Independent solar numbers for your postcode using official UK data
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Solar Payback Index

We ranked UK postcodes by how quickly a typical home breaks even on solar. BN26 (Wealden) leads with ~10.5 years.

At the other end, PA39 (Highland) needs about 20.7 years. Open your postcode page for personalised numbers.

Fastest paybacks across the UK

Based on a 5 kW system size, PVGIS sunshine, and your Ofgem region’s unit rate.

# Postcode Place Payback (years) Annual benefit (≈) Upfront cost (≈) Region
1 BN26 Wealden 10.5 £968 £10,172 South East
2 BN20 Eastbourne 10.6 £957 £10,172 South East
3 BN21 Eastbourne 10.7 £952 £10,172 South East
4 BN22 Eastbourne 10.7 £954 £10,173 South East
5 BN24 Wealden 10.7 £953 £10,172 South East
6 BN25 Lewes 10.7 £948 £10,172 South East
7 BN27 Wealden 10.7 £951 £10,173 South East
8 BN51 Brighton and Hove 10.7 £953 £10,172 South East
9 BN9 Lewes 10.7 £954 £10,173 South East
10 TN28 Folkestone and Hythe 10.7 £955 £10,172 South East
11 BN1 Brighton and Hove 10.9 £938 £10,172 South East
12 BN10 Lewes 10.8 £941 £10,172 South East
13 BN11 Worthing 10.8 £938 £10,172 South East
14 BN12 Worthing 10.8 £942 £10,172 South East
15 BN13 Worthing 10.8 £938 £10,173 South East
16 BN14 Worthing 10.8 £938 £10,172 South East
17 BN16 Arun 10.8 £946 £10,172 South East
18 BN17 Arun 10.8 £944 £10,173 South East
19 BN2 Brighton and Hove 10.8 £939 £10,173 South East
20 BN23 Eastbourne 10.8 £944 £10,173 South East
21 BN50 Brighton and Hove 10.9 £938 £10,172 South East
22 BN7 Lewes 10.8 £944 £10,173 South East
23 BN88 Brighton and Hove 10.8 £939 £10,172 South East
24 BN99 Adur 10.8 £938 £10,172 South East
25 PO10 Havant 10.8 £940 £10,173 Southern
26 PO19 Chichester 10.8 £944 £10,173 Southern
27 PO30 Isle of Wight 10.8 £940 £10,173 Southern
28 TN29 Folkestone and Hythe 10.8 £942 £10,172 South East
29 TN34 Hastings 10.8 £943 £10,173 South East
30 TN35 Hastings 10.8 £942 £10,173 South East
31 TN37 Hastings 10.8 £943 £10,173 South East
32 TN38 Hastings 10.8 £943 £10,173 South East
33 TQ7 South Hams 10.8 £940 £10,172 Southern Western
34 BN15 Adur 10.9 £932 £10,173 South East
35 BN3 Brighton and Hove 10.9 £933 £10,172 South East
36 BN4 Adur 10.9 £931 £10,172 South East
37 BN41 Brighton and Hove 10.9 £931 £10,173 South East
38 BN42 Adur 10.9 £931 £10,172 South East
39 BN43 Adur 10.9 £930 £10,173 South East
40 BN52 Brighton and Hove 10.9 £933 £10,172 South East
41 BN95 Adur 10.9 £932 £10,172 South East
42 CT15 Dover 10.9 £931 £10,172 South East
43 CT19 Folkestone and Hythe 10.9 £932 £10,173 South East
44 CT20 Folkestone and Hythe 10.9 £931 £10,173 South East
45 CT50 Folkestone and Hythe 10.9 £932 £10,172 South East
46 PO20 Chichester 10.9 £931 £10,172 Southern
47 PO22 Arun 10.9 £936 £10,172 Southern
48 PO38 Isle of Wight 10.9 £933 £10,172 Southern
49 TN39 Rother 10.9 £935 £10,172 South East
50 TN40 Rother 10.9 £935 £10,172 South East
51 TQ8 South Hams 10.9 £932 £10,172 Southern Western
52 CT13 Dover 11.0 £922 £10,173 South East
53 CT3 Dover 11.0 £927 £10,173 South East
54 DT3 Dorset 11.0 £921 £10,173 Southern
55 PO21 Arun 11.0 £922 £10,172 Southern
56 PO35 Isle of Wight 11.0 £922 £10,172 Southern
57 PO36 Isle of Wight 11.0 £922 £10,172 Southern
58 PO39 Isle of Wight 11.0 £923 £10,172 Southern
59 PO40 Isle of Wight 11.0 £923 £10,172 Southern
