Services / Renewables / Costs and grants
Costs, grants and performance.
Reference figures for solar, storage and heat pumps at current energy prices, with the assumptions behind them stated in full. A site survey turns these into a fixed written quote.
Typical systems and what they produce.
Output is calculated at 950 kWh per kWp per year — the figure for an unshaded, south-facing roof in the West Midlands. East or west facing roofs return roughly 85 per cent of that, north facing roofs around 62 per cent.
3 kWp — smaller property
- Around 8 panels, 15–18 m² of roof
- Approximately 2,850 kWh generated per year
- Typical installed cost £5,800
- Battery storage adds around £2,600
4.3 kWp — typical family home
- Around 11 panels, 22–26 m² of roof
- Approximately 4,085 kWh generated per year
- Typical installed cost £7,200
- Battery storage adds around £2,600
6 kWp — larger property
- Around 15 panels, 30–36 m² of roof
- Approximately 5,700 kWh generated per year
- Typical installed cost £9,200
- Battery storage adds around £2,600
Where the return comes from.
Generation is worth considerably more when it is used on site than when it is exported. Without storage a household typically uses around 45 per cent of what it generates; with a correctly sized battery that rises to roughly 72 per cent. A 4.3 kWp south-facing system with storage returns in the region of £940 a year — about £770 off the electricity bill and £170 of export income — against an installed cost of £9,800.
Running costs, compared honestly.
The meaningful comparison is the cost of a delivered kilowatt hour of heat, after boiler efficiency and heat pump seasonal performance are taken into account. A correctly designed air source system achieves a seasonal coefficient of performance of around 3.5.
Cost per kWh of heat
- Mains gas boiler at 90% — 7.1p
- Air source heat pump at SCOP 3.5 — 7.5p
- Oil boiler at 85% — 8.0p
- LPG boiler at 90% — 11.7p
- Direct electric heating — 26.1p
What that means
- Clear running-cost savings against oil, LPG and electric heating
- Broadly level with mains gas at current relative prices
- Savings against gas depend on tariff, not on the equipment
- Carbon reduction is substantial in every case
- We will say so if a heat pump is not the right answer for a property
Grant and installed cost
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of £7,500
- £9,000 for off-gas-grid homes from 21 July 2026
- Scheme funded to 31 December 2027
- Typical installed cost around £13,000 before grant
- The grant is paid to a certified installer, not the householder
What the figures above cannot tell you.
Every number on this page is a typical value. A survey replaces each one with a measured figure for the actual property, which is what a fixed quote is built from.
Roof and array
- Pitch, orientation and usable area
- Structural condition and fixing method
- Shading measured across the year, not estimated by eye
- Cable routes and inverter siting
Electrical supply
- Main fuse rating and available capacity
- Consumer unit condition and spare ways
- Earthing arrangement and bonding
- Whether DNO approval is required before work begins
Heat demand
- Room-by-room heat loss calculation
- Existing emitter and pipework capacity
- Insulation and airtightness as found
- Hot water demand and cylinder provision
Assumptions and sources.
Electricity, gas and standing charge figures are the Ofgem price cap for 1 July to 30 September 2026. Export income assumes a competitive Smart Export Guarantee tariff at 15p per kWh; rates vary by supplier. Solar yield uses 950 kWh per kWp per year for the West Midlands. Heat pump figures assume a seasonal coefficient of performance of 3.5, which depends on correct sizing and emitter capacity. Installed costs are typical UK ranges and are not a quotation. Grant levels are those published for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and are subject to change.
Need figures for your property? Request a survey.
A site survey replaces every typical value on this page with a measured one, and produces a fixed written quote.