Plug-in and balcony solar in the UK Plug-in solar panels: what they can and can't do
Since 27 August 2026 you can buy a small solar kit, fix it to a wall, balcony or garden, and plug it into an ordinary socket. It's legal, simple and cheap to start. It's also small: no more than 800 watts, a fraction of a fitted rooftop system. Here's how the rules work and when a plug-in panel makes sense.
What a plug-in solar panel is
A plug-in solar kit is usually one or two panels with a small inverter built in or attached. You mount it on a wall, a balcony railing, a flat roof or a stand in the garden, then plug it into a normal socket with a standard UK plug. The electricity it makes goes into your home's wiring and is used by whatever is running at the time, so it cuts what you buy from the grid.
The government changed two sets of regulations so these devices could be sold and used legally in Great Britain from 27 August 2026. A plug-in device has to be solar only, with an output of no more than 800 W, and it can't store electricity in a battery.
The rules for plug-in solar
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Size | No more than 800 W of output, and no more than 3.5 A |
| The plug | A moulded standard UK (BS 1363) plug with a 5 A fuse |
| Connection | Straight into a socket: no extension leads or adaptors |
| Batteries | It can't be connected to a battery. Products with a built-in battery fall outside these rules |
| How many | One per household for now. The industry rules are due to change to allow one per circuit |
| Your network operator | You must tell them when you connect it, and when you disconnect it |
| The product | It must meet the government's product specification and be listed on the Energy Networks Association's Type Test Register |
| Where it can go | Not on timber or ACM or HPL cladding, a timber balcony, or a wall shared with another home |
From the DESNZ Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification (version 2.0) and S.I. 2026/848. Check the latest version before you buy.
Planning permission
The same day, plug-in solar was added to the permitted development rules for houses, so most homes don't need planning permission. It isn't allowed on wooden walls, balconies, fences or timber cladding. If you rent or own a flat, you may need your landlord's or freeholder's permission, and a listed building needs listed building consent.
What a plug-in panel can save
The government's own estimate is savings of up to £110 a year. How much you get depends on where the panel faces, how much shade it gets, and whether you're using electricity while it generates. Power you don't use at the time flows out to the grid.
Don't expect to be paid for what it exports. Smart Export Guarantee payments need an MCS (or equivalent) certified installation, and a kit you plug in yourself isn't one.
The government's testing found no safety concerns for 800 W devices on a properly protected ring circuit. Buy one that meets the rules, plug it straight into the wall, and keep it off timber.
Plug-in solar or a fitted rooftop system?
| Plug-in kit | Fitted rooftop system | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Up to 800 W | Typically about 4.5 kWp, more than five times bigger (Energy Saving Trust) |
| Who fits it | You | An MCS certified installer |
| Savings | Up to £110 a year (government estimate) | £190 to £330 a year on bills for a 4.5 kWp system, before export payments (MoneySavingExpert) |
| Export payments | Not paid | Paid under the Smart Export Guarantee |
| Battery | Can't be connected | Can be added now or later |
| Cost | A one-off kit price | Around £7,600 for a typical system (Energy Saving Trust) |
| Planning | Permitted development, with limits | Permitted development for most houses, with limits |
Neither is better for everyone. A plug-in kit is a low-cost way to make some of your own electricity when a rooftop system isn't possible. A fitted system makes far more, earns export payments and can work with a battery, but it costs more up front and needs a suitable roof.
Who plug-in solar suits
A good fit
- Flats with a south-facing balcony, with the freeholder's or landlord's agreement.
- Renters who want something they can take with them.
- Homes where the roof faces north, is heavily shaded or can't take panels.
- Anyone who wants to try solar on a small budget.
Probably not enough
- Homeowners with a reasonable south, east or west-facing roof who want to cut their bills properly.
- Anyone hoping to be paid for exports.
- Anyone who wants a battery to use solar in the evening.
If you're in the second group, our guides to what a rooftop system costs and whether solar panels are worth it will help you compare.
Questions people ask
Are plug-in solar panels legal in the UK?
Yes, in Great Britain since 27 August 2026, as long as the device meets the rules: solar only, no more than 800 W, a moulded UK plug with a 5 A fuse, no battery, and listed on the Energy Networks Association Type Test Register.
How much can a plug-in solar panel save?
The government estimates up to £110 a year. Your savings depend on where it faces, shade, and how much electricity you use while it is generating.
Do I need planning permission for balcony solar panels?
Usually not for a house, because plug-in solar is permitted development. It can't go on wooden balconies, walls, fences or timber cladding, flats may need the freeholder's or landlord's permission, and listed buildings need consent.
Can I get paid for what a plug-in panel exports?
Unlikely. Smart Export Guarantee payments need an MCS (or equivalent) certified installation, which a plug-in kit isn't.
Can I connect a plug-in solar panel to a battery?
Not under these rules. A plug-in device can't be connected to a battery, and products with a built-in battery fall outside the framework.
Can I have more than one plug-in solar panel?
One device per household for now. The industry connection rules are due to change to allow one per circuit.
Do you install plug-in solar panels?
No. We fit rooftop systems, which are much bigger and qualify for export payments. If you're not sure which suits your home, ask us and we'll give you a straight answer.
Read next
Sources
Figures and rules on this page were checked on 11 October 2026. Schemes, tariffs and prices change, so check the latest before you decide.
- legislation.gov.uk: S.I. 2026/848, plug-in microgenerators (plugs and electricity safety), in force 27 August 2026
- DESNZ: Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification, version 2.0, July 2026
- DESNZ: Plug-in solar, government response, July 2026
- GOV.UK: Plug-in solar, consultation and government response, response 16 July 2026
- GOV.UK: Households can save as plug-in solar panels come to market, 26 August 2026
- legislation.gov.uk: S.I. 2026/896, solar permitted development changes, in force 27 August 2026
- GOV.UK: Smart Export Guarantee, updated 1 October 2026
- Energy Saving Trust: Solar panels, costs, savings and benefits, updated 1 October 2026
- MoneySavingExpert: Solar panels, are they worth it?, updated 28 September 2026
Got a roof that could take more?
We don't sell plug-in kits. We fit rooftop systems several times the size, with export payments. Ask for a free consultation and we'll tell you honestly whether your roof is worth it.
Prefer to talk? Call 0333 577 6576, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
- Step 1
- Step 2
Get My Free Solar Quote
Get a quote and we'll help calculate how much you could save.
Google
reviews5.0
Rated 5 out of 5
by our customers on Google
We'll only use your details for your quote. Privacy policy