If you’re considering solar panels, a battery, or other energy-saving home improvements, it’s worth checking what your bank offers before you commit. A growing number of high-street lenders now offer support to help reduce upfront costs, from cashback rewards to planning tools and funding guidance.
We’ve pulled together the most relevant schemes from major UK banks and grouped them below so you can quickly see what applies to you.
Last updated: 11 February 2026
Offers, eligibility and claim steps can change — always check the lender’s page before booking work.
Cashback offers for installing solar (and related upgrades)
These are schemes where eligible customers can typically complete an installation, submit evidence (e.g., invoice/certificate), and receive cashback if they meet the criteria.
What to have ready: installer details, invoice requirements, and any certificate deadlines.
Tip: before you book work, read the “Key timing rules” section for your bank, it’s usually the difference between a smooth claim and a rejected one.
Bank-by-Bank Cashback Offers on solar installs
Barclays Greener Home Reward
If you have a Barclays UK residential mortgage, you may be able to claim a Greener Home Reward for eligible energy-efficiency improvements. Barclays requires the work to be completed by an MCS-certified installer (you can check installers via the MCS search tool).
Reward amounts
Barclays states you could be rewarded up to £1,000 in total (eligibility and reward rules apply)
Up to £1,000, on Low-carbon heating (examples include):
- Air source heat pumps
- Biomass pellet boilers
- Ground source heat pumps
Up to £500 on Solar energy (examples include):
- Solar battery storage
- Solar electricity panels (photovoltaics)
- Solar thermal (solar hot water heating)
Key deadlines
- Submit your online claim within 3 months of the date on your MCS certificate.
- If Barclays asks you to send your MCS certificate after you claim, you typically have 1 month to provide it.
- Barclays pays the reward within 30 days of confirming approval (terms apply).
How to claim
- Install solar via an MCS-certified installer and receive your MCS certificate
- Submit the claim form within 3 months of the MCS certificate date
- If requested, submit proof (including the MCS certificate) within the stated timeframe (typically 1 month)
- If approved, Barclays pays the reward within 30 days (see terms for Direct Debit timing).
Do I qualify?
Available to Barclays UK residential mortgage customers who meet the scheme rules. Improvements must be completed by an MCS-certified business. Always check the current terms and conditions before booking work.
Halifax Green Living Reward
If you have a Halifax residential mortgage and qualify for the Green Living Reward, you could claim cashback towards eligible energy-efficiency improvements. Halifax states that eligible mortgage customers can claim £1,000 cashback for solar panels or a battery (and other rewards for other improvements)
Reward amounts
Halifax lists the following Green Living Reward cashback options (one reward per qualifying claim):
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£2,000 cashback for a heat pump
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£1,000 cashback for solar panels or a battery
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£500 cashback for other energy-efficient home improvements (exclusions apply)
Key deadlines
- Halifax asks customers to sign up to view details, check eligibility, and upload claim forms through the Green Living journey. (Eligibility and any timing windows are set out in their Green Living Reward terms.)
How to claim:
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Complete the installation (solar panels or a battery)
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Upload your invoice in your Green Living journey
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Submit your claim
Do I qualify?
Halifax notes this is for qualifying mortgage customers and you need to sign up to check eligibility and submit your claim through the Green Living journey
Always check the current terms and conditions before booking work.
Lloyds Eco Home Reward
If you have a Lloyds residential mortgage, you may be able to claim £1,000 cashback towards the cost of solar panels or a battery through the Eco Home Reward. You can use an accredited installer, then submit your claim by uploading your invoice in the Eco Home Reward journey.
Reward amounts
£1,000 cashback for installing solar panels or a battery.
Note: Lloyds also advertises an additional discount via a recommended partner when you register through their site. If you want that route, check Lloyds’ page for the latest terms.
Key deadlines
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Mortgage illustration must be after 31 July 2024
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The eligible install must be completed within 1 year of your mortgage completion / additional borrowing / new deal (whichever applies).
How to claim:
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Complete the installation (solar panels or battery) with an accredited installer
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Upload your invoice in your Eco Home Reward journey and submit your claim
Do I qualify?
