Energy · install prices checked July 2026
Cut your energy bills without getting stitched up
Real UK prices for solar, heat pumps, boilers and EV chargers, the grants you can actually claim in 2026, and honest paybacks, so you can tell a fair quote from a padded one.
- £7,500heat pump grant (BUS)
- 0%VAT on solar, batteries, heat pumps
- 7–8 yrstypical solar payback
- 26.32pper kWh, Oct to Dec 2026 cap
Heat pump or gas boiler: which costs less to run?
Both priced at the official cap unit rates, rebuilt every quarter.
Pick the job
Know the price before you ask for quotes
Our guides show what each job should cost and how to compare installers.
Solar panels
From £5,500 installed. Costs, payback and how to compare installers.
Heat pumps
£7,000–£14,000 before the £7,500 grant.
Boilers
£2,000–£3,500 installed. Combi, system and regular compared.
EV chargers
£800–£1,200 installed, with up to £500 back for some households.
Double glazing
Prices by window type, frame material and region.
Energy grants 2026
What is open, what it pays, and who qualifies.
Four upgrades, four very different sums
What each one costs installed, what it saves a year, and the bit the salesperson tends to skip.
Solar panels
From £5,500 installed. Saves £800–£1,000 a year on a typical 4kW system, and the VAT is zero.
The catch: a north-facing roof or heavy shade can halve every number above.
Heat pumps
£7,000–£14,000 before the £7,500 BUS grant. Over 300% efficient where a gas boiler manages about 90%.
The catch: that efficiency needs a well-insulated house. Sort the insulation first.
Boilers
£2,000–£3,500 installed. Worth it if yours is 15 years old and limping. Combi, system and regular compared.
The catch: a like-for-like swap is the cheap bit. Moving it adds £500 to £1,000.
EV chargers
£800–£1,200 installed, with up to £500 back. On an off-peak tariff it pays for itself inside a year.
The catch: owner-occupiers of houses cannot claim the grant at all. It is for flat owners, renters, landlords, and on-street households fitting a cross-pavement gully.
What each upgrade costs and pays back
Installed prices for a typical three-bedroom UK home, checked in July 2026.
| Upgrade | Typical cost | Annual saving | Grant or relief | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar panels (4kW) | £6,500–£8,000 | £800–£1,000 | 0% VAT, saving about £1,500 | 7–8 years |
| Air source heat pump | £7,000–£14,000 | £200–£500 vs gas | £7,500 BUS grant | 5–10 years with grant |
| New combi boiler | £2,000–£3,500 | £200–£400 vs an old boiler | ECO4 if eligible | 6–10 years |
| EV home charger | £800–£1,200 | £1,100–£1,600 vs petrol | Up to £500 OZEV grant | Under 1 year |
| Solar and battery | £10,000–£15,000 | £1,200–£1,800 | 0% VAT | 7–10 years |
Savings assume the April 2026 price cap. Your numbers move with usage, tariff and how well the house holds heat.
UK energy grants and schemes in 2026
What is open, what it pays, and who qualifies.
| Scheme | What it covers | Amount | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme | Air and ground source heat pumps | £7,500 | Homeowners replacing fossil fuel heating |
| ECO4 | Insulation, boilers, heating | Varies, up to full cost | Low income and vulnerable households |
| Great British Insulation Scheme | Insulation | Up to full cost | Closed to new applicants since March 2026 |
| OZEV Chargepoint Grant | Home EV charger | Up to £500 | Flat owners, renters and landlords; on-street households via a cross-pavement gully. Not owner-occupied houses |
| 0% VAT on renewables | Solar, batteries, heat pumps | 20% saving | All residential properties |
| Smart Export Guarantee | Payment for exported solar electricity | 3–15p per kWh | Solar owners with a smart meter |
Find yourself on this list
Six situations we get asked about most, and what we would do first in each one.
Energy questions people ask us most
What is the single best energy investment for my home?
Can I combine solar panels with a heat pump?
Will the 2035 gas boiler changes affect me?
Do the sums yourself
Free calculators
Which upgrade first?
Answer a few questions about your home and see the order that pays back best.
What everything costs to run
Cost per hour, per use and per year at the current cap.
Solar savings calculator
What a system saves on your roof.
Heat pump cost and grant calculator
Installed price after the £7,500 grant.
Boiler replacement cost calculator
New boiler prices by type and job.
EV charger cost calculator
Installation priced by setup.
The numbers we keep updated
Latest energy data and reports
October 2026 price cap: confirmed at £1,723
The full running cost index
UK Heating Cost Index: heat pump vs gas boiler
£308Standing charges by postcode
Home Upgrade Payback Index: what pays back
EV vs petrol cost per mile tracker
The UK Air Conditioning Report 2026
Best electric heaters, ranked by running cost
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