The short answer
Yes, but only if your situation fits one of a few narrow routes. Most homeowners in Hull, the East Riding and northern Lincolnshire will not get a cash grant for solar panels on their own in 2026. What most people get instead is a tax relief and an export payment. Every scheme is summarised in our overview of solar panel grants in Yorkshire.
A typical homeowner: no grant, but two things still help
If you own your home, earn a normal income and just want panels on the roof, there is no national cash grant for solar PV. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme only pays towards heat pumps and biomass boilers, not solar panels or batteries.
- 0% VAT. HMRC zero-rates installing solar panels and home batteries in residential accommodation until 31 March 2027. From 1 April 2027 the rate goes back to 5%. Our 0% VAT on solar guide covers the details.
- Export payments. Under the Smart Export Guarantee, suppliers that are SEG licensees must pay for electricity you export, at a rate they set that must always be above zero. Systems up to 50kW usually need an MCS certificate or an equivalent. Octopus's standard Outgoing Octopus rate is 12p per kWh (checked September 2026). Compare tariffs on our Smart Export Guarantee page.
Help with the upfront cost is arriving as loans, not grants. The Warm Homes Loan Scheme, part of the government's January 2026 Warm Homes Plan, works through private lenders, and its rules set an initial consumer launch phase from September 2026. It is aimed at owner-occupiers and private landlords, has no income limit, requires lenders to pass the government grant on as a lower interest rate, and needs an MCS-certified installer. Ask a lender whether its loan is part of the scheme. Other ways to spread the cost are on our finance page.
Replacing an oil or LPG boiler is different. From 21 July 2026 until March 2027, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme pays £9,000 towards an air source or ground source heat pump if your home is heated by oil or LPG and has no mains gas connection; otherwise it pays £7,500. See heat pumps for off-gas homes in East Yorkshire.
A low-income or benefits household: Warm Homes: Local Grant
For households that qualify, this is how solar panels can be paid for in full. Warm Homes: Local Grant is government funding delivered by councils in England between April 2025 and March 2028. It can pay for solar panels, insulation, air source heat pumps and smart controls, and occupants don't pay for the work.
On gov.uk's tests, your home must be privately owned (by you or your landlord) and have an EPC rating of D, E, F or G. Your household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less, though you can still qualify above that in certain postcode areas or if someone in the home gets certain benefits. Work goes ahead only if you are eligible and your council has funding available.
| Council | What the council or gov.uk says (September 2026) |
|---|---|
| Hull City Council | £3.4 million over three years for privately owned homes; measures include solar panels, insulation, air source heat pumps and smart controls. E.ON Green Funding Solutions processes applications. Measures come as a package after a retrofit assessment, so you cannot pick solar panels on their own. The council cannot guarantee every eligible applicant a grant and is prioritising households in, or most at risk of, fuel poverty. |
| East Riding of Yorkshire Council | Its June 2026 news release cites £1.6 million of Warm Homes: Local Grant (delivered with E.ON) within its work on private and social housing; gov.uk's July 2026 list shows £1.5 million. It is no longer accepting new ECO4 or Great British Insulation Scheme applications, and keeps an insulation waiting list through its Healthy Homes team. |
| North East Lincolnshire Council | Works with YES Energy Solutions. Criteria: privately owned, EPC D to G, household income £36,000 or less (or a qualifying postcode or benefit). All enquiries now go onto a waiting list pending further funding. |
| North Lincolnshire Council | Listed on gov.uk (updated 2 July 2026) as a member of the Midlands Net Zero Hub consortium, not with its own allocation. Check with the council or the gov.uk application service. |
You may also have heard of ECO4, a separate scheme delivered by energy suppliers that runs until 31 December 2026. Gov.uk says to ask your local council or an energy supplier about it.
Renters
If you rent privately, Warm Homes: Local Grant can still apply, because the home only has to be privately owned, by you or your landlord. Your landlord has to complete a declaration form for the council and may need to pay for some of the work.
Renters can also get a grant most homeowners can't. The EV chargepoint grant for renters and flat owners pays 75% of the cost of buying and installing a chargepoint socket, up to £500. You need an eligible electric vehicle and private off-street parking, and it closes on 31 March 2027. People who own and live in a flat can apply; people who own the house they live in cannot. More on our EV charger installation page.
Landlords
Under Warm Homes: Local Grant, DESNZ's July 2026 guidance allows one privately rented home per landlord to be fully funded where the tenants meet the eligibility criteria. For every additional home upgraded after that, the landlord pays 50% of the cost. Tenants are not expected to contribute.
Businesses
There is no national cash grant for commercial solar. The 0% VAT rate covers only residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a relevant charitable purpose, and HMRC confirms the standard rate for hotels and similar premises.
The real help is tax relief. HMRC designates all capital spending on solar panels as special rate. The cost can go against the £1 million Annual Investment Allowance, or companies buying new, unused kit can claim the 50% first-year allowance, which is what special rate plant gets; full expensing is for main rate plant. The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme's Phase 4 closed to new applications in November 2024. See commercial solar and planning permission for commercial solar in England.
Is it still worth it without a grant?
For many homeowners, yes, but it depends on how much of your electricity you use during the day and on the export rate you can get. It isn't worth it if your roof is heavily shaded or you plan to move soon. If you already have panels, see adding a battery to existing solar panels.