- Residential mortgage customer (excludes buy-to-let)
- Have a Club Lloyds current account at the point of claim (monthly fee may apply)
- One reward per mortgage product
- Meet the timing rules above
Always check the current terms and conditions before booking work.
Virgin Money Green Reward and Retrofit Boost
Virgin Money has offered a couple of “green” routes that can be relevant if you’re planning solar. One is a £250 cashback scheme (Green Reward) for existing customers, and the other is Retrofit Boost, a mortgage product that includes cashback that must be used for eligible efficiency improvements.
Option 1: Green Reward (£250 cashback)
Virgin Money’s Green Reward is a cashback scheme for existing Virgin Money mortgage customers who spend at least £2,500 on eligible green home improvements (including solar-related measures).
Important: this scheme has fixed deadlines
The terms document sets out time windows (application/registration/claim deadlines). In practice, this means it may only be relevant if a customer registered within those windows.
What you typically need
Proof of eligible spend (e.g., invoice/receipts) meeting scheme requirements.
Option 2 Retrofit Boost
Virgin Money also offers Retrofit Boost, which includes cashback that can only be used for eligible improvements to make a property more energy efficient (the product info explicitly references upgrades such as solar panels / heat pumps).
How it works (high level)
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Take out a qualifying Retrofit Boost mortgage via a broker route, then use the cashback for approved upgrade types listed in the product info
Not seeing your bank above? Many lenders don’t offer install cashback, but they may still have useful schemes that help you plan, fund, or prioritise improvements.
Ready to go solar? We’re with you every step of the way
Other bank schemes that can support going solar
These aren’t always direct “install cashback” offers. Instead, banks often provide one or more of the following:
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- Home energy plans that recommend improvements and estimate costs/savings
- Installer-finding support via partner networks or quality schemes
- Funding guidance (e.g., loan routes, borrowing options, tools)
If you’re early in your solar journey, these tools can help you work out what to do first — then you can get accurate quotes once you know your priorities.
Green Mortgages and energy support schemes
HSBC Sustainable Homes
HSBC’s Save energy at home / Sustainable Homes hub is designed to help homeowners plan upgrades. It includes a home energy efficiency calculator that creates a tailored plan, plus guidance and tools to help you compare ways to fund improvements.
What you get
- Home energy efficiency calculator (build a personalised plan, even if you don’t have an EPC by entering details manually).
- A hub of guidance for making your home more sustainable, with links to tools and next steps.
- “Ways to borrow” guidance + a borrowing options tool to help compare routes like loans / credit cards / overdraft / borrowing more on your mortgage (depending on your needs).
How it works
- Use HSBC’s home energy efficiency calculator to review recommendations and download your plan
- If you need funding, use HSBC’s borrowing options guidance/tool to compare the most suitable route
Nationwide Home Energy Efficiency Tool
Nationwide offers a Home Energy Efficiency tool that helps you understand how your home uses energy and suggests improvements you can make. It creates a personal action plan, and Nationwide says you’ll get a unique code so you can return without re-entering everything.
What you get
- A guided tool that generates a personalised plan to improve efficiency.
- A wider Greener Homes hub that links to tools and guidance.
Best next step
If you’re planning solar, this is a useful way to map out what to prioritise (e.g., fabric/insulation improvements vs generation), then speak to an installer about system sizing once you’ve got a clearer picture of your home.
Natwest Home Energy Hub
NatWest’s Home Energy Hub isn’t a cashback scheme for solar installs, but it can still be useful if you’re planning upgrades. It offers a free Home Energy Plan that suggests improvements, shows typical costs + estimated savings, and helps you check grants and funding options. NatWest says you don’t need to be a NatWest customer to get the free plan.
What you get
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Free Home Energy Plan (digital plan with suggested improvements)
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Grants checker (NatWest says, with Snugg, it can help identify relevant government grants)
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Discounts (NatWest says these may include):
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A discounted in-home energy assessment with Vibrant
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Discount codes for Hive smart home solutions
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Discounts on Wickes DIY products
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Key costs/discount details (as stated)
NatWest says the Vibrant assessment discount is:
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£72 instead of £108 (up to 4-bedroom homes)
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£114 instead of £171 (5+ bedroom homes)
How it works (NatWest’s steps)
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Enter your postcode to get energy-saving suggestions based on publicly available information
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Save the plan, and optionally book a discounted in-home assessment
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Choose improvements and check funding options like grants and borrowing
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Compare and connect with trusted tradespeople
RBS Save Energy at Home
Royal Bank of Scotland has a “Save energy at home” hub with practical guidance on home improvements (including solar) to help reduce energy use and improve efficiency. It’s not an install-cashback scheme, but it’s useful for homeowners planning upgrades and working out what to do first.
