The short answer: since 27 October 2026, the government's Warm Homes Loan Scheme has let people borrow up to £15,000 for solar panels from approved lenders at a reduced cost. It is a loan, not a grant, and you repay it.
The key terms
| How much | Up to £15,000 for solar panels, and up to £15,000 for a battery |
| Interest | Set by each lender. The government says some loans are interest free |
| Repayment period | Set by each lender, with up to thirty years in some cases |
| Who can apply | You must own the property, with or without a mortgage, and it must be a residential property in the UK |
| Installer | The work must be done by an MCS-certified installer. You cannot do it yourself |
Lenders may have their own extra eligibility rules, and you will need to pass their credit and affordability checks.
The lenders
Ten lenders were offering Warm Homes loans at launch:
- HomeServe Finance
- Hometree Finance
- The Money Co-op
- Propensio
- Secure Trust Bank
- Selina Finance
- South Manchester Credit Union
- Sunsave Energy
- Tandem Bank
- This Bank
Some lenders offer their loans through installer or retail partners, so the lender you can use may depend on the installer you choose. Contact lenders directly about their products, rates and how to apply.
Using the loan with other funding
You may be able to use a Warm Homes loan alongside other schemes, including the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Home Energy Scotland grants. You cannot use a Warm Homes loan and other government funding to pay for the same improvement.
If you are on a low income, you might be able to get improvements free through the Warm Homes: Local Grant instead. See free solar panels: who qualifies.
Loan or pay upfront?
If you have the savings, paying upfront is usually cheapest. If you would otherwise borrow, compare the total amount repayable on each option, not just the monthly payment.
As a rough guide from our own calculations, a 4 kW system is worth about £300 to £650 a year in savings and export payments. See are solar panels worth it.
Solar, battery and heat pump together
The scheme also covers heat pumps, with caps of up to £20,000 for an air-to-water heat pump and £35,000 for a ground source heat pump. See solar panels and heat pumps.
Sources
- GOV.UK, Warm Homes Loan Scheme: https://www.gov.uk/warm-homes-loan-scheme
- GOV.UK, lenders offering Warm Homes loans: https://www.gov.uk/warm-homes-loan-scheme/lenders
- GOV.UK, Warm Homes Loan Scheme factsheet, 27 October 2026: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/warm-homes-loan-scheme-factsheet