Is there funding for solar batteries in the UK?

What a home battery does

A home battery stores spare electricity from your solar panels. You can then use it in the evening instead of buying it from the grid. It can also charge from the grid at cheaper times, if your tariff offers them.

How much you save depends on your bills, your tariff and how much power you use. We cannot promise any saving. For example, a home that is empty all day may export most of its solar power, while a home with someone in all day may use more of it directly.

Because a battery adds to the upfront cost, it pays to ask what it would do for your own use. An installer should explain this in plain terms, and should not simply quote a headline figure. If they cannot, that is a sign to look elsewhere.

Zero VAT on batteries

The clearest help is a tax cut, not a grant. HMRC guidance says electrical storage batteries installed in homes qualify for a zero rate of VAT from 1 February 2024. That covers a battery added to existing solar panels, a standalone battery, and one that charges from both sources.

As of October 2026, the zero rate runs until 31 March 2027. From 1 April 2027, the reduced rate of 5% applies. Heat batteries, which store heat rather than electricity, fall outside the relief. Read more on zero VAT on solar, and check GOV.UK in case the date has changed.

England: batteries come with solar

In England, the Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund a battery, but only alongside solar panels. Official guidance says batteries can only be installed where they complement existing or new solar panels. It also says the system must use MCS approved products and an MCS certified installer.

The scheme has a short history for batteries. Guidance says they became an eligible measure in June 2025, yet a pause started in November 2025. Councils could restart installing them from 2 February 2026.

However, this is not an entitlement. The grant depends on your income or benefits, your home and your council’s funding. See solar funding routes in England for the full picture, or the Warm Homes: Local Grant page for how to apply.

The Warm Homes Plan and loans

The Warm Homes Plan, published in January 2026, says government support for fuel-poor households will focus on rooftop solar alongside insulation, clean heat and home batteries. It also announced planned low-interest loans for solar and batteries. Those loans depend on further approval, and we found no launch date as of 10 October 2026.

Therefore, treat any firm that claims you can apply for a government battery loan today with great care. Check GOV.UK for news first. Our guide to solar panel finance lists what to ask before you sign any credit deal.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Each nation has its own rules, since funding is devolved. As of October 2026, here is what the official pages show.

• Scotland: the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan stopped funding solar panels and batteries for people who got an application link after 6 June 2024.
• Wales: Nest lists heat pumps, insulation and solar panels. We could not confirm that it covers batteries, so ask Nest.
• Northern Ireland: a Utility Regulator list for April 2026 to March 2027 names battery storage in one income-tested scheme. Check the list to see if it still has funds.

For the Scottish picture, read about Home Energy Scotland and solar funding routes in Scotland. Home Energy Scotland also runs a Funding Finder tool where you enter your postcode. Warmer Homes Scotland lists a home renewables system among its measures, but we could not confirm whether that includes solar or batteries, so ask before you apply.

Export payments and your battery

If you have solar panels, the Smart Export Guarantee pays you for power you send back to the grid. GOV.UK says a home battery that can import and export could also earn payments. Ask your chosen supplier before you buy, since terms vary.

The Smart Export Guarantee covers Great Britain only. You need a meter that can record half-hourly exports, as well as an MCS certified installation. Rates come from suppliers, so no national rate exists.

Renters and landlords

If you rent, you need your landlord’s agreement before anyone fixes panels or a battery to the building. Landlord contributions may also apply, because some schemes ask owners to pay part of the cost. Our guide to solar panels for renters and landlords explains the main points.

How to avoid false claims

Battery offers attract high-pressure selling. A caller who says the government will pay for your battery, or that it is free, is making a promise that official pages do not back up. Read our guide on free solar panels to see what public money does and does not cover.

Check your installer before you pay anything, because a poor fitting can cost you for years. Our steps on how to check an MCS certified installer take only a few minutes. Also read about solar doorstep and cold-call scams, because batteries are a common hook.

Finally, ask for a written quote that lists the battery size and what it costs. While you compare, keep the funding question apart from the sales pitch. If you want to compare installers, you can request quotes through our optional quote request page. That step is separate from checking any funding, and the official body decides whether you qualify.