and/or a battery installed by E.ON Energy Installation systems or Eco2Solar Ltd are likely to be eligible for preferential SEG rates. 
• Good Energy installs solar panels and batteries in the south of England through a network of local installers. If you have your panels installed by Good Energy Solar you can benefit from their Solar Savings export rate.
• Ovo’s solar packages start from £5,172 for a one to two-bedroom house with 0% financing options available. If you want a battery too, packages start from £7,016. If you buy solar panels and a battery from Ovo, and Ovo supplies your energy, you'll be eligible for the its SEG Install Exclusive tariff.
• Scottish Power installs solar panels and batteries throughout Great Britain. Customers who install their solar panels and/or battery through Scottish Power can take advantage of preferential SmartGen Premium Plus export tariff rates.
• EDF Energy installs solar panels starting from £5,645 and batteries from £3,995. Customers installing solar panels and/or a battery through EDF can make use of its Empower Exclusive tariff.

Other suppliers also offer solar panel and battery installations but do not advertise any exclusive export rates to customers who purchase solar solutions through them.

• Octopus Energy – Octopus offers some of the highest export tariff rates, but you don’t have to buy their solar solutions. Its SEG tariffs are available to all Octopus customers who export electricity.
• British Gas – Any British Gas customer can benefit from British Gas's highest SEG tariff rates. 

Are solar panels getting cheaper?

The cost of a small scale solar installation (0-4kW) decreased by 19% between 2023/24 and 2024/25, according to data from the government department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) published in May 2025. 

DESNZ puts this fall down to an increased supply and advancements in technology, despite an increased demand for solar installations. 

The mean average cost per kilowatt of a small solar PV installation (0-4kW) is £2,108 for 2024/25 compared with £2,393 in 2023/24.

Prices for larger solar installations (4-10kW) decreased even more – by 21% between 2023/24 and 2024/25.

When are solar panels cheapest?

Prices for solar panels vary during the year. For example, in the financial year from April 2024 to March 2025, prices per kW were highest in April, May and June 2024 and lowest in January, February and March 2025, according to DESNZ data. 

This doesn't mean solar panels are always cheaper in winter however, as factors beyond seasonality can impact prices.

We recommend you get three quotes before you buy, so you have a good idea of the going rate for your installation.

Solar panel cost calculations

To calculate average purchase and installation costs by system size and electricity needs, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) analyses costs from sources including surveys, online quotes and retailer pricing information. It combines these with quotes from specialist subcontractors to give the most accurate average prices.

The prices include everything necessary to carry out the installation, including materials, labour, preliminary work, contractor costs, VAT and profit. 

Materials costs are based on national average best trade prices and represent typical prices in autumn 2025. Labour rates are based on current industry wage agreements and allowances. Both are affected by the current economic climate and industry pressures. 

*Data copyright RICS 2025 and reproduced with permission. Prices were correct in November 2025.