Home battery storage
How much does home battery storage cost?
A 5kWh home battery typically costs £2,500–£4,500 installed; a 10kWh system runs £4,500–£7,000, and since February 2024 battery installations carry 0% VAT. The honest bit nobody leads with: payback depends on your tariff, typically 8–12 years, and we'll show you the maths rather than hide it. Tell us about your home and trusted local installers will quote their exact price.
How it works
- Tell us about your home: solar or not, how much electricity you use, when you'd install. Two minutes.
- We pass your details to trusted battery installers covering your postcode, and to no one else.
- They contact you directly with their actual price for your home. Compare, choose, or walk away.
Battery Storage Cost is a free introduction service operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd; we pass your details to trusted local battery storage installers who quote you directly. We may receive a fee from providers; you pay nothing and are under no obligation. We are not an installer and nothing here is financial advice; cost figures are typical 2026 quote ranges that vary by brand, region and installation complexity, and payback estimates depend on your tariff and usage.
Typical home battery storage costs, 2026
Last updated
What a home battery actually costs installed, by size, and the two facts that change the maths: 0% VAT and your tariff. These are typical quote ranges observed across the UK market in 2026, not fixed prices; brand, installer and how hard the install is move the number.
Ranges reflect typical installed quotes for lithium home batteries observed across the UK market in 2026; they vary by brand, usable capacity, hybrid vs AC-coupled configuration and installation complexity. The VAT position is per HMRC VAT Notice 708/6: the zero rate has covered battery storage installations, including standalone and retrofit, since 1 February 2024. Payback estimates depend on tariff rates and usage patterns and are stated as typical, not promised. Get exact quotes for your home via the form above.
| Item | Typical cost (2026 quotes) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5kWh battery, installed | £2,500–£4,500 | Covers a typical home's evening; the right size for average use without an EV |
| 10kWh battery, installed | £4,500–£7,000 | For higher users, EV owners and bigger solar arrays; per-kWh price falls as size rises |
| Retrofit to existing solar (AC-coupled) | Within the ranges above | Own inverter, works with any existing array; usually a one-day install |
| Battery with new solar (hybrid/DC-coupled) | Adds less than a standalone retrofit | Shares the hybrid inverter, so the battery's share of a combined install is smaller |
| VAT on installation | 0% until 31 March 2027 | Zero-rated since 1 February 2024 including standalone and retrofit; scheduled to revert to 5% after March 2027 (VAT Notice 708/6) |
- A 5kWh home battery typically costs £2,500–£4,500 installed in 2026 quotes; a 10kWh system runs £4,500–£7,000 (varies by brand and installation complexity).
- Battery storage installations have carried 0% VAT since 1 February 2024, including retrofit and standalone batteries, with the zero rate scheduled until 31 March 2027 (HMRC VAT Notice 708/6).
- Typical home battery payback is 8–12 years and depends on the gap between your peak and off-peak rates, batteries earn by moving your usage, not by existing.
Cite this page
“Typical home battery storage costs, 2026”, Battery Storage Cost, https://batterystoragecost.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-14). Ranges reflect typical installed quotes for lithium home batteries observed across the UK market in 2026; they vary by brand, usable capacity, hybrid vs AC-coupled configuration and installation complexity. The VAT position is per HMRC VAT Notice 708/6: the zero rate has covered battery storage installations, including standalone and retrofit, since 1 February 2024. Payback estimates depend on tariff rates and usage patterns and are stated as typical, not promised. Get exact quotes for your home via the form above.
Go deeper
Sourced, dated, kept current.
Battery storage without solar: is it worth it in the UK?
A battery without solar earns purely from tariff arbitrage: charge cheap off-peak, use at peak. When the maths works, when it doesn't, and the honest payback picture.
0% VAT on battery storage: the relief explained, 2024 to 2027
Battery storage installations carry 0% VAT since 1 February 2024, retrofit and standalone included, until 31 March 2027. How the relief works and who gets it.
What size battery does a UK home need? 5kWh vs 10kWh
The average UK home uses about 2,700 kWh of electricity a year, roughly 7.4 kWh a day. Why 5kWh suits most homes, who actually needs 10kWh, and sizing mistakes.
Frequently asked
How much does home battery storage cost in the UK?
Typical 2026 installed quotes: £2,500–£4,500 for a 5kWh battery, £4,500–£7,000 for 10kWh. Prices include 0% VAT, which has applied to battery installations since February 2024. Brand, usable capacity and installation complexity move the figure, so get quotes for your actual home.
How long does a home battery take to pay for itself?
Typically 8–12 years, and we'd rather say that plainly than sell you a fantasy. The payback depends on the gap between your peak and off-peak rates and how many kWh you actually shift each day. Wide-gap tariffs (EV tariffs especially) and high evening use reach the front of the range; flat tariffs without solar may never pay back.
Is there still 0% VAT on battery storage?
Yes. Battery storage installations in homes have been zero-rated since 1 February 2024, including retrofit batteries added to existing solar and standalone batteries without solar. The zero rate is scheduled to run until 31 March 2027, then revert to 5% (HMRC VAT Notice 708/6).
Is it cheaper to install a battery with solar or add one later?
Together is usually cheaper: a hybrid inverter serves both, so the battery's share of a combined install is smaller than a standalone retrofit. But retrofitting an AC-coupled battery to existing solar is routine, typically a one-day job, and sits within the same typical 2026 ranges: £2,500–£4,500 for 5kWh installed.
Do I need solar panels to make a battery worthwhile?
No, but you need a time-of-use tariff. Without solar, a battery earns purely by charging cheap off-peak and discharging at peak, which works when the tariff gap is wide (EV owners do best) and does nothing on a flat tariff. With solar, the battery also banks your surplus generation, which strengthens the case.
Is this quote service really free?
Yes, free to you, with no obligation to accept any quote. We pass your details only to trusted local battery storage installers, who quote you directly; we may receive a fee from those providers, which is how the service is funded.