---
title: "Plug-in solar panels UK: are they legal, what do they save, and which kits are approved?"
description: "Plug-in solar kits became legal in Great Britain in August 2026. The rules, what an 800W kit saves at the current price cap, what it can run, and how to check a kit is approved."
url: https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/cool/plug-in-solar-panels/
---

# Plug-in solar panels: the new rules, what they save, and approved kits

Plug-in solar kits became legal in Great Britain in August 2026. The rules, what an 800W kit saves at the current price cap, what it can run, and how to check a kit is approved.

By [Pete Harvey](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/about/), editor. Updated 24 October 2026.

This page links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. [More about how this site is paid for](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/affiliate-disclosure/).

> **The short answer**
>
> Since 27 August 2026 you can plug a small solar kit into an ordinary socket in England, Scotland and Wales, as long as the exact model is listed as compliant on the Energy Networks Association's register. On the government's own figures, an 800W kit saves about £113 a year at today's price cap if it's angled and facing south, or about £72 fixed upright facing east or west. It pays off best if someone is home in the day to use the power.

## What changed in August 2026

Until this year, a plug for equipment that generates electricity couldn't be approved under British plug safety rules, so the plug-in kits common in Germany and the Netherlands couldn't legally be used here. New regulations (SI 2026/848) changed that from 27 August 2026 for kits that meet the government's interim product specification. The main limits:

- **Up to 800W** fed into the socket (800VA, 3.5A), from up to 2,000W of panels.
- **No batteries.** Kits with storage built in, and plug-in batteries, aren't covered by the new rules.
- **An ordinary 13A plug, straight into a wall socket.** No extension leads, multi-way adaptors, RCD adaptors or travel adaptors.
- **One kit per home for now.** The specification allows one per circuit, but the grid connection rules (G98) still say one per household until they're changed.
- **Listed on the register.** Makers have to list each kit on the Energy Networks Association's Type Test Register. If the model you're looking at isn't shown there as compliant, it isn't covered.

The rules above are for Great Britain. Northern Ireland has its own connection rules, so check with NIE Networks before buying there.

## What it saves

The saving comes from power you use in the home at the moment the panels make it. Anything you don't use at that moment flows out to the grid, and you're unlikely to be paid for it: the Smart Export Guarantee needs an installation certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and a meter that records exports every half hour, and the government expects most plug-in kits won't qualify at first. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) worked out two cases for an 800W kit:

| How it's mounted | Made a year | Used in the home | Saving a year |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Tilted at 30°, facing south | 690kWh | 428kWh | £113 |
| Upright on a wall or railing, facing east or west | 378kWh | 272kWh | £72 |

The kWh figures are the government's, for 800W of panels on a home using an average amount of electricity with someone in during the day. The savings are worked out at today's price cap. A kit with fewer watts of panels makes less, and if the house is empty all day, less of the power gets used, so the saving is lower.

Costs use **26.32p per kWh**, the [Ofgem price cap, Direct Debit average for England, Scotland and Wales](https://ofgem.gov.uk/news/changes-energy-price-cap-between-1-october-and-31-december-2026) for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Your own tariff may differ. [How we calculate](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/how-we-calculate/).

The government put the price of an 800W kit at around £400 to £600, based on European prices. At those savings, a south-facing kit would pay for itself in about 4 to 5 years, and an upright east or west one in about 6 to 8 years.

## What it can run

The panels make most in the middle of a bright day, up to the kit's 800W limit, and much less in the morning, the evening and on dull days. Whatever is switched on at that moment uses the solar power first, and the grid tops up anything more. For the appliances we cover on this site:

- **A quiet pedestal fan** (MeacoFan 1056P Pedestal Air Circulator) uses 24W: a small share of the kit's 800W, so sunshine can cover it for long stretches of a bright day.
- **A 12 litre dehumidifier** (Pro Breeze OmniDry 12L) uses 200W: a small share of the kit's 800W, so sunshine can cover it for long stretches of a bright day.
- **A three-tier heated airer** (BLACK+DECKER 63091 3-Tier Heated Airer with Cover) uses 300W: up to half the kit's 800W, so it needs good sun to be covered.
- **A portable air conditioner** (Pro Breeze 12,000 BTU Smart Portable Air Conditioner) uses 780W: close to the kit's full 800W, which takes strong midday sun.

