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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in UB9 (Hillingdon)

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

Solar Calculator

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
12.3 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£829
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,555
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 Southern, the current unit rate is 26.48p/kWh with a 44.62p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 999 kWh/kW — 2 below the regional median (1001).

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 999 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.5p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.5p/kWh
Standing charge
44.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
999 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: £829, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1999 kWh 800 kWh 1199 kWh £212 £120 £332 £4,069 12.3 yrs £2,564
3 kW 2998 kWh 1199 kWh 1799 kWh £318 £180 £497 £6,104 12.3 yrs £3,846
4 kW 3998 kWh 1599 kWh 2399 kWh £423 £240 £663 £8,138 12.3 yrs £5,127
5 kW 4997 kWh 1999 kWh 2998 kWh £529 £300 £829 £10,173 12.3 yrs £6,409
6 kW 5996 kWh 2399 kWh 3598 kWh £635 £360 £995 £12,207 12.3 yrs £7,691
7 kW 6996 kWh 2798 kWh 4197 kWh £741 £420 £1,161 £14,242 12.3 yrs £8,973
8 kW 7995 kWh 3198 kWh 4797 kWh £847 £480 £1,327 £16,276 12.3 yrs £10,255

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: £994, 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 1999 kWh 1199 kWh 800 kWh £318 £80 £398 £6,169 15.5 yrs £1,781
3 kW 2998 kWh 1799 kWh 1199 kWh £476 £120 £596 £8,204 13.8 yrs £3,722
4 kW 3998 kWh 2399 kWh 1599 kWh £635 £160 £795 £10,238 12.9 yrs £5,663
5 kW 4997 kWh 2998 kWh 1999 kWh £794 £200 £994 £12,273 12.3 yrs £7,603
6 kW 5996 kWh 3598 kWh 2399 kWh £953 £240 £1,193 £14,307 12.0 yrs £9,544
7 kW 6996 kWh 4197 kWh 2798 kWh £1,111 £280 £1,391 £16,342 11.7 yrs £11,485
8 kW 7995 kWh 4797 kWh 3198 kWh £1,270 £320 £1,590 £18,376 11.6 yrs £13,425

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: £1,076, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1999 kWh 1399 kWh 600 kWh £370 £60 £430 £7,569 17.6 yrs £1,040
3 kW 2998 kWh 2099 kWh 899 kWh £556 £90 £646 £9,604 14.9 yrs £3,310
4 kW 3998 kWh 2798 kWh 1199 kWh £741 £120 £861 £11,638 13.5 yrs £5,580
5 kW 4997 kWh 3498 kWh 1499 kWh £926 £150 £1,076 £13,673 12.7 yrs £7,850
6 kW 5996 kWh 4197 kWh 1799 kWh £1,111 £180 £1,291 £15,707 12.2 yrs £10,120
7 kW 6996 kWh 4897 kWh 2099 kWh £1,297 £210 £1,507 £17,742 11.8 yrs £12,390
8 kW 7995 kWh 5597 kWh 2399 kWh £1,482 £240 £1,722 £19,776 11.5 yrs £14,661

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: £1,101, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 14.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1999 kWh 1459 kWh 540 kWh £386 £54 £440 £9,319 21.2 yrs £-512
3 kW 2998 kWh 2189 kWh 810 kWh £580 £81 £661 £11,354 17.2 yrs £1,857
4 kW 3998 kWh 2918 kWh 1079 kWh £773 £108 £881 £13,388 15.2 yrs £4,226
5 kW 4997 kWh 3648 kWh 1349 kWh £966 £135 £1,101 £15,423 14.0 yrs £6,594
6 kW 5996 kWh 4377 kWh 1619 kWh £1,159 £162 £1,321 £17,457 13.2 yrs £8,963
7 kW 6996 kWh 5107 kWh 1889 kWh £1,352 £189 £1,541 £19,492 12.6 yrs £11,332
8 kW 7995 kWh 5836 kWh 2159 kWh £1,545 £216 £1,761 £21,526 12.2 yrs £13,701

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: £1,117, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1999 kWh 1499 kWh 500 kWh £397 £50 £447 £11,069 24.8 yrs £-2,130
3 kW 2998 kWh 2249 kWh 750 kWh £595 £75 £670 £13,104 19.5 yrs £304
4 kW 3998 kWh 2998 kWh 999 kWh £794 £100 £894 £15,138 16.9 yrs £2,739
5 kW 4997 kWh 3748 kWh 1249 kWh £992 £125 £1,117 £17,173 15.4 yrs £5,174
6 kW 5996 kWh 4497 kWh 1499 kWh £1,191 £150 £1,341 £19,207 14.3 yrs £7,609
7 kW 6996 kWh 5247 kWh 1749 kWh £1,389 £175 £1,564 £21,242 13.6 yrs £10,043
8 kW 7995 kWh 5996 kWh 1999 kWh £1,588 £200 £1,788 £23,276 13.0 yrs £12,478

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: £1,134, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 17.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1999 kWh 1539 kWh 460 kWh £408 £46 £454 £13,519 29.8 yrs £-4,449
3 kW 2998 kWh 2309 kWh 690 kWh £611 £69 £680 £15,554 22.9 yrs £-1,948
4 kW 3998 kWh 3078 kWh 919 kWh £815 £92 £907 £17,588 19.4 yrs £553
5 kW 4997 kWh 3848 kWh 1149 kWh £1,019 £115 £1,134 £19,623 17.3 yrs £3,053
6 kW 5996 kWh 4617 kWh 1379 kWh £1,223 £138 £1,361 £21,657 15.9 yrs £5,554
7 kW 6996 kWh 5387 kWh 1609 kWh £1,426 £161 £1,587 £23,692 14.9 yrs £8,054
8 kW 7995 kWh 6156 kWh 1839 kWh £1,630 £184 £1,814 £25,726 14.2 yrs £10,555

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 UB9

Figures below are tailored to UB9 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1541 of 2182
4.7 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #907 of 2997
10.7 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£953 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #758 of 2997
17.1% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£163 fixed • ~£953 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.48p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
44.62p/day
Local Sunshine
999kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~999 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: 54% • Flats: 32% • Bungalows: 9% Based on 4,134 properties

Coverage

Hillingdon (54%)|Buckinghamshire (46%)

Areas Covered

Gerrards Cross & Denham, Harefield Village, Uxbridge, Ickenham & South Harefield, Ruislip, Chorleywood South & Maple Cross

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 Southern

SL9 (Buckinghamshire)
≈4.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~989 kWh/kWp · -1% vs UB9
UB10 (Hillingdon)
≈5.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,000 kWh/kWp · +0% vs UB9
UB8 (Hillingdon)
≈5.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,000 kWh/kWp · +0% vs UB9
SL0 (Buckinghamshire)
≈7.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,002 kWh/kWp · +0% vs UB9
HP8 (Buckinghamshire)
≈8.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~991 kWh/kWp · -1% vs UB9
UB4 (Hillingdon)
≈8.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~996 kWh/kWp · -0% vs UB9

Similar sunshine across the UK

NR5 (Norwich)
~999 kWh/kWp · +0% vs UB9
SG3 (North Hertfordshire)
~999 kWh/kWp · +0% vs UB9
FY3 (Blackpool)
~999 kWh/kWp · +0% vs UB9