Solar Battery Grants
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Myth check

Free solar battery storage in the UK: what is real and what is not

There is no universal free battery scheme. Here is where the cost to you can genuinely be zero, and where "free" is marketing.

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Updated 8 October 2026. Independent guide; not a government website and not an installer.

"Free solar battery" is one of the most searched phrases in this area and one of the most misleading. This page separates the cases where the cost to you can genuinely be zero from the marketing that sounds like it.

Where a battery can genuinely cost you nothing

  • Warm Homes: Local Grant (England). For eligible private homes, owner-occupiers pay nothing towards the funded measures. A battery is only included where it complements existing or new solar PV and drives bill savings. Funding is allocated to councils, so what is available depends on where you live.
  • Landlords and social housing. Private landlords get their first property fully funded; later properties need a 50% landlord contribution. Social housing providers contribute 50%.

Where "free" is really something else

  • Bundles. A battery included with a solar package has been priced into the total. Ask for an itemised quote.
  • Group-buying schemes such as Solar Together. Council-run and free to join, but a way to get a competitive price, not a grant.
  • ECO4. Funds solar PV in some electrically heated homes, but Ofgem's guidance says a battery can be fitted during an ECO4 retrofit without counting towards the funding score, so ECO4 should not be expected to pay for one.
  • Loans. The Warm Homes Loan Scheme lowers the interest rate on a lender's loan. You still repay what you borrow.
Could you qualify? Four questions, instant result.Check my eligibility

Red flags

  • A cold call, text or door knock offering a "government-funded" battery.
  • Pressure to decide today, or "the scheme closes this week".
  • A request for a deposit before a written quote, or an installer you cannot find on the MCS directory.
  • No mention of eligibility checks. Real grants always check the home and the household.
If in doubt: check the council or GOV.UK page for the scheme yourself rather than using a link or phone number you were given.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I really get a free solar battery in the UK?

Only in narrow cases. A household that qualifies for the Warm Homes: Local Grant may have a battery fitted at no cost to them where it complements solar panels, and some installers advertise a battery included in a solar package. There is no universal government scheme that gives every homeowner a free battery.

Is Solar Together free?

Registering is free and carries no obligation, but Solar Together is a council-run group-buying scheme that uses a reverse auction among installers to get a discounted price. It is not a grant or a subsidy, and you still pay for the system.

Is Great British Energy giving away solar batteries?

We found no Great British Energy offer of free batteries for private homeowners. Its published solar programmes focus on schools, hospitals and other public and community buildings, and on social housing.

What is a "free battery with solar panels" offer?

Usually a bundle where the battery is priced into the package or offered at a discount. Ask for the price with and without the battery to see what you are really paying.

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