£15m Plug-in Solar Schemes Proposed in Manchester & Liverpool

The government's £25 million plug-in solar ambition

When the UK government announced plans to bring plug-in solar to British shops in March 2026, the focus was on making affordable solar equipment available without the expense of professional installation.

With single-panel plug-in solar kits now starting at £336 and two-panel kits available from £432, the cost of getting started with solar is becoming more affordable. But for many households, finding several hundred pounds upfront is still a significant hurdle.

The government has recognised this barrier, with plans to explore how plug-in solar could be made accessible to lower-income households.

On 21 April 2026, then Energy Secretary Ed Miliband confirmed that £25 million had been earmarked to explore support for low-income households.

In a statement to Parliament, he said:

Following our announcement that we will bring plug-in solar to shops in the UK, we have earmarked £25 million with a view to piloting support for low-income families for plug-in solar and a vision of a house by house, street by street rollout.

The announcement raised the prospect of publicly supported schemes helping households that might otherwise struggle to afford solar equipment, making plug-in solar part of a wider effort to tackle fuel poverty.

Almost six months on, we're starting to see what those plans might look like in practice.

Greater Manchester's £10m plug-in solar proposal

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) included plans for a plug-in solar offer worth up to £10 million in its updated forward plan published on 1 October 2026.

The proposal, titled “Procurement of suppliers for the delivery of a Plug-in Solar Offer”, would see suppliers appointed through the authority's existing Net Zero Housing Retrofit Framework Agreement.

The official procurement notice states:

To appoint suppliers through the GMCA Net Zero Housing Retrofit Framework Agreement for the delivery of Plug-in Solar in Greater Manchester for a total of up to £10,000,000.

A decision is expected between October and December 2026.

There are still plenty of unanswered questions. We don't yet know who would qualify, whether kits would be free or discounted, or even whether the full £10 million has been secured. The figure represents the maximum proposed procurement value, not a confirmed spending commitment.

Even so, this is a significant development. Greater Manchester isn't simply expressing an interest in plug-in solar; it's considering how to appoint the suppliers who could help deliver it.

Liverpool's £5 million plug-in solar pilot for households in fuel poverty

Liverpool City Region has gone further in outlining who its proposed plug-in solar scheme would support.

On 18 September 2026, the Combined Authority announced plans for a £5 million plug-in solar pilot, specifically targeting owner-occupier households experiencing fuel poverty.

The proposal aims to provide eligible households with free plug-in solar equipment, with delivery anticipated by July 2027.

The scheme still needs funding approval from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), but Liverpool has already taken an important step towards making it happen.

At a meeting on 25 September 2026, the Combined Authority approved submitting a formal funding proposal to DESNZ. It also authorised the necessary contractual arrangements should the pilot get the go-ahead.

That puts Liverpool in an interesting position. Unlike Manchester, it has already identified who it wants to help, what it hopes to provide and when it wants to deliver it. Now it needs the funding to turn those plans into reality.

London signals interest in plug-in solar

London is also showing signs of interest.

In a decision published on 24 September 2026, the Greater London Authority identified plug-in solar systems for low-income households as one of the measures that could be supported if additional government funding becomes available.

This is considerably less advanced than the proposals in Manchester and Liverpool. No dedicated London plug-in solar scheme or funding allocation has been confirmed. Nevertheless, it's an encouraging sign that plug-in solar is being considered as another way to help households struggling with their energy bills.

What happens next?

With proposals now on the table in Greater Manchester and Liverpool, publicly supported plug-in solar is starting to look like more than just a government ambition.

The two regions have outlined schemes with a combined potential value of £15 million, although funding and delivery arrangements have yet to be finalised.

The next milestones will be Greater Manchester's procurement decision, expected before the end of 2026, and the outcome of Liverpool's funding application. If approved, both schemes could begin rolling out during 2027.

Plug-in solar isn't going to solve the problem of rising energy costs overnight. But if a household can get a kit for free, or at a heavily discounted price, the benefits become much more attractive. It's a chance to generate some of their own electricity, take back a little control over their energy bills and keep more money in their pockets.

When you're watching every pound on your energy bills, even relatively small savings matter. Our calculations suggest that a plug-in solar kit could save a household around £95 to £155 a year, depending on the equipment and how much of the electricity generated is used at home.

We'll be keeping a close watch on developments in Greater Manchester, Liverpool and London, as well as looking out for similar initiatives from other local authorities across the country.