60 TN31 Rother 11.0 £926 £10,173 South East
61 TN36 Rother 11.0 £925 £10,172 South East
62 TR23 Isles of Scilly 11.0 £921 £10,172 Southern Western
63 BH20 Dorset 11.1 £915 £10,172 Southern
64 BH25 New Forest 11.1 £918 £10,172 Southern
65 BN18 Arun 11.1 £917 £10,173 Southern
66 CM0 Maldon 11.1 £913 £10,173 Eastern
67 CO16 Tendring 11.1 £915 £10,172 Eastern
68 CT12 Thanet 11.1 £918 £10,173 South East
69 CT16 Dover 11.1 £913 £10,173 South East
70 CT17 Dover 11.1 £912 £10,172 South East
71 CT18 Folkestone and Hythe 11.1 £912 £10,172 South East
72 CT21 Folkestone and Hythe 11.1 £913 £10,172 South East
73 CT7 Thanet 11.1 £915 £10,172 South East
74 CT8 Thanet 11.1 £916 £10,173 South East
75 DT4 Dorset 11.1 £920 £10,173 Southern
76 DT5 Dorset 11.1 £920 £10,173 Southern
77 PO18 Chichester 11.1 £919 £10,172 Southern
78 PO37 Isle of Wight 11.1 £919 £10,172 Southern
79 PO41 Isle of Wight 11.1 £913 £10,172 Southern
80 SO4 New Forest 11.1 £918 £10,173 Southern
81 SO41 New Forest 11.1 £918 £10,172 Southern
82 TN24 Ashford 11.1 £917 £10,173 South East
83 TN30 Ashford 11.1 £917 £10,172 South East
84 TN33 Rother 11.1 £917 £10,172 South East
85 TR12 Cornwall 11.1 £918 £10,172 Southern Western
86 TR22 Isles of Scilly 11.1 £919 £10,173 Southern Western
87 TR24 Isles of Scilly 11.1 £917 £10,173 Southern Western
88 TR25 Isles of Scilly 11.1 £913 £10,172 Southern Western
89 BH19 Dorset 11.2 £909 £10,172 Southern
90 BH8 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 11.2 £906 £10,172 Southern
91 BN44 Horsham 11.2 £911 £10,172 South East
92 BN5 Horsham 11.2 £908 £10,172 South East
93 BN6 Mid Sussex 11.2 £909 £10,172 South East
94 CO13 Tendring 11.2 £908 £10,172 Eastern
95 CO7 Tendring 11.2 £909 £10,172 Eastern
96 CT14 Dover 11.2 £911 £10,173 South East
97 CT2 Canterbury 11.2 £911 £10,173 South East
98 CT4 Canterbury 11.2 £911 £10,172 South East
99 CT9 Thanet 11.2 £910 £10,173 South East
100 PL1 Plymouth 11.2 £909 £10,172 Southern Western

Where payback is slowest (bottom 10)

# Postcode Place Payback (years) Annual benefit (≈) Upfront cost (≈) Region
2988 PH35 Highland 17.6 £578 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2989 PA26 Argyll and Bute 17.7 £576 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2990 IV53 Highland 17.8 £571 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2991 IV42 Highland 17.8 £570 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2992 PH33 Highland 18.1 £561 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2993 PH50 Highland 18.5 £549 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2994 PH38 Highland 18.7 £544 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2995 PA40 Highland 19.1 £532 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2996 PH49 Highland 19.3 £528 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2997 PA39 Highland 20.7 £491 £10,172 Northern Scotland

Check your own

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How we calculated this

What: Payback time (years) for a typical home solar system per postcode.

How: System size = 5 kW (fixed for comparison). Annual generation = size × PVGIS (south-facing). Value = self-consumed share × unit rate + exported share × SEG rate. Payback = upfront cost ÷ annual value.

Data: Ofgem regional tariffs, PVGIS solar yields, EPC presets (where available), and MCS UK PV cost trends (mean £/kW).