Solar Together scheme: how it works and whether it is worth it

Solar Together is a group-buying scheme, not a grant. Your council promotes it, a company called iChoosr runs it, and approved installers compete in an auction to supply solar panels (and optionally a battery) to households that register. Registration is free and without obligation, and you decide whether to accept the personal offer you receive afterwards. Whether it is worth it depends on how that offer compares with quotes you get yourself, so this page explains the process and what to check.

We are an independent publisher, not an installer, and we do not run or sell through Solar Together. We read the scheme's own site and several council pages on 8 October 2026; councils run the scheme in different years and areas, so always check the page for your own council.

How Solar Together works

Who runs it

The scheme's own site describes it as a trading name of iChoosr Ltd, working with local authorities. Council pages say the same thing in different words: Worcestershire County Council says its role is to help promote the opportunity to residents, and that iChoosr is responsible for the process until you accept your personal recommendation, after which the winning installer takes over responsibility for your installation.

The reverse auction

Several councils (North Somerset, Lincolnshire) describe the same five steps. You register, giving details such as your roof size and orientation. Pre-approved installers then bid in a reverse auction, where the most competitive offer wins. Councils say the more households register, the better the deal for each household. You then receive a personal recommendation by email with the cost and specification for your home, and you can accept or stop. Lincolnshire County Council says households have four weeks in which to accept or stop the process. If you accept, the winning installer surveys your roof and agrees an installation date.

Panels, batteries and other options

The scheme is built around solar panels. Worcestershire's page says panels and battery storage are both offered, and North Somerset's says a battery can be added at registration, and that households that already have solar can register to add a battery. Lincolnshire also mentions retrofit batteries and EV charge points. Which options you see depends on the scheme round in your area.

Who the installers are

Worcestershire's page says installers must be MCS-accredited and that iChoosr vets them on certifications and insurance, customer satisfaction and financial due diligence. It also states that installations come with a 10-year insurance-backed guarantee as standard. The scheme's own site says installers are vetted for experience, accreditations, customer service, safety standards and financial stability. Treat those statements as the scheme's description of itself: your written offer is what binds the installer, so check the guarantee and warranty terms in it (see the checklist below). MCS itself says you should check that your installer is MCS certified and uses MCS-certified products, and that Smart Export Guarantee payments need an MCS-certified installation; see our guide to Smart Export Guarantee rates with a battery.

Is Solar Together a grant?

No. Nothing on the scheme's own site or the council pages we read describes a grant or subsidy: the offer is a priced installation, and the benefit is group buying power. If you want to see whether you qualify for actual funding, such as the England-only Warm Homes: Local Grant, the rules are on our Warm Homes Local Grant battery page and in the overview at grants and funding. Some council pages also point to separate loans for scheme participants (North Somerset mentions one from Lendology CIC with limited funding), which is a loan you repay, not a grant.

On price, we have no scheme-wide saving figure we can verify. Worcestershire's page says its 2024 round delivered an estimated 10% saving on market rates; that is the council's own estimate for that round and area, not a guide to what you will be offered. The only reliable test of value is your own offer set against other written quotes. For typical price ranges see solar battery costs.

Solar Together vs your own quotes vs a grant route

These routes are not mutually exclusive in principle, but rules differ: for example, grant schemes usually require their own assessment and approved installers, so check before you accept any offer if you think you might qualify for funding.

What to check in your Solar Together offer

• Battery size: the usable capacity in kWh, and whether a battery is included at all or priced as an option.
• Inverter: make and model, and its warranty length. A hybrid inverter matters if you want to add a battery later.
• Panel brand and number: make, model and wattage, so you can compare like with like.
• Warranties and guarantees: product warranties, workmanship warranty and any insurance-backed guarantee, in writing, with who stands behind them.
• VAT: ask for the VAT line to be shown. HMRC's rules for installing batteries in homes set VAT at 0% until 31 March 2027 and 5% after; our battery VAT guide explains which parts are covered.
• Scaffold: whether it is included in the price. Worcestershire's page says scaffolding stays up for two working days after installation.
• Grid notification: who notifies your distribution network operator (DNO) of the installation, and whether a battery changes what is needed.
• MCS certificate: confirm in writing that you will receive one, and check the installer on the MCS directory. You need it for Smart Export Guarantee payments.
• Total price and payment terms: deposit amount, when it is due and the cancellation terms. Worcestershire's page says the installer takes over responsibility after the deposit is paid.

Before you accept, it is sensible to get at least one independent written quote for the same specification. If the offer is close, the convenience of a vetted route may be worth it; if it is not, you have lost nothing by registering.

Next steps

If you want to find out whether you could qualify for grant or loan support before you decide, use our eligibility check, and read the full grants and funding guide.

Frequently asked questions