Uswitch has launched a solar panel comparison tool, which it says is now live alongside advice on costs and how installation works1. The comparison service puts quotes and system specifications side by side and connects households with installers the company lists as MCS-certified, naming Heatable, Glow Green and Sunsave among its partners1.
The company publishes indicative costs for systems without batteries, based on the installers it works with and dated 9 September 20261:
| System size | Average system cost | Typical household size |
|---|---|---|
| 2kW | £4,600 to £5,800 | 1 to 2 people |
| 4kW | £5,000 to £7,000 | 3 to 4 people (most common) |
| 6kW | £6,000 to £8,000 | Large families, or those with electric vehicles charged at home |
Uswitch states that solar panel prices vary with panel quality and system size and currently range from around £4,600 to £8,0001. It adds that a battery typically adds £2,500 to £5,000 to an installation1. On self-consumption, it says that without a battery a household might use only 30 to 50 per cent of what it generates, and that adding one can take this to 80 per cent or more1. It also notes that most solar panels come with a 25-year performance guarantee, and that many installers offer to spread the cost over 3 to 10 years1.
The company describes the tool as part of a streamlined journey in which households answer questions about their roof and energy usage, view quotes, compare warranties, panel efficiency and total costs, and then book a consultation with a chosen installer1.
"Our new comparison tool is now live, along with expert advice to see how much you could save and how the process works."
The page also refers to the Smart Export Guarantee, the mechanism under which suppliers pay for exported electricity, and states that FiT applications closed in 20191. It says it could take anywhere between seven and 10 years to break even on a solar installation, depending on what is paid for the panels, location, energy use, generation and export1.
Why it matters for households
A comparison tool of this kind affects how easily a household can gather competing quotes, which is one of the practical barriers to going ahead. The published figures give a starting range for budgeting: a 4kW system, described as the most common size, sits at £5,000 to £7,000 before any battery is added1. The battery figures matter for energy independence because they determine how much of a home's own generation is used on site rather than exported. Uswitch's own numbers put self-consumption at 30 to 50 per cent without storage and 80 per cent or more with it1. Export payments under the Smart Export Guarantee provide a return on whatever is sent to the grid instead, and the page notes that some tariffs pay more for export during peak hours1. Certification is central to eligibility: the page states that every partner installer is MCS-certified, which it links to eligibility for export payments1. Households weighing a smaller or simpler route can read our guide to plug-in solar versus installed solar, and those comparing storage options can read about hybrid inverters. The wider market of quote services and brokers is covered in our page on energy comparison sites and brokers.
What happens next
No dated next steps have been reported. Uswitch states that the tool is live now1.