Executive Summary

• Plug-in solar panels will be legal to buy in the UK on 27 August after an amendment to the Plugs and Sockets legislation laid before parliament on 17 July
• Industry bodies have welcomed the proposals but stressed safety concerns, particularly given the age of properties in the UK
• NAPIT emphasised the requirement that only independently tested and certified products should be on the UK market, while IET argued that regulators must also consider how products are likely to be used in millions of homes – not simply how they are intended to be used

The UK government has quietly confirmed the date of 27 August as the day when plug-in solar panels become legal to buy – yet bodies including the IET and NAPIT have stressed safety considerations while welcoming the update.

The August start date can be found in the amended Plugs and Sockets Regulations 1994 and Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2026 legislation. The date follows the initial announcement to roll out plug-in solar panels back in March, with retailers including Lidl and Amazon initially involved.

Reaction from the industry has been one of welcoming the proposals, but noting potential issues with installation, particularly given the age of certain properties in the UK.

In a statement this week NAPIT said it supported the principle of permitting compliant plug-in solar products to be connected to UK electrical installations, provided that the products comply with approved UK product specifications, and unsafe or non-compliant imports are prevented from entering the UK market; distribution network operators (DNOs) are appropriately notified, and clear consumer guidance accompanies all products.

Stephen Melton, NAPIT’s managing director, said that NAPIT’s view since March continues to be that only independently tested and certified products should be on the UK market. “Although plug-in solar products are intended for consumer installation, many UK properties contain much older electrical installations with varying levels of compliance against today’s standards,” said Melton.

“We recommend that Government messaging makes clear that consumers should ensure the electrical installation is in a satisfactory condition and seek advice from a qualified electrician where there is any uncertainty,” Melton added.

“They should not use extension leads, adaptors or damaged socket-outlets and comply with manufacturer’s instructions regarding socket selection and cable management.”

Elsewhere Mark Coles, head of technical regulations at the IET, noted that the institution’s concern had always been around whether the overall regulatory, technical and product safety framework is robust enough for mass-market UK deployment. “A compliant plug-in solar PV unit may perform safely under the conditions for which it has been designed and tested, but regulators must also consider how products are likely to be used in millions of homes, not simply how they are intended to be used,” said Coles.

“The Government’s consultation recognises many of the foreseeable risks, including older wiring, multiple devices connected to the same circuit, extension leads, non-compliant products and consumer misunderstanding. While the strengthened specification is welcome, many of the proposed mitigations continue to rely on guidance, warnings, product labelling and retailer communications, rather than measures that reduce reliance on consumers making technically complex decisions correctly every time,” added Coles.

“The proposals place considerable responsibility on consumers to identify household circuits, understand the suitability of existing protective devices, recognise when their installation may require professional assessment, and know when to seek advice from an electrician. These are not straightforward judgements for the average homeowner and are likely to be even more challenging for those living in older properties or rented accommodation.”

Several industry organisations, including the IET, jointly issued a statement in June arguing that it was ‘unclear’ how plug-in solar panels would interact with existing installations, particularly in older properties where wiring may have deteriorated.

Photo by Michael Roberts on Unsplash