On 24 March 2026 the UK Government confirmed plans to enable “plug‑in” solar to reach retail shelves within months and said new rules implementing the Future Homes Standard come into force the same day, requiring the majority of new homes in England to include rooftop solar and clean heating as standard. The package also introduces a trial to pass constrained wind generation through to customers as discounted power on windy days. (gov.uk)
Ministers will work with the Energy Networks Association, distribution network operators and Ofgem to amend the G98 distribution code and the BS 7671 wiring regulations so households can connect sub‑800W plug‑in solar devices via a mains socket without hiring an electrician, subject to tailored safety standards. Retailers including Lidl and Amazon, and manufacturer EcoFlow, are engaging with government ahead of UK availability. (gov.uk)
Government points to widespread European use of plug‑in systems and analysis indicating 426,269 balcony‑solar registrations in Germany in 2025, noting that registrations likely undercount sales. Officials say enabling direct use of on‑site generation without installation costs can reduce electricity drawn from the grid and lower bills. (gov.uk)
The Future Homes Standard will add a functional requirement to Building Regulations for on‑site renewable electricity generation, with exceptions such as some high‑rise buildings, and will mandate low‑carbon heating via heat pumps or heat networks. The Department says these measures could save families up to £830 a year versus a typical EPC C home, while delivering at least 75% lower carbon than the 2013 standard. (gov.uk)
Alongside laying regulations, the Government is publishing the Home Energy Model: Future Homes Standard assessment response and confirming HEM will, in due course, be one of the approved methodologies to demonstrate compliance. DESNZ expects this to support innovation in new‑build products, best‑practice heat‑pump installation and recognition of smart, “zero‑bills” offers. (gov.uk)
A call for evidence has opened on the £5 billion Warm Homes Fund, part of the £15 billion Warm Homes Plan. Of this, £1.7 billion is already allocated to consumer loans for clean‑energy technologies backed by £300 million in capital; a further £3.3 billion will be deployed as innovative finance, including £600 million for low‑income homes, with detailed design due later in 2026. (gov.uk)
To curb constraint payments, government will legislate to allow suppliers and flexibility providers to offer discounted tariffs to customers on windy days in areas where wind farms are currently paid to switch off because the grid cannot absorb output. The trial is expected to launch in time for winter 2026–27 and will focus predominantly on Scotland and the East of England. (gov.uk)
The announcements land a week before Ofgem’s latest cap reduction takes effect. From 1 April to 30 June 2026 the energy price cap falls by 7% (about £117) to £1,641 for a typical dual‑fuel household paying by Direct Debit. Any windy‑day discounts would be additional and geographically targeted, rather than nationwide. (ofgem.gov.uk)
For developers and building control teams, the Future Homes Standard formalises rooftop solar as a default design element and signals that compliance evidence will transition to the Home Energy Model. Project teams should integrate PV with low‑carbon heating and higher fabric standards, and ensure procurement reflects the new functional requirement on on‑site generation. (gov.uk)
For networks and installers, the forthcoming G98 and BS 7671 updates will set out how sub‑800W plug‑in devices can be used safely without an electrician, defining product and socket standards and any notification routes. Until those rule changes are enacted, plug‑in solar remains unavailable in the UK market. (gov.uk)
For households, the combination of Future Homes Standard requirements on new builds and the planned retail availability of plug‑in kits is intended to widen access to self‑generation, including for renters and flat‑dwellers. DESNZ frames this as reducing exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets by shifting more daytime demand to self‑produced electricity. (gov.uk)
Next steps include publication of the statutory instrument text and transitional provisions underpinning the Future Homes Standard, ENA/Ofgem technical changes to G98 and BS 7671, and detailed scheme rules for the windy‑day discount trial. Ministers also point to a renewables auction timetable brought forward to July this year. (gov.uk)