Are solar panels worth it in 2026?

Last updated: 3 July 2026 · Written by the ECONEXIS team, MCS-accredited installers.

Short answer: for most UK homeowners with a usable roof and a normal electricity bill, yes — comfortably. But "most" isn't "all", and the difference comes down to three things: what you pay, what you save, and how long you stay in the house. Here's how to judge it properly.

The real numbers, not brochure numbers

Across our recent quotes, complete solar-and-battery systems ranged from £6,690 (10 panels with a 5 kWh battery) to around £14,000 (20 panels with 17.5 kWh of storage). Estimated first-year savings on those same systems ranged from £1,100 to £2,100, with payback typically between 5 and 8 years. Panels are warrantied for 25 years — so once the system has paid for itself, the rest is genuinely yours.

When solar is clearly worth it

• Your electricity bill is £100+/month. The more you spend, the more there is to save.
• Someone's home in the day — or you add a battery so evening use runs on stored solar.
• Your roof is unshaded — south-facing is ideal, but east-west pairs work well too (we design both weekly).
• You'll stay 5+ years — long enough to pass payback, after which it's pure saving. And solar can add to your home's value if you move.

When to think twice

Heavy shading from tall trees or buildings, a very small or complicated roof, or a genuinely tiny electricity bill can stretch payback past the point of sense. We'll tell you if that's your situation — a free design costs you nothing, and we'd rather say "not yet" than fit a system that underdelivers. That's also why every ECONEXIS system is custom-designed to your actual roof and usage, never a one-size package.

The battery question

Without storage, solar you don't use at the moment it's generated gets exported. A battery lets you run your evenings on your own daytime solar instead — which is why nearly every system we design includes one. Our battery storage cost guide breaks down the numbers, and the Smart Export Guarantee pays you for anything spare.

Two 2026-specific reasons the maths is favourable

• 0% VAT on domestic solar and batteries until March 2027 — a genuine whole-system saving with an end date. How the 0% VAT works →
• Electricity prices remain historically high — every kWh you generate is a kWh you don't buy.

A worked example, with real numbers

Take our most popular starting point: 10 panels with a 10 kWh battery at £7,990 installed (a real, current price — not a teaser). At an estimated saving of around £1,250 a year, payback lands near 6½ years. The panels are warrantied for 25 years — so that's roughly 18 years of warrantied production after the system has paid for itself. And because the saving is really "electricity you no longer buy", if energy prices rise again, the annual saving rises with them; the payback maths only gets better.

Do solar panels add value when you sell?

We won't quote you a magic percentage — studies vary too much to be honest about. What is certain: buyers increasingly ask about running costs, an EPC improves with solar, and a properly certified system transfers cleanly — the MCS certificate, warranties and paperwork all pass to the new owner. A documented system is a selling point; a botched one is a survey problem. It's another reason the installer matters as much as the panels.

How to get your answer, not the average answer

Averages don't pay your bill — your roof, your usage and your quote decide this. We'll design your system free of charge, usually within 24 hours, with the price, the savings estimate and the payback laid out for your exact address acrossBedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex & Kent. No pressure, no obligation — just your real number.

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