Policy
Warm Homes Plan: what it says on solar and batteries
The Warm Homes Plan was first published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 21 January 2026 and updated on 18 March 2026, when corrections were made to pages 41, 49 and 82. We read the web version. Plans are statements of intent, and much of this one is written that way, so it helps to separate what is stated from what is still to be confirmed.
On rooftop solar, the plan calls it "one of the best technologies to help consumers save money". It says the measures in the plan could put solar panels on the roofs of up to 3 million more homes, and elsewhere describes that as trebling the number of homes with rooftop solar today by 2030. The word is "could". It is an ambition, not a guarantee, and it does not by itself change what you can fit or what it costs today.
On batteries, the plan says the consumer loans can cover solar panels and batteries, "facilitating immediate electricity bill savings", as well as heat pump installations. It also notes that MCS (the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, which certifies installers and products) accredited the installation of over 18,000 batteries in existing homes in 2024. In an illustrative example it says a home with a heat pump, solar and a battery could save up to £550 a year compared with a gas boiler. That is a best-case example for one set of equipment, not a figure for a typical Broadstairs house.
On money, the plan describes a new zero and low-interest consumer loan offer backed with an initial £2 billion of government support. It says it intends to allocate up to £1.7 billion of the Warm Homes Fund to these loans, aims to roll the scheme out in phases, and says: "We will set out further details of the scheme's eligibility later this year." It also says funding is subject to further approval processes. Grants are mainly aimed at heat: the plan lists Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants for heat pumps, and low-income support that includes solar and batteries.
What is still to be confirmed? From the page as published: who qualifies for the loans, the phasing, and final funding approval. We have not checked later announcements, so do not assume the loans are open to you today. If a company says it can arrange a Warm Homes Plan loan, ask for the scheme name, the lender, the interest rate in writing and where the official eligibility rules are published.
For a Broadstairs homeowner the practical checklist is short. Get at least two like-for-like quotes. Check the price against our costs page. Confirm planning and network approval using our planning and network guide. Remember that a battery on its own often has a long payback, as our battery only page shows honestly. If a scheme helps, good, but a system should make sense without it, because the details can change.
Read the original: GOV.UK (DESNZ): Warm Homes Plan. Figures come from that page. Where we do our own sums we say so. Commentary is our own view, not advice.
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