Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever

Solar Payback Index

We ranked UK postcodes by how quickly a typical home breaks even on solar. BN26 (Wealden) leads with ~9.1 years.

At the other end, PA39 (Highland) needs about 18.0 years. Open your postcode page for personalised numbers.

Fastest paybacks across the UK

Based on a sensible system size (p50, clamped 3–6 kW), PVGIS sunshine, and your Ofgem region’s unit rate.

# Postcode Place Payback (years) Annual benefit (≈) Upfront cost (≈) Region
1 BN26 Wealden 9.1 £1,338 £12,207 South East
2 BN20 Eastbourne 9.2 £1,322 £12,207 South East
3 BN16 Arun 9.3 £1,307 £12,207 South East
4 BN21 Eastbourne 9.3 £1,315 £12,207 South East
5 BN22 Eastbourne 9.3 £1,098 £10,173 South East
6 BN24 Wealden 9.3 £1,317 £12,207 South East
7 BN25 Lewes 9.3 £1,310 £12,207 South East
8 BN27 Wealden 9.3 £1,094 £10,173 South East
9 BN51 Brighton and Hove 9.3 £1,317 £12,207 South East
10 BN9 Lewes 9.3 £1,098 £10,173 South East
11 TN28 Folkestone and Hythe 9.3 £1,319 £12,207 South East
12 BN1 Brighton and Hove 9.4 £1,296 £12,207 South East
13 BN10 Lewes 9.4 £1,300 £12,207 South East
14 BN11 Worthing 9.4 £1,296 £12,207 South East
15 BN12 Worthing 9.4 £1,301 £12,207 South East
16 BN13 Worthing 9.4 £1,080 £10,173 South East
17 BN14 Worthing 9.4 £1,297 £12,207 South East
18 BN17 Arun 9.4 £1,087 £10,173 South East
19 BN2 Brighton and Hove 9.4 £1,081 £10,173 South East
20 BN23 Eastbourne 9.4 £1,087 £10,173 South East
21 BN50 Brighton and Hove 9.4 £1,296 £12,207 South East
22 BN7 Lewes 9.4 £1,087 £10,173 South East
23 BN88 Brighton and Hove 9.4 £1,298 £12,207 South East
24 BN99 Adur 9.4 £1,296 £12,207 South East
25 PO10 Havant 9.4 £1,080 £10,173 Southern
26 PO19 Chichester 9.4 £1,084 £10,173 Southern
27 PO30 Isle of Wight 9.4 £1,080 £10,173 Southern
28 TN29 Folkestone and Hythe 9.4 £1,301 £12,207 South East
29 TN34 Hastings 9.4 £1,086 £10,173 South East
30 TN35 Hastings 9.4 £1,085 £10,173 South East
31 TN37 Hastings 9.4 £1,086 £10,173 South East
32 TN38 Hastings 9.4 £1,085 £10,173 South East
33 TN39 Rother 9.4 £1,292 £12,207 South East
34 TN40 Rother 9.4 £1,292 £12,207 South East
35 TQ7 South Hams 9.4 £1,298 £12,207 Southern Western
36 BN15 Adur 9.5 £1,073 £10,173 South East
37 BN3 Brighton and Hove 9.5 £1,289 £12,207 South East
38 BN4 Adur 9.5 £1,286 £12,207 South East
39 BN41 Brighton and Hove 9.5 £1,071 £10,173 South East
40 BN42 Adur 9.5 £1,286 £12,207 South East
41 BN43 Adur 9.5 £1,070 £10,173 South East
42 BN52 Brighton and Hove 9.5 £1,289 £12,207 South East
43 BN95 Adur 9.5 £1,288 £12,207 South East
44 CT15 Dover 9.5 £1,286 £12,207 South East
45 CT19 Folkestone and Hythe 9.5 £1,073 £10,173 South East
46 CT20 Folkestone and Hythe 9.5 £1,072 £10,173 South East
47 CT3 Dover 9.5 £1,068 £10,173 South East
48 CT50 Folkestone and Hythe 9.5 £1,287 £12,207 South East
49 PO20 Chichester 9.5 £1,283 £12,207 Southern
50 PO22 Arun 9.5 £1,291 £12,207 Southern
51 PO38 Isle of Wight 9.5 £1,287 £12,207 Southern
52 TN31 Rother 9.5 £1,066 £10,173 South East
53 TN36 Rother 9.5 £1,278 £12,207 South East