So the way to get more from a kit is to run things in the day: the dehumidifier or heated airer while the sun is up, the dishwasher or washing machine on a timer at lunchtime. A fan on a hot afternoon is almost a perfect match, because the sun that heats the room is the sun that powers the fan.

In winter the days are short and the sun is low, so a kit makes far less. It won't help much with heating.

## Is it worth it for you?

It's most likely to pay off if:

- you have a spot that gets sun most of the day without shade from trees or buildings, ideally facing south
- you can angle the panels rather than fix them flat against a wall
- someone is home in the day, or you can run appliances on timers
- there's an indoor socket near where the panels go, on a circuit with a circuit breaker and RCD protection

It's less likely to be worth it on a shady north-facing balcony, in a home that's empty all day, or where the fuse box still has old rewirable fuses. In that last case, the specification says to get an electrician to check the wiring first.

## Before you buy and fit one

1. **Check the exact model on the register.** Search the ENA Connect Direct Type Test Register for "Plug-in Solar" and make sure your model shows as compliant. Some kits sold online aren't on it.
2. **Get permission if you need it.** Renters, leaseholders and people in managed blocks need the landlord's, freeholder's or managing agent's agreement first. Check whether you need planning permission, and listed building consent if the building is listed.
3. **Pick the socket.** Use an indoor wall socket on a socket circuit, not one supplying lights or fixed equipment. Find which sockets share a circuit by switching off one breaker at a time and seeing what goes off.
4. **Fix the panels the maker's way.** Use only the brackets and fixings the maker specifies. Fixings must come off again without damaging the building, and mustn't harm its weatherproofing or fire safety.
5. **Tell your network operator within 28 days.** Your kit's instructions should explain how; the Energy Networks Association has a postcode search to find your operator.

> **Safety**
>
> London Fire Brigade advises against plugging a kit in through an extension lead or adaptor, adding a battery, or putting panels where they block a fire escape, a walkway or a shared balcony. An outdoor socket has to be weatherproof and fitted by a qualified electrician. If you notice a burning smell, buzzing, heat or a breaker that keeps tripping, unplug it and stop using it. Panels keep making power in daylight, so in a fire, tell 999 that they're there.

## Our picks

We only list kits that showed as compliant on the ENA register when we checked on 24 October 2026; each pick gives its register reference so you can look it up. We haven't tested them ourselves. The register changes, so check the model again before you buy.

### For the most from one socket

UKSOL Plug-In Solar Pro Plus 1030W Hybrid Mount Kit

- **Type:** Plug-in solar kit
- **Solar panels:** 1030W
- **Into the socket:** up to 800W
- **ENA register:** UKSOL/21012/V1/A3

Two 515W panels feeding an inverter that puts out up to 800W, so it can reach the full limit for more of the day than a single panel can. Its frame goes on the ground or a wall, not a balcony. With more than 960W of panels, the specification asks the maker to advise having your wiring checked by an electrician first. On Amazon it was taking one to three months to dispatch when we checked.

[View on Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/pv-kit-c/) [Manufacturer specs](https://www.uksol.uk/plug-in-solar-1)

### A single panel for a wall or garden

UKSOL Plug-In Solar Pro Compact 515W Hybrid Mount Kit

- **Type:** Plug-in solar kit
- **Solar panels:** 515W
- **Into the socket:** up to 800W
- **ENA register:** UKSOL/21008/V1/A4

One 515W panel on a frame for the ground or a wall (not a balcony). It makes less than the 800W of panels in the savings table above, so expect a smaller saving. On Amazon it was taking one to four months to dispatch when we checked.