What you get
- A central hub with zero-cost tips and energy-efficient home improvements guidance.
- Guides on larger upgrades, including solar panels (“Plug in the power of solar”), insulation and heat pumps.
- A “home retrofit” explainer: what retrofitting is, why it matters, and what changes typically come first.
Green mortgage note
RBS also promotes a Green Mortgage for customers buying or remortgaging a home with a valid EPC rating of A or B (product criteria apply).
Best next step
If you’re planning solar, RBS’s hub is a useful starting point to understand what improvements to prioritise (e.g., insulation first vs generation) before you commit to an installation.
Santander Greener Homes Hub
Santander’s Greener Homes Hub isn’t a solar-install cashback scheme in the same style as Barclays/Lloyds/Halifax, but it’s still useful if you’re planning upgrades. It’s designed to help you check your home’s energy efficiency, build a plan, find trusted installers, and explore borrowing options for improvements.
What you get
- A hub that guides you through 4 steps: check efficiency → build a plan → find a trusted installer → borrowing for improvements.
- Help finding installers via TrustMark (government-endorsed quality scheme) for upgrades such as solar panels and heat pumps.
Borrowing-linked cashback (worth checking)
Industry coverage says Santander has offered cashback when customers take out a loan to fund energy-efficiency improvements:
- £250 for borrowing £5,000–£9,999
- £500 for borrowing £10,000+
(Availability and terms can change — check Santander’s hub for the latest.)
Best next step
If you’re considering solar and want help planning or funding the work, start with Santander’s Greener Homes Hub, then confirm any current cashback/loan incentives before booking.
TSB Energy efficient homes
TSB’s Energy efficient homes hub isn’t a solar install cashback scheme, but it’s useful if you’re planning upgrades and want a clear starting point. It links to a free personalised home energy improvement plan via Snugg (postcode-based) and points readers to trusted guidance like the Energy Saving Trust.
What you get
Free personalised plan via Snugg: enter your postcode and Snugg provides a plan with options to improve efficiency and help reduce energy bills.
Trusted advice via Energy Saving Trust: guidance on insulation, reducing bills, installing renewable energy, and more.
Funding routes to explore: TSB also signposts options like home improvement loans and additional borrowing conversations via a mortgage expert.
Important note (as stated by TSB)
TSB notes you must be 18+ and a UK resident to use Snugg’s services, and that TSB acts as an introducer to Snugg (so you should decide if the recommendations are right for you).
Cashback
- £250 cashback for buying an EPC A/B home
- TSB also promotes £250 cashback if you buy an energy-efficient home (EPC A or B) with a TSB mortgage (not buy-to-let, and not remortgaging).
We help you stay claim-ready
If you’re aiming to claim cashback, the details matter. We can help by providing clear documentation and keeping your project organised from quote to install.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only if you’re inside your bank’s timing rules. Some require the mortgage illustration to be after a certain date and the work completed within a set window. If you’re unsure, check eligibility before you pay a deposit.
It depends. Barclays requires MCS certification and uses your MCS certificate date to start the claim clock. Other lenders may focus more on invoice requirements and eligibility windows.
At minimum: property name/address, invoice number/date, description of works, completion date, and (where required) your mortgage account/roll number. If your bank needs specific wording, ask for it before the final invoice is issued.
Varies by lender. Some state they pay within a set period after approval, but they may ask for extra evidence during processing. Plan for a bit of back-and-forth and keep documents ready.
Search your bank site for: “greener homes”, “home energy plan”, “green living reward”, “eco home reward”, “green mortgage”, or “energy hub”.
Sunlite is not affiliated with any bank listed on this page. Rewards, eligibility criteria, and claim steps can change at any time. Always confirm current terms directly with your lender before booking work.
