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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in LA16 (Westmorland and Furness)

See if solar pays off for you in Westmorland and Furness — price, savings and payback in under a minute (official UK data).

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Change the settings below to see how costs and savings work for your situation.

System Size

Roof Direction

Battery Storage

Export Value

Your Numbers

Break-even
12.2 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£831
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,599
After paying itself off, you're this much ahead

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How we calculate this

Solar generation: Based on typical south-facing roof at 35° angle. We account for weather, dirt, and system losses (14%).

How much you'll use directly:

  • Without battery: You'll use about 40% of what you generate. The rest gets sold back to the grid.
  • With 5 kWh battery: You'll use about 70% (battery stores extra for evening use).
  • With 10 kWh battery: You'll use about 75% (more storage means less exported).
  • Panel-only payback: Bigger systems don’t shorten payback—cost and savings rise together per kW.
  • Battery & payback: Batteries raise self-use and cut bills, but added hardware cost often lengthens break-even at typical UK rates.
  • When a battery can still make sense:
    • Evening-heavy usage patterns
    • Time-of-use tariffs / cheap night rates
    • Low export rate vs. high unit rate
    • Heat pump or EV charging synergy
    • Optional backup/resilience (system-dependent)
    • Lower evening-hour CO₂ vs. grid

Costs: Battery prices are typically £700 per kWh. Export tariffs vary by supplier (usually 5–15p per kWh).

Grid connection: Systems up to about 3.7 kW typically need just a notification (G98). Larger systems may need permission (G99).

These are typical values based on average usage patterns. Your actual results will vary based on your roof, shading, and how you use electricity.

Your area in context

In North West, the current unit rate is 27.11p/kWh with a 51.16p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 987 kWh/kW — 116 above the regional median (870).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 5.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 987 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 27.1p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
27.1p/kWh
Standing charge
51.2p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
987 kWh/kW
Export price (baseline)
10p/kWh

Browse the scenarios below. Each battery size has its own expand — open the one that matches your plan (or just explore). For each system size (2–8 kW) we show annual output, how much you use directly, what gets exported, annual benefit, upfront cost, break-even, and a 20-year net. Negative numbers are possible — that’s the honest trade-off when adding more battery than your usage profile justifies.

No battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £831, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1973 kWh 789 kWh 1184 kWh £214 £118 £332 £4,069 12.2 yrs £2,578
3 kW 2960 kWh 1184 kWh 1776 kWh £321 £178 £499 £6,104 12.2 yrs £3,867
4 kW 3946 kWh 1578 kWh 2368 kWh £428 £237 £665 £8,138 12.2 yrs £5,156
5 kW 4933 kWh 1973 kWh 2960 kWh £535 £296 £831 £10,173 12.2 yrs £6,445
6 kW 5919 kWh 2368 kWh 3552 kWh £642 £355 £997 £12,207 12.2 yrs £7,734
7 kW 6906 kWh 2762 kWh 4144 kWh £749 £414 £1,163 £14,242 12.2 yrs £9,023
8 kW 7892 kWh 3157 kWh 4735 kWh £856 £474 £1,329 £16,276 12.2 yrs £10,312

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

3 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,000, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 12.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1973 kWh 1184 kWh 789 kWh £321 £79 £400 £6,169 15.4 yrs £1,828
3 kW 2960 kWh 1776 kWh 1184 kWh £481 £118 £600 £8,204 13.7 yrs £3,793
4 kW 3946 kWh 2368 kWh 1578 kWh £642 £158 £800 £10,238 12.8 yrs £5,757
5 kW 4933 kWh 2960 kWh 1973 kWh £802 £197 £1,000 £12,273 12.3 yrs £7,721
6 kW 5919 kWh 3552 kWh 2368 kWh £963 £237 £1,200 £14,307 11.9 yrs £9,685
7 kW 6906 kWh 4144 kWh 2762 kWh £1,123 £276 £1,400 £16,342 11.7 yrs £11,650
8 kW 7892 kWh 4735 kWh 3157 kWh £1,284 £316 £1,599 £18,376 11.5 yrs £13,614

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,084, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1973 kWh 1381 kWh 592 kWh £374 £59 £434 £7,569 17.5 yrs £1,104
3 kW 2960 kWh 2072 kWh 888 kWh £562 £89 £650 £9,604 14.8 yrs £3,405
4 kW 3946 kWh 2762 kWh 1184 kWh £749 £118 £867 £11,638 13.4 yrs £5,707
5 kW 4933 kWh 3453 kWh 1480 kWh £936 £148 £1,084 £13,673 12.6 yrs £8,009
6 kW 5919 kWh 4144 kWh 1776 kWh £1,123 £178 £1,301 £15,707 12.1 yrs £10,311
7 kW 6906 kWh 4834 kWh 2072 kWh £1,311 £207 £1,518 £17,742 11.7 yrs £12,613
8 kW 7892 kWh 5525 kWh 2368 kWh £1,498 £237 £1,735 £19,776 11.4 yrs £14,915

