British Gas Solar Panels: Costs, Tariffs & Export Rates

British Gas solar panels are supplied through the company’s Hive brand using MCS-certified installer partners, with systems marketed either as an outright purchase or a monthly solar subscription. For a typical three-bedroom home, Hive quotes an average installed cost of around £5,245 for panels alone, rising to roughly £8,485 with a standard 5.32 kWh battery, based on Hive’s own published guidance in 2026.

For a bill-conscious household already with British Gas, the appeal is a single provider handling the panels, the battery tariff and the export payments. The trade-off is price: independent MCS-certified installers can quote less for a comparable system. This explainer covers what a British Gas solar setup costs, how its export tariff works, whether staying with one supplier is worth it, and the practical steps around meters, ownership changes and registration.

Free Price Compare sources data from Ofgem, gov.uk and installers’ own published guidance, and we compare energy tariffs across the whole UK market so you can check whether a solar-friendly deal elsewhere would pay you more.

Last updated: August 2026

Written by the Free Price Compare editorial team | Reviewed August 2026

How much do British Gas solar panels cost?

British Gas solar panels cost from around £5,245 for a panel-only installation on a typical three-bedroom home, rising to roughly £8,485 with a standard 5.32 kWh battery, according to Hive’s own 2026 guidance. An entry-level 8-panel system of around 3.2 kW is quoted from about £5,610 installed, with a SunSynk 5.32 kWh battery adding around £2,495. The quote covers the initial survey, scaffolding, the panels and the installation itself. Prices vary with roof size, panel count, whether you add battery storage and your property’s layout, so a home survey gives the accurate figure. As a general rule, a three-bedroom house needs between eight and thirteen 400-watt panels.

Free Price Compare research suggests British Gas tends to sit at the premium end of the market, and a like-for-like system from an independent MCS-certified installer can come in lower (Free Price Compare research, August 2026). The value case is not price alone: buyers weigh the convenience of one provider, the warranty backing and the after-sales service against a cheaper standalone quote.

Figures are indicative and may change.

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What is the British Gas solar subscription and total cost?

The British Gas solar subscription is a finance arrangement that lets you spread the cost of a system from around £69 a month rather than paying thousands upfront, with the household owning the panels from day one. British Gas offers this through the Sunsave Plus model. Its current representative example is 240 monthly instalments of £69 at 8.6% representative APR, based on a loan of £8,063 at a fixed interest rate of 5.9% a year. Each instalment is split into a loan repayment of £57 plus a £12 monitoring and maintenance fee. The total amount repayable over the 20-year term is £16,560, which includes £5,734 of interest and £2,763 in monitoring and maintenance charges.

Paying monthly costs more overall than buying outright, but the subscription bundles in cover such as battery and inverter replacement and Aviva-backed insurance for the full term. The maths comes down to whether the spread cost plus bill savings and export earnings work for your budget over 20 years, or whether an outright purchase pays back faster. Because this is a credit agreement, check the fixed interest rate, the total cost of credit and any early-settlement terms carefully before signing.

How does the British Gas solar panels export tariff work?

The British Gas solar panels export tariff pays you for surplus electricity your system sends to the grid, under the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). The Smart Export Guarantee is a scheme, introduced by Ofgem in January 2020, that requires larger licensed electricity suppliers to offer at least one tariff paying households for exported renewable electricity. British Gas offers an SEG tariff, and its higher flat-rate option, Export & Earn Plus, is available only to customers who take both gas and electricity from British Gas.

Export rates move often, and British Gas has restructured its rates during 2026, so confirm the current figure on the British Gas export tariff page before you commit. British Gas’s own savings modelling has assumed an export rate of 12.0p per kWh for its electricity customers on an SEG tariff, which is a useful benchmark for what a domestic setup might earn. To be paid, you need an MCS-certified installation and a smart meter capable of recording your half-hourly export. If you already have solar and want a better return, you can register an SEG tariff with a different supplier from the one supplying your imported electricity.

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Are British Gas solar panels worth it vs independent MCS-certified installers?

British Gas solar panels are worth considering for households that value one provider handling everything, but independent MCS-certified installers often quote less for a comparable system. Both routes must use MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) installers to qualify for the Smart Export Guarantee, so the panels and the export eligibility are equivalent. The difference is packaging: British Gas bundles the panels, a solar-friendly tariff, export payments and after-sales support under one brand, while an independent installer competes mainly on the installed price.

Weigh three things. First, price, where an independent quote can be lower for the same kit. Second, service and warranty backing, where a large supplier’s structure appeals to buyers who want a single point of contact. Third, tariff freedom, since the higher British Gas export rate depends on keeping both fuels with them. If you want to compare the wider market, our guides on So Energy solar panels and OVO Energy solar and battery boost set out how other suppliers structure their offers. It is also worth checking whether a rival supplier’s SEG rate would pay you more before you tie your export to any one brand. Ofgem’s SEG Year 5 Annual Report says the **average Smart Export Guarantee tariff rate was 10.8p/kWh**; this is the current primary-source figure available from Ofgem, published December 2025.[15]

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Do I pay VAT on solar panels?

