New permitted development rules for domestic solar come into force

Amended permitted development rights for domestic solar installations in England came into force on 27 August 2026, having been published by Government at the end of July¹. The changes are intended to broaden the scope of solar installations for houses in England without requiring an application for planning permission¹. Separately, plug-in solar panels became legal to buy and use across Great Britain from the same date².

The amended rules split the eligibility requirements into distinct rules for houses and blocks of flats, with houses gaining the potential for larger installations in a wider range of locations on buildings or within the property boundary¹. They also clarify the potential to install plug-in solar, meaning equipment that connects to the dwelling's wiring via a standard plug socket, while blocking this being installed on wooden structures or cladding to mitigate fire risk¹. The Planning Portal's guidance sets out the limits that apply to equipment mounted on a house or a block of flats, and separately to stand-alone equipment within the grounds³.

On plug-in solar, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said each kit produces up to 800W of power, enough to provide up to 20% of an average home's electricity use, with no installation cost and without taking any electricity from the grid². It put the saving at up to £110 a year on bills². The Renewable Energy Association gave a figure of up to £100 a year². The department said the legal changes follow independent safety testing covering all key electrical elements, and that the UK safety specification is more stringent than that of Germany, where around half a million new devices were plugged in last year². It also said the panels can be put in any outdoor space or on some balconies, and that people should check whether permissions are required, which may include permission from a landlord, building owner or freeholder, planning permission or listed building consent².

"These split the eligibility requirements into distinct rules for houses and blocks of flats, with the former gaining the potential for larger installations in a wider range of locations on buildings or within the property boundary."

Installation figures were also published. Nearly 172,000 solar installations have been fitted across the UK since the start of 2026, with nearly 28,000 completed in July 2026⁵. Rooftop solar accounted for more than 7 in 10 installations during July, with more than 19,800 rooftop installations that month⁵. The South East recorded 22,628 installations this year, taking its total to 305,101, an increase of 14% since last July; the South West 17,539, taking its total to 271,400, up 13%; the East of England 18,109, taking its total to 241,195, up 15%; the East Midlands 15,981, taking its total to 182,606, up 17%; and the North West 15,927, taking its total to 186,253, up 16%⁵. Wales recorded an 18% rise, Scotland 14% and the North East 11%⁵. A separate MCS dataset cited by the department reported almost 150,000 certified solar installations in the first six months of 2026, up 17% on the previous highest start to a year in 2025, and 36,000 certified battery installations, almost double the same period last year².

Why it matters for households

For a household, the change affects what can be fitted without a planning application, and the split between houses and blocks of flats means the answer now depends on the type of property. The permitted development rights for home energy equipment set the limits, and the Planning Portal's permitted development and planning by home type guidance covers how these differ. For flats, the energy improvements in flats and apartments page sets out the position for leaseholders, who may need permission from a landlord, freeholder or management company³. Plug-in solar is the first route to generating electricity that does not require a roof, which matters for renters and flat-owners, though the department notes that permissions may still be needed². The fire-risk restriction means plug-in equipment cannot go on wooden walls, balconies, enclosures or timber cladding¹. Savings figures are stated as up to £110 a year for plug-in kits and up to £480 a year for rooftop solar²; actual savings will vary by home, as the Energy Saving Trust noted².

What happens next

The Planning Portal will update its online application system on 17 September 2026, including the eligibility questions for the two prior approval application types affected, ID 73 and ID 74¹. It is contacting users with draft applications to tell them the eligibility criteria will be outdated until that point¹. The transitional provision allowing projects that will no longer be eligible to use the rules as they stood before the changes runs for 12 months¹. The Planning Portal blog gives the deadline as 26 August 2027¹; its guidance pages give it as 27 August 2027³. Retailers including Amazon, Argos, Currys and Wickes have committed to stocking plug-in solar panels².

Sources5 cited

1. Changes to permitted development rules for domestic solar installations | Planning Portal Blog, blog.planningportal.co.uk
2. Households can save as plug-in solar panels come to market - GOV.UK, gov.uk
3. Planning Permission: Solar equipment mounted on a house or a block of flats or on a building within the curtilage - Solar panels - Planning Portal, planningportal.co.uk
4. Planning Permission: Stand alone solar equipment (panels not on a building but within the grounds of a house or a block of flats) - Solar panels - Planning Portal, planningportal.co.uk
5. First regional solar breakdown as installations hit record highs - GOV.UK, gov.uk