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 ~10.2 years.

At the other end, PA39 (Highland) needs about 20.1 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 10.2 £999 £10,172 South East
2 BN20 Eastbourne 10.3 £988 £10,172 South East
3 BN22 Eastbourne 10.3 £985 £10,173 South East
4 BN24 Wealden 10.3 £984 £10,172 South East
5 BN51 Brighton and Hove 10.3 £984 £10,172 South East
6 BN9 Lewes 10.3 £985 £10,173 South East
7 TN28 Folkestone and Hythe 10.3 £986 £10,172 South East
8 BN16 Arun 10.4 £976 £10,172 South East
9 BN17 Arun 10.4 £974 £10,173 South East
10 BN21 Eastbourne 10.4 £982 £10,172 South East
11 BN23 Eastbourne 10.4 £975 £10,173 South East
12 BN25 Lewes 10.4 £978 £10,172 South East
13 BN27 Wealden 10.4 £981 £10,173 South East
14 BN7 Lewes 10.4 £974 £10,173 South East
15 PO19 Chichester 10.4 £974 £10,173 Southern
16 TN34 Hastings 10.4 £974 £10,173 South East
17 TN37 Hastings 10.4 £974 £10,173 South East
18 BN1 Brighton and Hove 10.5 £968 £10,172 South East
19 BN10 Lewes 10.5 £972 £10,172 South East
20 BN11 Worthing 10.5 £968 £10,172 South East
21 BN12 Worthing 10.5 £972 £10,172 South East
22 BN13 Worthing 10.5 £968 £10,173 South East
23 BN14 Worthing 10.5 £969 £10,172 South East
24 BN2 Brighton and Hove 10.5 £969 £10,173 South East
25 BN50 Brighton and Hove 10.5 £968 £10,172 South East
26 BN88 Brighton and Hove 10.5 £969 £10,172 South East
27 BN99 Adur 10.5 £968 £10,172 South East
28 PO10 Havant 10.5 £970 £10,173 Southern
29 PO22 Arun 10.5 £967 £10,172 Southern
30 PO30 Isle of Wight 10.5 £970 £10,173 Southern
31 TN29 Folkestone and Hythe 10.5 £972 £10,172 South East
32 TN35 Hastings 10.5 £972 £10,173 South East
33 TN38 Hastings 10.5 £973 £10,173 South East
34 TN39 Rother 10.5 £966 £10,172 South East
35 TN40 Rother 10.5 £965 £10,172 South East
36 TQ7 South Hams 10.5 £970 £10,172 Southern Western
37 BN15 Adur 10.6 £962 £10,173 South East
38 BN3 Brighton and Hove 10.6 £963 £10,172 South East
39 BN4 Adur 10.6 £961 £10,172 South East
40 BN41 Brighton and Hove 10.6 £961 £10,173 South East
41 BN42 Adur 10.6 £961 £10,172 South East
42 BN43 Adur 10.6 £960 £10,173 South East
43 BN52 Brighton and Hove 10.6 £963 £10,172 South East
44 BN95 Adur 10.6 £962 £10,172 South East
45 CT15 Dover 10.6 £960 £10,172 South East
46 CT19 Folkestone and Hythe 10.6 £962 £10,173 South East
47 CT20 Folkestone and Hythe 10.6 £961 £10,173 South East
48 CT3 Dover 10.6 £957 £10,173 South East
49 CT50 Folkestone and Hythe 10.6 £962 £10,172 South East
50 PO20 Chichester 10.6 £961 £10,172 Southern
51 PO38 Isle of Wight 10.6 £964 £10,172 Southern
52 TN31 Rother 10.7 £955 £10,173 South East
53 TQ8 South Hams 10.6 £962 £10,172 Southern Western
54 BH25 New Forest 10.7 £948 £10,172 Southern
55 BN18 Arun 10.7 £947 £10,173 Southern
56 CT12 Thanet 10.7 £947 £10,173 South East
57 CT13 Dover 10.7 £952 £10,173 South East
58 DT3 Dorset 10.7 £951 £10,173 Southern
59 DT4 Dorset 10.7 £950 £10,173 Southern
60 DT5 Dorset 10.7 £950 £10,173 Southern
61 PO18 Chichester 10.7 £948 £10,172 Southern
62 PO21 Arun 10.7 £952 £10,172 Southern
63 PO35 Isle of Wight 10.7 £952 £10,172 Southern
64 PO36 Isle of Wight 10.7 £951 £10,172 Southern
65 PO37 Isle of Wight 10.7 £949 £10,172 Southern
66 PO39 Isle of Wight 10.7 £953 £10,172 Southern
67 PO40 Isle of Wight 10.7 £953 £10,172 Southern
68 SO4 New Forest 10.7 £948 £10,173 Southern
69 SO41 New Forest 10.7 £948 £10,172 Southern
70 TN24 Ashford 10.8 £946 £10,173 South East
71 TN30 Ashford 10.7 £947 £10,172 South East
72 TN36 Rother 10.7 £955 £10,172 South East
73 TR12 Cornwall 10.7 £947 £10,172 Southern Western
74 TR22 Isles of Scilly 10.7 £948 £10,173 Southern Western
75 TR23 Isles of Scilly 10.7 £950 £10,172 Southern Western
76 BH19 Dorset 10.8 £938 £10,172 Southern
77 BH20 Dorset 10.8 £945 £10,172 Southern
78 BN44 Horsham 10.8 £940 £10,172 South East
79 BN6 Mid Sussex 10.8 £938 £10,172 South East
80 CM0 Maldon 10.8 £942 £10,173 Eastern
81 CO13 Tendring 10.8 £938 £10,172 Eastern
82 CO16 Tendring 10.8 £945 £10,172 Eastern
83 CO7 Tendring 10.8 £938 £10,172 Eastern
84 CT14 Dover 10.8 £940 £10,173 South East
85 CT16 Dover 10.8 £943 £10,173 South East
86 CT17 Dover 10.8 £942 £10,172 South East
87 CT18 Folkestone and Hythe 10.8 £942 £10,172 South East
88 CT2 Canterbury 10.8 £941 £10,173 South East
89 CT21 Folkestone and Hythe 10.8 £942 £10,172 South East
90 CT4 Canterbury 10.8 £940 £10,172 South East
91 CT7 Thanet 10.8 £944 £10,172 South East
92 CT8 Thanet 10.8 £945 £10,173 South East
93 CT9 Thanet 10.8 £939 £10,173 South East
94 PL1 Plymouth 10.8 £938 £10,172 Southern Western
95 PL4 Plymouth 10.8 £938 £10,172 Southern Western
96 PO11 Havant 10.8 £939 £10,172 Southern
97 PO2 Portsmouth 10.8 £939 £10,173 Southern
98 PO3 Portsmouth 10.8 £939 £10,173 Southern
99 PO41 Isle of Wight 10.8 £943 £10,172 Southern
100 PO9 Havant 10.8 £939 £10,173 Southern

Where payback is slowest (bottom 10)

# Postcode Place Payback (years) Annual benefit (≈) Upfront cost (≈) Region
2988 PA26 Argyll and Bute 17.1 £594 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2989 PH35 Highland 17.1 £596 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2990 IV42 Highland 17.3 £588 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2991 IV53 Highland 17.3 £589 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2992 PH33 Highland 17.6 £579 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2993 PH50 Highland 18.0 £566 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2994 PH38 Highland 18.1 £561 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2995 PA40 Highland 18.5 £549 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2996 PH49 Highland 18.7 £544 £10,172 Northern Scotland
2997 PA39 Highland 20.1 £506 £10,172 Northern Scotland

Check your own

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Further reading

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).