No, you do not pay VAT on domestic solar panels installed in Great Britain, because the government applies a zero rate of VAT to energy-saving materials, including solar panels and battery storage, until 31 March 2027, according to gov.uk. The zero rating applies to the supply and installation together, so a compliant installer will quote you a price with no VAT added on a residential install.

This relief covers the panels and, since February 2024, standalone battery storage retrofitted to an existing home. It applies to your main or sole residence and buildings used for a relevant residential purpose. After 31 March 2027, the standard VAT treatment is scheduled to return unless the government extends the relief, so the timing of your install can affect the total cost.

Can I get free British Gas solar panels through a government scheme?

Free British Gas solar panels are not a standard product; there is no scheme that gives every household free panels from British Gas. Some households on qualifying benefits or in low-income homes may get help with solar and other measures through the government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, delivered by larger suppliers including British Gas, but eligibility is tightly restricted and funding depends on your circumstances and property. The Feed-in Tariff, which once paid generously for generation, closed to new applicants in March 2019 and does not apply to new installations. The UK Feed-in Tariff scheme closed to new applications from 1 April 2019, so it does not apply to new installations, according to Ofgem’s FIT scheme page dated 2026.

Treat any advert promising outright free panels with caution and check the terms. What is realistic for most households is the zero VAT rate, an SEG export payment for surplus electricity, and a subscription that removes the upfront cost while you still own the system. If you are eligible for ECO support, the amount and the measures offered vary case by case, so ask the supplier directly what your property qualifies for.

Do I need a smart meter and a solar tariff to be paid for exports?

Yes, you need a smart meter that records your half-hourly export and a registered export tariff to be paid for the electricity your solar panels send to the grid. A standard credit or older meter cannot measure export, so British Gas and other suppliers require a compatible smart meter to run an SEG tariff. Having solar panels installed does not automatically start export payments; you have to apply for and register a separate export tariff. Ofgem says the export meter for SEG must be capable of half-hourly readings and “we expect that this will be a smart meter in most cases,” while SEG sign-up is not automatic and you must apply to a supplier for registration.[1][13]

A common experience for new solar owners is a delay between installation, the meter fitting and the tariff going live, so it is worth chasing your supplier if the process stalls. If you have a battery, ask whether a battery-focused tariff suits you: British Gas offers a Charge Power tariff giving half-price electricity overnight between midnight and 5am, letting you charge cheaply and use stored energy during the day. Solar owners on any British Gas tariff can also add the Hive Solar Saver for a discount on the electricity you still buy. To understand which appliances drain the most power and where solar and storage help most, see our guide on what uses the most energy in the home.

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How much can I save on my electricity bill with solar?

Solar savings depend on your system size, your usage pattern, whether you have a battery and your export rate, so there is no single figure that fits every home. A south-facing 4 kW system with a battery on a medium-use property can cover a meaningful share of daytime electricity and earn export income for the surplus. The larger your at-home daytime use, the more of your own generation you use directly, which is where the biggest saving usually sits because you avoid buying grid electricity outright.

The value of solar also tracks the wider price of electricity, which is shaped by the Ofgem energy price cap that limits unit rates and the standing charge for a typical household on a standard variable tariff. Under the Ofgem price cap set for 1 October to 31 December 2025, a typical dual-fuel household paying by direct debit faces an annual bill of £1,755. Because the cap changes each quarter, the amount you avoid paying by self-consuming your own power shifts too. If your gas and electricity are still on a standard variable tariff sitting above the cap floor, it is worth reviewing your deal alongside any solar decision, and checking whether a switch would reduce your bills further before you invest. Our guide to the benefits of installing solar panels in the UK and the environmental benefits of solar set out the wider picture.

British Gas solar panels: change of ownership and registration

Change of ownership for a British Gas solar account is the process of updating the named account holder, and it matters because export payments are tied to the person named on the tariff, not the property automatically. When you buy a home with existing solar panels, or your circumstances change, you need to update the account holder so payments go to the right person and continue without interruption. British Gas handles this through its solar and SEG account team, and you will typically be asked for meter details, the installation’s MCS certificate and proof of the change. British Gas Trading Limited is listed by Ofgem as a mandatory Smart Export Guarantee licensee for the seventh SEG year (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027), per Ofgem’s SEG Supplier List.

If you are moving to British Gas from another supplier specifically to access its solar or battery tariffs, plan the switch so your export registration and any battery tariff line up with your import supply. Some households switch supplier to get a better solar or export deal, so check any exit charges on your current contract first; our British Gas exit fees and switching guide explains what to look out for. Keep your MCS paperwork safe, as suppliers ask for it when you register an export tariff or transfer an account.

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• So Energy Solar Panel | Costs, Installation & SEG Tariff

Information correct as of 24 August 2026. Prices, tariffs, policy details and providers change frequently, so please check the latest details before making a decision. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Free Price Compare is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).