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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in WR5 (Worcester)

See if solar pays off for you in Worcester — 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
12.9 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£786
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,489
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 Midlands, the current unit rate is 25.64p/kWh with a 53.00p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 968 kWh/kW — 26 above the regional median (942).

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 968 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.6p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.6p/kWh
Standing charge
53.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
968 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: £786, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1935 kWh 774 kWh 1161 kWh £198 £116 £315 £4,069 12.9 yrs £2,223
3 kW 2903 kWh 1161 kWh 1742 kWh £298 £174 £472 £6,104 12.9 yrs £3,334
4 kW 3870 kWh 1548 kWh 2322 kWh £397 £232 £629 £8,138 12.9 yrs £4,445
5 kW 4838 kWh 1935 kWh 2903 kWh £496 £290 £786 £10,173 12.9 yrs £5,556
6 kW 5805 kWh 2322 kWh 3483 kWh £595 £348 £944 £12,207 12.9 yrs £6,668
7 kW 6773 kWh 2709 kWh 4064 kWh £695 £406 £1,101 £14,242 12.9 yrs £7,779
8 kW 7741 kWh 3096 kWh 4644 kWh £794 £464 £1,258 £16,276 12.9 yrs £8,890

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: £938, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1935 kWh 1161 kWh 774 kWh £298 £77 £375 £6,169 16.4 yrs £1,333
3 kW 2903 kWh 1742 kWh 1161 kWh £447 £116 £563 £8,204 14.6 yrs £3,050
4 kW 3870 kWh 2322 kWh 1548 kWh £595 £155 £750 £10,238 13.6 yrs £4,766
5 kW 4838 kWh 2903 kWh 1935 kWh £744 £194 £938 £12,273 13.1 yrs £6,483
6 kW 5805 kWh 3483 kWh 2322 kWh £893 £232 £1,125 £14,307 12.7 yrs £8,200
7 kW 6773 kWh 4064 kWh 2709 kWh £1,042 £271 £1,313 £16,342 12.4 yrs £9,916
8 kW 7741 kWh 4644 kWh 3096 kWh £1,191 £310 £1,500 £18,376 12.2 yrs £11,633

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: £1,013, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 13.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1935 kWh 1355 kWh 581 kWh £347 £58 £405 £7,569 18.7 yrs £539
3 kW 2903 kWh 2032 kWh 871 kWh £521 £87 £608 £9,604 15.8 yrs £2,558
4 kW 3870 kWh 2709 kWh 1161 kWh £695 £116 £811 £11,638 14.4 yrs £4,577
5 kW 4838 kWh 3387 kWh 1451 kWh £868 £145 £1,013 £13,673 13.5 yrs £6,596
6 kW 5805 kWh 4064 kWh 1742 kWh £1,042 £174 £1,216 £15,707 12.9 yrs £8,616
7 kW 6773 kWh 4741 kWh 2032 kWh £1,216 £203 £1,419 £17,742 12.5 yrs £10,635
8 kW 7741 kWh 5418 kWh 2322 kWh £1,389 £232 £1,622 £19,776 12.2 yrs £12,654

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: £1,036, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 14.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1935 kWh 1413 kWh 522 kWh £362 £52 £414 £9,319 22.5 yrs £-1,030
3 kW 2903 kWh 2119 kWh 784 kWh £543 £78 £622 £11,354 18.3 yrs £1,080
4 kW 3870 kWh 2825 kWh 1045 kWh £724 £104 £829 £13,388 16.2 yrs £3,190
5 kW 4838 kWh 3532 kWh 1306 kWh £906 £131 £1,036 £15,423 14.9 yrs £5,300
6 kW 5805 kWh 4238 kWh 1567 kWh £1,087 £157 £1,243 £17,457 14.0 yrs £7,410
7 kW 6773 kWh 4944 kWh 1829 kWh £1,268 £183 £1,451 £19,492 13.4 yrs £9,520
8 kW 7741 kWh 5651 kWh 2090 kWh £1,449 £209 £1,658 £21,526 13.0 yrs £11,630

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: £1,051, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1935 kWh 1451 kWh 484 kWh £372 £48 £421 £11,069 26.3 yrs £-2,659
3 kW 2903 kWh 2177 kWh 726 kWh £558 £73 £631 £13,104 20.8 yrs £-488
4 kW 3870 kWh 2903 kWh 968 kWh £744 £97 £841 £15,138 18.0 yrs £1,682
5 kW 4838 kWh 3628 kWh 1209 kWh £930 £121 £1,051 £17,173 16.3 yrs £3,853
6 kW 5805 kWh 4354 kWh 1451 kWh £1,116 £145 £1,262 £19,207 15.2 yrs £6,024
7 kW 6773 kWh 5080 kWh 1693 kWh £1,302 £169 £1,472 £21,242 14.4 yrs £8,194
8 kW 7741 kWh 5805 kWh 1935 kWh £1,489 £194 £1,682 £23,276 13.8 yrs £10,365

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: £1,066, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 18.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1935 kWh 1490 kWh 445 kWh £382 £45 £427 £13,519 31.7 yrs £-4,988
3 kW 2903 kWh 2235 kWh 668 kWh £573 £67 £640 £15,554 24.3 yrs £-2,757
4 kW 3870 kWh 2980 kWh 890 kWh £764 £89 £853 £17,588 20.6 yrs £-526
5 kW 4838 kWh 3725 kWh 1113 kWh £955 £111 £1,066 £19,623 18.4 yrs £1,706
6 kW 5805 kWh 4470 kWh 1335 kWh £1,146 £134 £1,280 £21,657 16.9 yrs £3,937
7 kW 6773 kWh 5215 kWh 1558 kWh £1,337 £156 £1,493 £23,692 15.9 yrs £6,168
8 kW 7741 kWh 5960 kWh 1780 kWh £1,528 £178 £1,706 £25,726 15.1 yrs £8,399

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 WR5

Figures below are tailored to WR5 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1279 of 2182
4.8 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1639 of 2997
11.3 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£900 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1707 of 2997
21.5% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£193 fixed • ~£900 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.64p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
53.00p/day
Local Sunshine
968kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~968 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: 72% • Flats: 21% • Bungalows: 6% Based on 9,755 properties

Coverage

Worcester (75%)|Wychavon (12%)|Malvern Hills (12%)

Areas Covered

Nunnery, St Peter's Parish, Battenhall, Kempsey, Fort Royal, Drakes Broughton, Norton & Whittington, St Nicholas + 3 more

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 Midlands

WR1 (Worcester)
≈2.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~971 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WR5
WR78 (Worcester)
≈2.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~971 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WR5
WR99 (Worcester)
≈2.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~972 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WR5
WR4 (Worcester)
≈2.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~967 kWh/kWp · -0% vs WR5
WR2 (Worcester)
≈2.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~970 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WR5
WR3 (Worcester)
≈3.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~966 kWh/kWp · -0% vs WR5

Similar sunshine across the UK

CV7 (Solihull)
~968 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WR5
CV5 (Coventry)
~968 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WR5
LE17 (Harborough)
~967 kWh/kWp · -0% vs WR5