Battery Storage with Solar Panels: Is It Worth It
Updated: Sep 30
More UK homes are adding batteries to their solar panels than ever before. According to MCS data, over 22,000 home battery systems were installed across the UK in just one year, and that number keeps rising. It is not hard to see why.
Energy bills are still high, and a battery lets you hold on to the power your solar panels make during the day and use it at night. That means less is bought from the grid, and more money stays in your pocket. But cost, savings, and whether it actually pays off are all fair questions.
How Does Solar Battery Storage Actually Work?
Solar panels make electricity from daylight, not just bright sunshine. This means they still work on cloudy days, just not as strongly. The tricky part is that most of this electricity is made between 9 am and 3 pm. That is usually when most people are out at work or school, so the house does not actually need much power at that time.
Without a battery, all that extra electricity gets sent back to the National Grid. And the rate you get paid for it is much lower than what you pay to buy electricity back later in the day. That is where a battery changes things.
What a Battery Actually Does
A battery sits between your solar panels and your home. Here is how it works, step by step:
Your solar panels make electricity during the day
Your home uses what it needs straight away
Any leftover electricity goes into the battery automatically
In the evening, the battery sends that stored power back into your home
If the battery runs out, your home switches back to the grid
This all happens on its own. You do not need to press any buttons or change any settings.
What Kind of Battery Is It?
Most home batteries in the UK today are lithium-ion. According to the Energy Saving Trust, a typical battery storage system is roughly 100cm x 60cm x 25cm, so it is about the size of a large suitcase. They can be put up on a wall in a garage, utility room, or in a waterproof outdoor unit.
Some batteries also come with smart controls. This lets you set a schedule so the battery charges from the grid overnight when electricity is cheaper. That way, you are saving money even on days when the sun does not shine much.
If you are thinking about getting solar panels fitted, our solar PV installations page explains what is involved. And if you want to go straight to storage, take a look at our battery storage solutions to see what options are available.
What Are the Real Solar Battery Storage Benefits for UK Homes?
The biggest reason most people look into solar battery storage is to spend less on electricity. According to the Energy Saving Trust, adding a battery to your solar panels can cut how much electricity you buy from the grid, which directly reduces your bills. Households that use more power in the evenings tend to see the biggest difference.
But lower bills are just one of the solar battery storage benefits worth knowing about.
Key Benefits for UK Homeowners
Lower electricity bills — stored solar power is used in the evening instead of buying from the grid at peak prices
Less reliance on the National Grid — useful during times when energy prices rise sharply
Backup power during cuts — many batteries switch to backup mode automatically, keeping your lights and appliances going
More of your solar power stays in your home — the Microgeneration Certification Scheme notes that batteries can push self-consumption rates to 80% or higher
A smaller carbon footprint — using your own clean energy instead of grid power, which still partly comes from fossil fuels
Ready for the future — homes with solar and battery storage are well set up for electric vehicle charging and smart energy tariffs
Why Storing Beats Exporting
It is worth understanding why keeping your solar energy makes more financial sense than sending it back to the grid. Export tariffs under the Smart Export Guarantee typically pay between 4p and 15p per kilowatt-hour. But buying electricity from the grid costs closer to 25p per kilowatt-hour. That gap is big. Storing and using your own power is worth far more than selling it.
If you are also thinking about charging an electric vehicle at home, our electric vehicle charge point installations page covers how that fits alongside a solar and battery setup.
How Much Does a Solar Battery Cost in the UK?
Cost is usually the first thing people want to know. The honest answer is that it depends on the size of the battery and the complexity of the job.
According to MCS, the average cost of a home battery installation in the UK in 2024 was around £8,035. Smaller systems can start from about £3,000, while larger setups for bigger homes can reach £10,000 or more.
The VAT Relief That Helps
The UK government reduced VAT on battery storage installations to 0% from 1 February 2024. This rate runs until 31 March 2027. It applies whether the battery is being added to an existing solar system or installed as part of a brand new one. For most homes, that saves several hundred pounds off the upfront price.
Typical Savings and Payback
Small household with 5 kWh battery — roughly £600 saved per year
Medium household with 10 kWh battery — roughly £700 to £800 saved per year
Large household or EV owner — £1,000 or more saved per year
At those savings rates, most households recover the cost of the battery within seven to ten years. Most batteries come with a ten-year warranty, so you should be well within that window before the warranty runs out.
What Size Do You Need?
For most UK homes, a battery between 5 and 10 kWh is enough. A 5 kWh battery suits smaller homes or flats. A three or four-bedroom home usually benefits from 10 kWh or more. If you are planning to charge an electric vehicle at home, too, you will want to factor that into the size. Our battery storage solutions page has more details on the options available, and our electrical contracting team can advise on what your home needs before installation.
