Plug-in solar in the UK: the rules, the 800 W limit and registering your kit

Is plug-in solar legal in the UK?

Yes, in Great Britain. A statutory instrument, SI 2026/848, amended the plug and socket safety rules and the electricity supply regulations so that a new category of device, the “plug-in microgenerator”, can connect through a standard plug and socket. It came into force on 27 August 2026 and applies in England, Scotland and Wales. It does not apply in Northern Ireland, which has separate regulations.

Before the change you could buy a balcony kit, but plugging it into a socket wasn’t allowed. Now you can, as long as the kit is an approved one.

The 800 W limit and approved kits

A plug-in microgenerator can have a maximum output of 800 watts. That limit applies to the AC output of the inverter, not the panels, so many kits pair more than 800 W of panels with an 800 W inverter. The extra panel capacity lets the inverter run at full output for more of the day, which helps in British weather.

To count as approved, a kit has to meet the government’s Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification and be listed on the network operators’ device register, Connect Direct. The register started small: at launch, pv magazine counted seven compliant devices, all from one maker, UKSOL. By late October 2026, one tracker counted 136 devices from 34 manufacturers. Check the exact model on the register before you buy, because similar-looking kits from the same brand aren’t always listed.

Plugging in safely

The rules expect a simple setup:

• Use the plug supplied with the kit, in a fixed socket. No extension leads, adaptors or altered plugs.
• Have the wiring looked at if your home is old. The Energy Saving Trust advises against plug-in solar where the consumer unit (fuse box) still uses rewireable fuses.
• Fix the panels securely. A panel on a balcony rail has to survive winter gales, so use the mounting kit designed for it and keep it inside your own balcony.
• Keep the cable tidy and protected where it runs indoors, so it can’t be trapped in a window or door.

Every approved kit’s inverter has anti-islanding protection: it switches off within a fraction of a second if the grid goes down, so it won’t feed power into the network during a power cut. It also means a plug-in kit won’t keep your lights on in an outage.

Registering your kit

This is the step most people miss. Before you use the kit, register it at myplugin.solar, the registration portal run for the network operators. It asks for your name, address and postcode, an email address, and the make and model of the device, which you pick from the approved list. The portal then notifies your local network operator for you.

You don’t need the G98 form that rooftop solar installers use, as long as your device is a compliant plug-in microgenerator. Electricity North West’s guidance is clear that registering before first use is a legal requirement, not a courtesy.

When you register, you’re asked to confirm the kit is the only plug-in solar device in your household. So it’s one kit per home.

Planning permission and permission from your landlord

In England, plug-in solar doesn’t normally need planning permission, though the permitted development rules have exceptions. If your home is listed or in a conservation area, check with your council first. Scotland and Wales have their own planning rules and hadn’t introduced equivalent changes when the electrical rules took effect.

Renting is the bigger hurdle. The law firm Burges Salmon points out that most leases require the landlord’s consent for alterations, and that UK tenants will generally still need it, unlike in Germany, where balcony solar is a protected right. Ask in writing, and expect a landlord to want to know about fixing, insurance and removal when you move out.

Batteries aren’t included

The plug-in rules cover solar only. Kits with a built-in battery, and batteries that plug into a socket to supply the house, are outside the specification. The government and the industry are looking at safety standards, so this may change, but for now any battery has to be installed the conventional way. If backup power during cuts is your aim, a portable power station that doesn’t connect to the house wiring is the simpler option.

What kits cost

Prices settled quickly after launch. These are examples from retailers in September and October 2026:

Seller	Kit	Price
Octopus Energy	Single 460 W panel bundle	£450
Octopus Energy	Two-panel bundle (2 × 460 W)	£650
Thunder Energy	Bolt 460 W and Bolt 920 W	£549.99 to £749.99
Argos	UKSOL Plug-In Solar Pro Compact 515 W	from £599
UKSOL (direct)	Two kits	£699 to £1,089

Across the market, a complete compliant kit cost roughly £400 to £1,300 in autumn 2026. Prices move weekly, so treat these as a guide and check the model is on the register before paying.

Is it worth it?

It depends mostly on sun and timing. An 800 W kit facing south in much of England might make around 600 kWh a year, less if the panels hang vertically on a railing or catch shade. If you use 80% of that at home and pay about 25p per kWh, that’s roughly £120 a year off your bill. pv magazine quoted savings of up to £110 a year at launch, which is in the same range.

At those numbers a £600 kit pays for itself in about five years, and a cheaper single-panel kit can do it sooner. You’ll get the most from it if someone is home in the day, or if you run the washing machine and dishwasher while the sun is out. Our savings calculator lets you try your own figures, including a lower self-use share if you’re out at work all day.

Before you buy: a quick checklist

1. Check the exact model is on the Connect Direct register.
2. Make sure you have a fixed outdoor socket, or can have one fitted, within reach of the cable.
3. Look at your fuse box. Rewireable fuses mean a call to an electrician first.
4. Get consent if you rent or own a leasehold flat.
5. Register at myplugin.solar before you plug in.

For how the technology works and what affects output, see our guide to how plug-in solar works.