Solar Panel Grants in Northern Ireland: What Is Open, Closed and Coming (October 2026)

If you are searching for a solar panel grant in Northern Ireland this month, the short answer is that there is no direct government grant for homeowners. What exists is a small set of income-targeted schemes, a VAT saving with a hard end date, and a regulator process that is only now starting to plan the next round.

This page is a dated snapshot. Our solar grants guide is the permanent explainer; this post covers what changed and what is open as of October 2026.

The headline: no direct grant for homeowners

Power NI’s own guidance (updated July 2026) states that there are no direct government solar panel grants in Northern Ireland. Be careful with any installer, advert or phone call that says otherwise. Our guide to free solar panel claims in NI explains how those offers usually work.

What is open and closed right now

Two schemes funded through the Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme (NISEP) can pay towards solar, but both are aimed at low-income households.

Scheme	Who it is for	Status
Toasty Homes	Homeowners and private tenants in low-income households (full funding)	Closed for 2026/27, waiting list full
Priority PV	Low-income Housing Executive tenants in single-storey properties outside natural-gas areas (partial funding)	The Housing Executive selects the properties; applications go to the Housing Executive directly

Source: Power NI, solar panel grants and funding guide, 16 July 2026. Power NI’s table was marked correct as of May 2026, so check current criteria with NISEP before relying on it.

If you rent from the Housing Executive, the route is through the Housing Executive, not through an installer. If you own your home and are on a low income, Toasty Homes is the scheme to ask about, but no applications are being taken for 2026/27.

What is coming: the next NISEP round

On 8 October 2026 the Utility Regulator published the NISEP Framework Document for 2027 to 2029 and opened a call for schemes. Organisations that want to run schemes must submit proposals by 15 December 2026.

That is the regulator asking providers to propose schemes. It does not say what those schemes will fund, whether solar will be included, or when households will be able to apply. Treat any claim that a new solar grant is “opening in 2027” as unconfirmed until a scheme is announced.

The VAT saving has a date

Residential solar installations, including panels, battery storage and installation, currently carry 0% VAT. Power NI states that this ends on 31 March 2027.

For most homeowners this is the one financial support that applies without an income test, which makes the date more important than any grant rumour. A system installed after that date may cost more, depending on the rules in force at the time.

What to do this month

1. Check whether you qualify for the income-based schemes. Ask NISEP or the Housing Executive, not an installer.
2. If you are not eligible, plan around 31 March 2027. Installation lead times vary, so get quotes early enough that your install date is not close to the deadline. Our installation timeline guide covers how long each stage takes.
3. Count export payments. You can be paid for unused electricity sent to the grid. See our export tariff comparison for current rates.
4. Be wary of “grant” calls and adverts. A legitimate scheme will not ask for an upfront processing fee.

If you would like prices from MCS-accredited installers while the VAT saving still applies, you can request free quotes.

Information in this post is taken from Power NI and the Utility Regulator, as linked in the sections above, and was checked on 23 October 2026. Schemes and rates change; confirm with the scheme provider before you apply.