[View on Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/pv-kit-a/) [Manufacturer specs](https://www.uksol.uk/plug-in-solar-1)

### Freestanding, and quick to set up

Modular Solar 475W Plug-in Modular Solar Unit

- **Type:** Plug-in solar kit
- **Solar panels:** 475W
- **Into the socket:** up to 400W
- **ENA register:** MODUL/21443/V1/A3

A ready-built 475W unit that stands on the ground, with a tilt you change for the season, so you can get the angle that the government's figures show makes the most. Its inverter is limited to 400W, about half the most the rules allow, and its cable has an energy meter built in. It's large and heavy, so check the maker's dimensions against your space.

[View on Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/pv-kit-b/) [Manufacturer specs](https://modular.solar/units/#plug-in-475w)

### To see what you use in the day

TP-Link Tapo P110 smart plug with energy monitoring

- **Type:** Energy monitoring plug
- **Max load:** 2990W

* Phone app

A smart plug that measures whatever is plugged into it, with a phone app that keeps a history by day, month and year. Before you buy a kit, use it on the appliances you run in the day to see how much of the solar power you'd use. It's for appliances only: never plug the solar kit into it, because it would sit between the kit and the wall like an adaptor, which the rules don't allow.

[View on Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/em-plug-a/) [Manufacturer specs](https://www.tapo.com/uk/product/smart-plug/tapo-p110/)

## Sources

- [GOV.UK: Plug-in solar consultation and outcome (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)](https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/plug-in-solar)
- [DESNZ: Plug-in solar government response, July 2026](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a58dd1e24d4d0ad06d945e1/plug-in-solar-government-response-july-2026.pdf)
- [DESNZ: Plug-in solar interim product specification](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a60a03c47af652afa0c89f5/plug-in-solar-final-_interim-product-specification.pdf)
- [DESNZ: Plug-in solar analytical annex (savings estimates, table 2)](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a301067d95ffddb05d4b08c/plug-in-solar-consultation-analytical-annex.pdf)
- [Ofgem: decision on G98 change for plug-in microgeneration, 11 August 2026](https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2026-08/Ofgem-decision-to-Approve-DCRP-MP-26-02-Proposed-Amendment-to-facilitate-Plug-in-Microgeneration.pdf)
- [ENA Connect Direct Type Test Register](https://connect-direct.energynetworks.org/)
- [Energy Networks Association: find your network operator](https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator)
- [London Fire Brigade: plug-in solar panels safety advice](https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/the-home/plug-in-solar-panels/plug-in-solar-panels-safety-advice-for-residents-and-homeowners/)

Checked 24 October 2026.

## Read next

- [Fan and portable air conditioner running costs](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/cool/fan-and-air-conditioner-running-costs/) (Running costs)
  What fans, portable air conditioners and evaporative coolers cost per hour and per summer month at the current price cap.
- [Appliance running cost calculator](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/tools/running-cost-calculator/) (Calculator)
  Find out what any electric appliance costs per hour, day, month and winter at the current UK price cap.
- [Dehumidifier running costs: popular models compared](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/damp/dehumidifier-running-costs/) (Running costs)
  What each popular dehumidifier costs per hour and per month at the current price cap, from its rated power.
- [Portable air conditioner vs fan: which do you need?](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/cool/portable-air-conditioner-vs-fan/) (Buying guide)
  What fans and portable air conditioners each do, what they cost to run, and which suits a UK home.

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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links to shops are marked, and earning from them never decides what we recommend. [How this site is paid for](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/affiliate-disclosure/).

Running costs use 26.32p per kWh for electricity and 7.97p per kWh for gas, the [Ofgem price cap, Direct Debit average for England, Scotland and Wales](https://ofgem.gov.uk/news/changes-energy-price-cap-between-1-october-and-31-december-2026) for 1 October to 31 December 2026.