October energy price cap rises 4% as VAT comes off electricity
Ofgem's cap rises 4% to £1,723 from 1 October. Gas is up 8.7% while VAT-free electricity holds broadly flat, and that gap matters.
Read moreSolar & Battery News
UK solar and home battery policy moves quickly: installation milestones, planning updates, grid-connection rules, and government consultations that affect how homeowners finance and fit systems. This page collects UKEM solar and battery news in one place, from the two-million solar install landmark and record battery uptake to plug-in solar legalisation and the Future Homes Standard consultation. Each piece is written for homeowners weighing a retrofit or new build, not industry insiders.
If you are researching whether solar, battery storage, or both suit your property, browse our solar guides or the solar & battery product page, and use these news updates to spot confirmed policy or market shifts that might change your timing.
News articles
Are solar panels worth it in 2026? Record sunshine and a higher price cap
Are solar panels worth it in 2026? With the UK's sunniest year on record and electricity capped at 26.11p a unit, here is what actually drives the solar sum for a home.
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SEG paid UK solar households £57m last year: Ofgem Year 5 figures
Ofgem's Year 5 Smart Export Guarantee report shows £56.97m paid for 443 GWh of exported solar, with 270,000 installations registered. What the numbers mean if you are fitting panels now.
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UK passes 2 million solar installations
The UK crossed 2,003,000 solar installations at the end of March 2026, with 27,607 added in March alone, the strongest month for residential solar since 2012.
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£100m solar top-up for social housing and 100 more schools
An extra £100m for solar on social housing and £40m for 100 more schools, announced on 21 April 2026. Here's what it funds, and what it means for private homeowners.
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Plug-in solar legalised in the UK: the 2026 rules explained
Plug-in solar becomes legal to self-install on 27 August 2026 under SI 2026/848. The 800W rules, who the kits suit, and when rooftop solar is still the better buy.
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Future Homes Standard mandates solar on every new home from 2027
Part L 2026 was published in March and comes into force on 24 March 2027. Every new home in England will need solar PV worth 40% of its ground-floor area and low-carbon heating.
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UK home battery installations up 130% as storage market hits records
Almost 20,000 home batteries were certified in H1 2025, up 130% on the same period in 2024, with May setting a single-month record of 3,400 installs.
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