Trade news · 2 September 2026
Plug-in solar is now legal in Great Britain. Expect the questions.
Since 27 August anyone in England, Scotland or Wales can buy an 800W plug-in solar kit and plug it into a socket, no installer needed. The electrical trade bodies want homes checked first. Here is what the rules say.
From 27 August 2026 plug-in solar kits are legal to buy and use across Great Britain. A kit produces up to 800W, plugs into a normal household socket, and the government says it can cover up to 20% of an average home's electricity and save up to £110 a year. Northern Ireland is not covered.
What the rules allow
- One kit of up to 800W, sold as a complete product. Only devices on the accredited list published by the Energy Networks Association at energynetworks.org meet the new standard. At launch that list held seven devices, all from one manufacturer, UKSOL, according to pv magazine. Screwfix, Argos, Amazon, Currys and Wickes have said they plan to stock kits.
- The panels can go in any outdoor space or on some balconies. Fixing them to a building may need permission from the landlord, freeholder or building owner, and in some cases planning permission or listed building consent.
- Plug-in battery storage is not covered. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has a safety review under way.
The Energy Secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh, announced the change on 26 August. The government says the products went through independent safety testing and that the UK specification is stricter than Germany's, where plug-in solar has been common for years.
Why electricians are being cautious
SELECT, the trade body for electrical contractors in Scotland, and the charity Electrical Safety First are urging homeowners to have their wiring checked by a qualified electrician before buying a kit, particularly in older properties or where the age and condition of the wiring is unknown. Both bodies signed a joint statement in June asking the government to make sure safety, product assurance and competence were designed into the rollout.
Robert McGoogan, SELECT's Director of Technical Services, put it this way: "Plug-in solar products are not the same as buying a toaster or a kettle. They interact directly with a property's fixed wiring and protective devices."
What it means on the tools
Homeowners are going to ask. Some will want a socket in the right place, some will want the wiring looked at first, and some will have bought a kit that is not on the accredited list. For sparks it is a new line of small jobs and a reason to have a clear answer ready. For everyone else, the useful thing to know is that in law the kit is a plug-in appliance, and that a proper check of the circuit it plugs into is what the electrical bodies are recommending.
