Homeowners could save hundreds on energy bills from solar drive

Families and businesses could benefit from cheaper bills and greater energy security through plans to drastically increase the deployment of rooftop solar across the country.  

On Monday 30 June, the Government launched a pathway for the UK to rapidly accelerate the roll out of solar, helping drive down bills, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and powering economic growth with clean energy. 

Families could save around £500 a year on their energy bills by installing rooftop solar panels as part of the Government’s rooftop revolution – making working people better off through the Plan for Change.  

The Solar Roadmap sets out the steps needed for the Government and industry to deliver 45-47 GW of solar by 2030 – which will support up to 35,000 jobs and use less than half a percent of total UK land.  

This includes:  

• Increasing solar deployment on new build homes through the Future Homes Standard to save households money on bills.
• Launching a call for evidence to understand how to harness the untapped potential of solar in car parks across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Plans to launch a safety review to unlock portable plug-in solar panels, making it easier and cheaper for people living in rented accommodation and apartments to install solar on their balconies and rooftops.
• Stronger engagement with industry and trade bodies to identify skills gaps in the solar sector to support more people into well-paid clean energy jobs.

Research suggests 88% of the British public are in favour of solar energy. Since July, the Government has taken action to deploy the technology at scale, approving nearly 3 GW of nationally significant solar – more than the last 14 years combined. This is the equivalent of powering more than 500,000 homes with clean, homegrown power. 

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

“Families have been paying the price for the fossil fuel rollercoaster for years. 

“Our Plan for Change means delivering more homegrown energy that we control to boost the UK’s energy security and save money on your bills. 

“Through solar, we are rolling out the quickest to build and one of the cheapest forms of energy for families to start saving hundreds on their energy bills, all whilst helping tackle the climate crisis.”

The roadmap outlines practical actions for industry and government to overcome the challenges to delivering this ambition within the next five years and boost the UK’s energy security. This includes providing a new blueprint for industry to overcome barriers in planning, electricity networks, supply chain and innovation and workforce and skills challenges. 

There are already over 1.5 million homes in the UK with rooftop solar panels installed. According to MCS, the body responsible for certifying renewable energy installers, 15,496 solar installations took place in January 2025 on existing homes, a 16.5% increase on the previous year.

To help households with the finances of installing rooftop solar, the Government is working with the Green Finance Institute, the finance sector, consumer bodies and the solar sector itself to provide financial solutions for households and businesses.  

The Government has also made rooftop solar more accessible, having recently announced all new build homes will have solar panels by default to help bring down bills for families, through the Future Homes Standard. This will also see new homes benefit from low-carbon heating, such as heat pumps and high levels for energy efficiency.    
 
This means recipients of new build homes will save money on their energy bills through government support, tackling the cost of living crisis for aspirational young families and new house buyers.