54 TQ8 South Hams 9.5 £1,288 £12,207 Southern Western
55 BH25 New Forest 9.6 £1,265 £12,207 Southern
56 BN18 Arun 9.6 £1,054 £10,173 Southern
57 CT12 Thanet 9.6 £1,056 £10,173 South East
58 CT13 Dover 9.6 £1,061 £10,173 South East
59 DT3 Dorset 9.6 £1,058 £10,173 Southern
60 DT4 Dorset 9.6 £1,058 £10,173 Southern
61 DT5 Dorset 9.6 £1,057 £10,173 Southern
62 PO18 Chichester 9.6 £1,267 £12,207 Southern
63 PO21 Arun 9.6 £1,271 £12,207 Southern
64 PO35 Isle of Wight 9.6 £1,271 £12,207 Southern
65 PO36 Isle of Wight 9.6 £1,270 £12,207 Southern
66 PO37 Isle of Wight 9.6 £1,268 £12,207 Southern
67 PO39 Isle of Wight 9.6 £1,273 £12,207 Southern
68 PO40 Isle of Wight 9.6 £1,273 £12,207 Southern
69 SO4 New Forest 9.6 £1,055 £10,173 Southern
70 SO41 New Forest 9.6 £1,265 £12,207 Southern
71 TN24 Ashford 9.6 £1,056 £10,173 South East
72 TN30 Ashford 9.6 £1,267 £12,207 South East
73 TN33 Rother 9.6 £1,266 £12,207 South East
74 TR12 Cornwall 9.6 £1,267 £12,207 Southern Western
75 TR22 Isles of Scilly 9.6 £1,057 £10,173 Southern Western
76 TR23 Isles of Scilly 9.6 £1,272 £12,207 Southern Western
77 TR24 Isles of Scilly 9.6 £1,055 £10,173 Southern Western
78 BH19 Dorset 9.7 £1,253 £12,207 Southern
79 BH20 Dorset 9.7 £1,262 £12,207 Southern
80 BN44 Horsham 9.7 £1,258 £12,207 South East
81 BN5 Horsham 9.7 £1,254 £12,207 South East
82 BN6 Mid Sussex 9.7 £1,256 £12,207 South East
83 CM0 Maldon 9.7 £1,049 £10,173 Eastern
84 CO13 Tendring 9.7 £1,253 £12,207 Eastern
85 CO16 Tendring 9.7 £1,262 £12,207 Eastern
86 CO7 Tendring 9.7 £1,254 £12,207 Eastern
87 CT14 Dover 9.7 £1,049 £10,173 South East
88 CT16 Dover 9.7 £1,052 £10,173 South East
89 CT17 Dover 9.7 £841 £8,138 South East
90 CT18 Folkestone and Hythe 9.7 £1,261 £12,207 South East
91 CT2 Canterbury 9.7 £1,049 £10,173 South East
92 CT21 Folkestone and Hythe 9.7 £1,262 £12,207 South East
93 CT4 Canterbury 9.7 £1,259 £12,207 South East
94 CT7 Thanet 9.7 £1,264 £12,207 South East
95 CT8 Thanet 9.7 £1,054 £10,173 South East
96 CT9 Thanet 9.7 £1,048 £10,173 South East
97 PL1 Plymouth 9.7 £1,256 £12,207 Southern Western
98 PL21 South Hams 9.7 £1,045 £10,173 Southern Western
99 PL4 Plymouth 9.7 £1,256 £12,207 Southern Western
100 PO11 Havant 9.7 £1,254 £12,207 Southern

Where payback is slowest (bottom 10)

# Postcode Place Payback (years) Annual benefit (≈) Upfront cost (≈) Region
2988 PA26 Argyll and Bute 15.3 £531 £8,138 Northern Scotland
2989 PH35 Highland 15.3 £533 £8,138 Northern Scotland
2990 IV42 Highland 15.5 £525 £8,138 Northern Scotland
2991 IV53 Highland 15.5 £526 £8,138 Northern Scotland
2992 PH33 Highland 15.7 £518 £8,138 Northern Scotland
2993 PH50 Highland 16.1 £506 £8,138 Northern Scotland
2994 PH38 Highland 16.2 £502 £8,138 Northern Scotland
2995 PA40 Highland 16.6 £490 £8,138 Northern Scotland
2996 PH49 Highland 16.7 £486 £8,138 Northern Scotland
2997 PA39 Highland 18.0 £452 £8,138 Northern Scotland
How we calculated this

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

How: System size = p50 preset (clamped 3–6 kW). 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).