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

7.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,109, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1973 kWh 1440 kWh 533 kWh £390 £53 £444 £9,319 21.0 yrs £-444
3 kW 2960 kWh 2161 kWh 799 kWh £586 £80 £666 £11,354 17.1 yrs £1,959
4 kW 3946 kWh 2881 kWh 1065 kWh £781 £107 £888 £13,388 15.1 yrs £4,362
5 kW 4933 kWh 3601 kWh 1332 kWh £976 £133 £1,109 £15,423 13.9 yrs £6,765
6 kW 5919 kWh 4321 kWh 1598 kWh £1,171 £160 £1,331 £17,457 13.1 yrs £9,169
7 kW 6906 kWh 5041 kWh 1865 kWh £1,367 £186 £1,553 £19,492 12.5 yrs £11,572
8 kW 7892 kWh 5762 kWh 2131 kWh £1,562 £213 £1,775 £21,526 12.1 yrs £13,975

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

10 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,126, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1973 kWh 1480 kWh 493 kWh £401 £49 £451 £11,069 24.6 yrs £-2,059
3 kW 2960 kWh 2220 kWh 740 kWh £602 £74 £676 £13,104 19.4 yrs £412
4 kW 3946 kWh 2960 kWh 987 kWh £802 £99 £901 £15,138 16.8 yrs £2,882
5 kW 4933 kWh 3700 kWh 1233 kWh £1,003 £123 £1,126 £17,173 15.2 yrs £5,353
6 kW 5919 kWh 4440 kWh 1480 kWh £1,204 £148 £1,352 £19,207 14.2 yrs £7,824
7 kW 6906 kWh 5179 kWh 1726 kWh £1,404 £173 £1,577 £21,242 13.5 yrs £10,294
8 kW 7892 kWh 5919 kWh 1973 kWh £1,605 £197 £1,802 £23,276 12.9 yrs £12,765

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

13.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,143, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 17.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1973 kWh 1519 kWh 454 kWh £412 £45 £457 £13,519 29.6 yrs £-4,374
3 kW 2960 kWh 2279 kWh 681 kWh £618 £68 £686 £15,554 22.7 yrs £-1,836
4 kW 3946 kWh 3039 kWh 908 kWh £824 £91 £915 £17,588 19.2 yrs £703
5 kW 4933 kWh 3798 kWh 1135 kWh £1,030 £113 £1,143 £19,623 17.2 yrs £3,241
6 kW 5919 kWh 4558 kWh 1361 kWh £1,236 £136 £1,372 £21,657 15.8 yrs £5,779
7 kW 6906 kWh 5318 kWh 1588 kWh £1,442 £159 £1,600 £23,692 14.8 yrs £8,317
8 kW 7892 kWh 6077 kWh 1815 kWh £1,648 £182 £1,829 £25,726 14.1 yrs £10,855

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

Figures are illustrative and use the same method as the calculator above. For exact results, adjust your roof direction, tariff, and usage in the calculator.

Insights for LA16

Figures below are tailored to LA16 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #504 of 2182
5.6 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~12 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #667 of 2997
10.6 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£957 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1306 of 2997
19.5% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£187 fixed • ~£957 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.11p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
51.16p/day
Local Sunshine
987kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~987 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
5.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 79% • Flats: 2% • Bungalows: 18% Based on 706 properties

Coverage

Westmorland and Furness (100%)

Areas Covered

Dalton North, Old Barrow and Hindpool, Ulverston

Data Sources & Assumptions

Solar yield: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre), January 2025 data

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q4 2025

Installation costs: MCS certified installer data, March 2025

Property data: EPC open data (Open Government Licence), aggregated

All estimates are typical values. Actual results vary based on your specific situation, roof characteristics, and usage patterns.

Compare nearby areas

Nearby in North West

LA15 (Westmorland and Furness)
≈3.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~976 kWh/kWp · -1% vs LA16
LA18 (Cumberland)
≈4.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~967 kWh/kWp · -2% vs LA16
LA17 (Westmorland and Furness)
≈5.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~957 kWh/kWp · -3% vs LA16
LA12 (Westmorland and Furness)
≈7.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~948 kWh/kWp · -4% vs LA16
LA13 (Westmorland and Furness)
≈7.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~981 kWh/kWp · -1% vs LA16
LA14 (Westmorland and Furness)
≈8.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~981 kWh/kWp · -1% vs LA16

Similar sunshine across the UK

EC3V (City of London)
~987 kWh/kWp · +0% vs LA16
EC2M (City of London)
~987 kWh/kWp · +0% vs LA16
LU2 (Luton)
~987 kWh/kWp · +0% vs LA16