What is the cheapest plug-in solar kit in the UK?

On 12 October 2026, the cheapest kit we could verify was City Plumbing's DMEGC 475 W single-panel kit at £336. The cheapest two-panel kit was City Plumbing's DMEGC 950 W at £456. Prices move, so check the shop page before you buy.

Can I buy the Octopus plug-in solar kit?

Not right now. Octopus's page said 'Plug-in Solar is sold out (for now!)' on 12 October 2026. The launch prices were £450 for one panel and £650 for two, delivered. Octopus pays export on kits bought from Octopus.

Does Lidl sell plug-in solar panels?

Not yet. We found no Lidl plug-in solar kit on 12 October 2026, and Which? says the same in its 16 September guide. The government has quoted Lidl GB only on its plans. We also found none at Aldi or Toolstation.

Is a plug-in solar kit approved once it's been submitted for testing?

No. A maker has to register the device and get confirmation it's compliant before selling it. Submitting a device for testing on its own isn't proof it has passed. Check for a confirmed listing on the ENA Type Test Register.

What does the label on a plug-in solar kit have to say?

It has to state that notifying your DNO, your local electricity network operator, about the hook-up is mandatory. A link showing how must be included too. It also has to say only one inverter, up to 800 VA, can be plugged in per household circuit.

Approved Plug-In Solar Kits UK: Prices (Oct 2026)

Nine kits on sale, what they cost, who's sold out, and how to check any of them yourself.

Nine kits are on sale in the UK, and prices checked on 12 October 2026 run from £336 to £989. We haven't tested any of them. What we can do is show you what they cost, which ones are cheap for what you get, and how to check a kit yourself.

Which plug-in solar kits can I buy, and what do they cost?

Prices checked 12 October 2026, VAT included. Single-panel kits: City Plumbing's DMEGC 475 W at £336, Solarfy Solo 455 W at £449, PatioSun Lite 445 W at £449, the Octopus 460 W kit at £450 (sold out), Modular Solar 340 W at £465, Thunder Energy Bolt 460 W at £549.99, Perlight PowerPlug MAX 465 W at £588, and the UKSOL Compact 515 W at £599. Prices move, so check before you buy.

Which two-panel kits are on sale?

Two-panel kits carry 880 to 1050 W of panels. The inverter still caps the output at 800 VA. City Plumbing's DMEGC 950 W is £456. The Solarfy Duo 910 W is £599. The Octopus two-panel kit is £650 (sold out). The PowerXpress kit at Screwfix, with two 460 W panels, is £669. PatioSun Duo £699 (panel size not stated). The Thunder Energy Bolt 920 W is £749.99. Which? put the range at £450 to over £1,000 on 7 October. City Plumbing's prices are below that.

Which kits are the best value?

On 12 October 2026, two City Plumbing kits were the cheapest we could verify. The single 475 W panel costs £336. By our estimate, scaled from the government's 800 W figures, it saves about £40 to £65 a year, so it pays back in about 5 to 8.5 years. The two-panel 950 W kit costs £456 and saves about £70 to £110 a year. That's a payback of about 4 to 6.5 years. The product page doesn't show the mounting or plug type, so ask the shop before you order.

Who is sold out, and who isn't selling yet?

Octopus said plug-in solar was 'sold out (for now!)' on 12 October. Its kits were £450 for one panel and £650 for two, delivered. Octopus pays for export on kits bought from Octopus. British Gas says plug-in export is 'coming soon'. UKSOL's own page lists its 515 W kit as 'available from November 1st' at £599. Argos lists UKSOL kits too, but we couldn't read Argos's prices. We found no plug-in kits at Lidl, Aldi or Toolstation.

Is a single-panel kit worth buying?

Only at a low price. A single panel of about 460 W saves about £40 to £65 a year, by our estimate. At £450, that's a 7 to 11 year payback. At £336, it's 5 to 8.5 years. A two-panel kit at £456 does better still. Check the maker's warranty too. City Plumbing's page says 10 years. Our worth-it guide has the full sums.

What is the ENA Type Test Register?

Every plug-in solar device sold in the UK has to be type tested against the G98 standard first. The results go on the ENA Type Test Register, which runs on the ENA Direct Connect platform. Look the kit up there before you buy, using the exact model name on the box.

Do shop listings prove a kit is compliant?

No. Wording varies a lot. Solarfy says the exact kit must be on the ENA register and registered after install. Thunder Energy quotes its own register reference on its page, so you can look it up. The Octopus and Screwfix pages had no ENA wording that we saw. Treat 'ENA compliant' in a title as a claim to check. Also avoid listings for '960 W / 800 W G98' kits with no ENA reference.

Is a kit 'submitted for testing' approved?

A maker has to register the device and get confirmation it passed, before the kit goes on sale. Submitting a device for registration isn't proof it's compliant. If a listing only says 'submitted' or 'pending', treat that as a kit that isn't cleared yet.

What has to be in the box, and what must the label say?

A proper kit has at least one panel, an inverter, a lead with the maker's own plug fitted, and a mounting system, all sold together. A mount held on with only cable ties, rope, tape, bungee cords or straps isn't allowed. The label has to say that telling your network operator, called your DNO, is mandatory, and link to how. See our DNO guide. It must also say only one inverter, up to 800 VA, can go in per household circuit.

Sunny says

Sunny says: the cheapest kit that is on the register beats the dearest one that isn't. Look up the model on your phone first, then the price. Prices checked 12 October 2026, and they will have moved by the time you read this.

The quick version

Cheapest verified: £336 single panel, £456 two panels (City Plumbing).
Octopus is sold out. UKSOL says 1 November. Lidl has nothing.
Check the exact model on the ENA register before you pay.

Which Plug-In Solar Kits Are Approved?