Overview
- New rules came into force on 27 August 2026 allowing specially certified plug‑in solar kits to be sold in Great Britain and connected directly to a fixed three‑pin wall socket.
- Approved kits must use an 800W micro‑inverter, include automatic anti‑islanding protection, be limited to one device per property and be registered with network operators to help monitor grid impacts.
- Retailers including Argos, Currys, B&Q, Amazon, Lidl, Asda, Screwfix and Wickes have committed to stock the approved products, but initial certified kits are being sold at prices above the government’s longer‑run £400–£600 expectation.
- Batteries and export‑payment arrangements are excluded from the plug‑in route for now, so generated electricity must be used in the home as it is produced and cannot be stored via the plug‑in connection.
- Officials say the move is meant to broaden access to small‑scale solar and cut bills by about £70–£110 a year for a typical household, though safety bodies warn older wiring or missing RCD protections and landlord or planning permissions may make some homes unsuitable without checks.