Can You Earn Money by Exporting Stored Solar Energy?
Yes, you can. The Smart Export Guarantee, which is managed by Ofgem, requires large energy suppliers to pay you for every unit of electricity you send back to the National Grid. It launched in 2020 and has grown quickly since then. By the end of March 2025, over 270,000 solar homes were signed up to an export tariff, a 63% rise on the year before.
What You Can Expect to Earn
The average export rate has risen from 3.15p per kWh in the first year of the scheme to 10.8p per kWh in 2024 to 2025
Some tariffs linked to your energy supplier now pay up to 15p per kWh or more
In 2024 to 2025, suppliers paid out a total of £56.97 million to households on export tariffs, an 86% increase on the previous year
How a Battery Makes It Smarter
Without a battery, your panels export whenever they produce more than you use, and you have no control over the timing. With a battery, you can store power during the day and choose when to export, for example, during peak hours when export rates are higher.
Some households go a step further by charging their battery overnight on a cheap off-peak tariff, then exporting during the most valuable hours of the day. This kind of approach takes a bit of planning and needs a compatible battery and tariff, but it can noticeably improve your returns.
Pairing your solar panels with battery storage and a smart tariff is one of the best ways to make the most of your system. Our solar PV installations and battery storage solutions pages explain how both parts work together.
What Does UK Law Say About Solar and Battery Installations?
Before any battery is connected to your home, the work has to meet certain safety rules. Under UK Building Regulations Part P, electrical work in a home must meet approved safety standards.
In most cases, this means the job needs to be done by a qualified electrician who can either certify the work themselves or notify Building Control. This is not something to cut corners on, and a reputable installer will handle all of this for you.
What MCS Certification Means for You
For solar panels, MCS certification matters for two reasons. First, it means the products and the installer have both been checked against approved standards. Second, you need an MCS certificate to register for the Smart Export Guarantee and get paid for the electricity you send back to the grid. Without it, you cannot access those payments.
MCS certifies both the equipment and the people fitting it, so choosing an MCS-registered installer gives you a solid layer of protection.
Do You Need Planning Permission?
In most cases, no. Adding solar panels to a house roof falls under permitted development rights for most homes in England. This means you do not need to apply for planning permission. There are some exceptions:
Listed buildings
Properties in a conservation area
Some flats or shared buildings
If you are not sure, it is worth checking with your local council before you go ahead. Battery storage itself does not usually need planning permission as it is installed indoors or in a suitable outdoor unit.
Natural Spark’s electrical contracting team handles all certification and compliance as part of every installation, so you do not have to worry about the paperwork.
Is Battery Storage Worth It for Your Home?
The short answer is that it depends on your household. But for most UK homeowners with solar panels, adding a battery makes a lot of sense. The question is really about which benefits matter most to you.
It Works Best When You Use Power in the Evenings
If your home is mostly empty during the day and busier in the evenings, a battery will make a big difference. Your solar panels fill up the battery while the house is quiet, and then the battery powers your home when everyone is back. According to the Energy Saving Trust, a battery is particularly useful for households with higher evening energy use.
If your household is at home most of the day and already using solar power as it is made, the savings from a battery will be smaller. But there are still good reasons to have one, including backup power and export earnings.
Three Types of Homeowners Who Benefit Most
High evening energy users — get the strongest bill savings by using stored solar instead of grid power
Rural homeowners or those in areas with power cuts — the backup power alone can make it worthwhile
EV owners or those planning to buy an electric vehicle — a battery makes home charging much simpler and cheaper to manage
The Financial Case Right Now
The 0% VAT rate on battery storage makes the upfront cost lower than it has been before. Most medium-sized households can expect to pay back the cost of the battery within seven to ten years and then keep saving after that.
If you are already getting solar panels, it often makes sense to add a battery at the same time. The installer is already on site, which can reduce the overall cost. Take a look at our battery storage solutions and solar PV installations pages to see how both work together.
Make Your Solar Panels Work Harder for You
Energy bills are not getting any lower, and a solar battery is one of the most practical things you can do about it right now. The technology works, the savings are real, and the 0% VAT rate means the upfront cost is lower than it used to be.
Natural Spark works with homeowners across the UK to make this straightforward from start to finish. Whether you are starting from scratch or adding a battery to panels you already have, the team will help you find what fits your home and your budget. Take a look at our solar PV installations and battery storage solutions to see what is available.Thinking about an EV charger too? Natural Spark covers that through our electric vehicle charge point installations. Get in touch today and see what the right setup looks like for your home.
