With energy costs still a concern for many households, solar battery storage is attracting growing interest. From 1 October 2026, the Ofgem price cap puts a typical household’s energy bill at £1,723 a year. A home battery can help you make better use of your solar electricity and, with the right setup, provide backup power during a power cut. But batteries involve an upfront cost, the benefits vary from home to home, and with so many batteries on the market, it can be hard to know where to start.
A home battery is not a one-off purchase. It becomes part of your home’s energy system for the next 10 to 15 years. That’s why it’s worth looking beyond the price – at whether the system suits your home, and whether you can trust the company that installs it.
At Switch Together, we run group-buying schemes for solar panels and battery storage in partnership with local councils. In this guide to solar battery storage in the UK, we explain how it works, the main advantages and disadvantages, and what to consider so you can make a choice you’re happy with in 2026.
A solar battery (also called a home battery storage system) stores electricity so you can use it later. Your solar panels can charge it during the day, or you can charge it from the grid when electricity costs less.
In a typical home with solar panels, it works like this:
Battery storage is one of the fastest-growing home energy technologies in the UK. MCS (the Microgeneration Certification Scheme) is the UK’s quality assurance scheme for home renewable energy installations. It recorded more than 40,000 certified home battery installations in 2025 – almost double the previous annual record. That means more than half of all MCS-certified battery installations to date took place in that one year.
Most households choose a battery of 5–10 kWh. Homes that use a lot of electricity in the evening, or that charge an electric vehicle, often choose 8–12 kWh. You can read more on our battery storage page.
A home battery does more than reduce costs. It makes your home more energy independent. We see two main benefits: lower monthly electricity bills and, if your system is set up for it, backup power during a power cut.
Solar panels generate most of their electricity in the middle of the day, but most homes use the most electricity in the evening. A battery bridges that gap. It stores your surplus solar power so you can use it after dark or on dull days.
Using stored solar electricity reduces the amount you need to buy from the grid. Under the current price cap, grid electricity costs an average of 26.32p per kWh (1 October to 31 December 2026, paying by Direct Debit). Most export tariffs pay less than this for each unit you send to the grid. So in most cases, using a unit of your own solar power saves you more than exporting it would earn you. Some energy is lost each time a battery charges and discharges, though, so the overall benefit depends on your import and export tariffs.
You can also use a battery with a time-of-use tariff. This type of tariff charges different prices at different times of day, with lower rates at off-peak times such as overnight. You can charge your battery when electricity costs less and use that stored electricity at peak times. Most households save an extra £300 a year by adding battery storage to their solar panels.
If your system is designed for it, a battery can also provide backup power during a power cut. This is not a standard feature of every home battery: you need a battery and inverter with an emergency power supply (EPS) or backup function, installed and wired for this purpose.
As a rough example, a fully charged 5 kWh battery with backup could run a fridge-freezer, a broadband router, a few LED lights and phone chargers (around 350 W in total) for roughly 12 hours. How long it actually lasts depends on the battery’s usable capacity and on what you run.
Do solar panels work in a power cut in the UK? A standard grid-connected system switches off automatically when the grid fails. This protects engineers who are working on the network. If backup is important to you, discuss it with the installer before installation, including which appliances you want it to support. Read more in our guide: Do solar panels work during a power outage?
The UK grid is generally reliable, but severe storms can leave homes without power for days:
In situations like these, a battery with a backup function can keep selected appliances running, such as your fridge and freezer, lights, broadband and phone charging. If your solar system is designed to keep generating in backup mode, your panels can also recharge the battery during the day. If anyone in your home relies on medical equipment, check with your installer and the equipment supplier whether a backup system is suitable, rather than assuming it will be covered.
Related article: Solar battery price: what does battery storage cost in the UK?
About Switch Together group buying: How our group-buying schemes work
Home batteries are a great way to make your home more self-sufficient. But there are two main hurdles: the upfront cost, and choosing the right system and installer. If you understand both and make good use of government support and a trusted scheme, you’re well on the way to an installation you’re happy with.
A home battery is a significant investment. According to MCS Dashboard data for 2025, the average fully installed home battery system in the UK costs £6,819. The price depends on the battery’s size and brand, and on how it’s installed – for example, whether you add it to existing panels or fit it together with new ones. It reflects the cost of the battery cells, the inverter and the installation work.
However, as part of the UK’s target to reach net zero by 2050, there is support that can reduce the cost.
Government support
Eligibility and funding change regularly, so it’s worth checking what is available in your area. See our guide to solar battery grants.
Switch Together group-buying schemes
Our council-backed schemes use the combined buying power of many households to secure competitive prices. Vetted installers bid in an auction to offer the best value and quality, and you then receive a personal recommendation for your home. Registration is free, and you’re under no obligation to accept. Find out how group buying works.
Battery installers range from large national companies to small local businesses, so comparing them on your own can take time. Our schemes make it easier to compare your options. We check participating installers against clear criteria:
We also keep monitoring reviews, response times and service quality, and the batteries come with a 10-year manufacturer warranty as standard. You then receive a personal recommendation based on your home. You can review it and decide whether to accept it, with no obligation to proceed. Learn more about our installers.
With energy prices rising again this winter, and more people looking for ways to use more of their own solar power, solar battery storage is set to become even more popular. At the same time, it’s a significant purchase that you’ll use for 10 to 15 years. So make good use of the support available, and choose an installer you can trust.
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Not necessarily. Solar panels work without a battery, and you can add one later. A battery makes most sense if you use a lot of electricity in the evening, export a lot of your solar power, want to use a time-of-use tariff, or want backup power in a power cut (which needs a system with a backup function).
In most cases, yes. A battery lets you use more of your own solar power and buy less electricity at peak rates. How much you save depends on how much electricity you use and when, your tariff, and the size of your battery and solar panels.
It depends on your home. For many homes with solar panels, the savings and the peace of mind over 10 to 15 years make a battery worth it – especially while installation is zero-rated for VAT. A personal recommendation for your home, with estimated savings, is the easiest way to find out.
Home batteries are becoming an important part of the modern home. They help with rising energy bills and can keep the lights on in a power cut. But they’re a significant investment, and you’ll use yours for 10 to 15 years or more.
So rather than deciding on price alone, we recommend basing your decision on these three points:
At Switch Together, we work to address each of these concerns, so every household can make a choice it feels confident about.
Installing a battery is an important step towards a more secure energy future for your home. Our expert team is here to help you every step of the way, so if you have any questions, please contact us.
Join the switch: register with Switch Together to receive your free, no-obligation personal recommendation and find out what a battery could do for your home.