⚡ The 30-second answer
- Best: South West (Bristol, Exeter) — 7.6 years payback
- Worst: Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow) — 10.0 years, still profitable
- The gap is only 2.4 years despite a 24% difference in sunshine — every kWh saves the same 26.32p wherever you live.
- Every single UK region pays back within 11 years, well inside the 25-year panel warranty.
The full ranking (2026)
All figures assume a typical setup: 4 kW system, £6,400 installed cost, £90/month electricity bill, no battery (45% self-consumption). Import rate 26.32p/kWh (Ofgem Q4 2026), SEG export 13p/kWh (a top open tariff like Fuse — payback is roughly 2–2.5 years longer at the 6p default).
| # | Region | Main cities | Sun hrs/yr (kWh/kWp) | Payback | 25-yr profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South West | Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth | 1,113 | 7.6 yrs | £16,600 |
| 2 | South East | Brighton, Southampton, Kent | 1,077 | 7.8 yrs | £15,800 |
| 3 | East of England | Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich | 1,040 | 8.1 yrs | £15,100 |
| 4 | London | London | 1,015 | 8.3 yrs | £14,600 |
| 5 | East Midlands | Nottingham, Leicester, Derby | 986 | 8.5 yrs | £14,000 |
| 6 | Yorkshire | Leeds, Sheffield, York | 967 | 8.7 yrs | £13,600 |
| 7 | West Midlands | Birmingham, Coventry | 960 | 8.8 yrs | £13,400 |
| 8 | North West | Manchester, Liverpool | 942 | 8.9 yrs | £13,100 |
| 9 | Wales | Cardiff, Swansea | 931 | 9.0 yrs | £12,800 |
| 9 | Northern Ireland | Belfast | 931 | 9.0 yrs | £12,800 |
| 11 | North East | Newcastle, Sunderland | 902 | 9.3 yrs | £12,200 |
| 12 | Scotland | Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen | 840 | 10.0 yrs | £10,900 |
Payback uses SEG export at 13p (a top open tariff such as Fuse); our calculators default to the 6p rate, which makes payback roughly 2–2.5 years longer. The 25-year profit column uses the 6p SEG default with 0.5% annual panel degradation and 3% annual price inflation, as set out in our ROI calculator methodology. Every UK region is profitable over a 25-year life.
Why the north–south gap is only 2.4 years
Most people expect solar to be "pointless" in Scotland. The data says otherwise — and the reason matters more than the ranking itself.
Sun hours vary 24% between the South West (1,113) and Scotland (840). But payback only varies by 2.4 years (7.6 vs 10.0). Here's why:
Put simply: solar is worth it in every UK region. The question is never "will it pay back?" — it's "will it pay back in 8 or 10 years?"
The surprise: North East beats Scotland
Counter-intuitively, Newcastle (North East, 902 sun hours) outperforms Edinburgh (Scotland, 840) even though parts of Scotland are at a similar latitude. The reason: western Scotland gets hammered by Atlantic cloud and rain, while the North East of England sits in the rain shadow of the Pennines and is noticeably drier.
This is why "how far north am I?" is the wrong question. What matters is your local cloud cover — which is exactly what sun-hour data captures, and why we use it instead of latitude in our calculators.
What actually moves your payback (more than region)
Region shifts your payback by ±1.2 years around the national average. These factors shift it far more:
| Factor | Impact on payback | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Roof orientation | ±1–2 yrs | South-facing generates ~15–20% more than east/west. North-facing is the real killer (avoid). |
| Daytime usage | ±2–3 yrs | Working from home raises self-consumption from 45% toward 60%+ — each extra self-used kWh is worth 26p not 13p. |
| Your SEG tariff | ±1 yr | Fuse Energy (13p) and Octopus Outgoing (12p) beat the typical 3–6p default. Switching takes minutes and pays £100–200/yr. |
| Installation cost | ±1–2 yrs | A £5,600 quote vs £7,200 for the same 4 kW system swings payback by 2 years. Always get 3 quotes. |
| Adding a battery | ±1–2 yrs | Only worth it with a time-of-use tariff — see our battery ROI guide. |
The takeaway: a south-facing roof in Glasgow with high daytime usage will beat a north-facing roof in Bristol with nobody home all day. Region is the least controllable factor — and fortunately the least important.
City-by-city quick answers
London — 8.3 years
1,015 sun hours. Solidly mid-table despite the "grey London" stereotype — the capital is drier and sunnier than most of the west and north. High property values also mean solar adds proportionally more to resale appeal.
Manchester — 8.9 years
942 sun hours (North West). Famous for rain, and the data partly agrees — but 8.9 years is still comfortably profitable. Don't let the weather jokes put you off.
Edinburgh & Glasgow — 10.0 years
840 sun hours (Scotland). The slowest payback in the UK, yet still £10,000+ profit over 25 years. Scotland's long summer days partially compensate for dark winters — panels generate late into the evening in June.
Cardiff — 9.1 years
931 sun hours (Wales). Welsh hills and Atlantic weather keep it mid-to-lower table, but 9.1 years is well within range. South-facing Welsh valleys do better than the regional average suggests.
Belfast — 9.1 years
931 sun hours (Northern Ireland). Same sun hours as Wales. Note: NI has different VAT rules from GB's 0% rate — confirm the current rate with your installer, as it affects the payback figure.
Bristol — 7.6 years
1,113 sun hours (South West). The UK's solar sweet spot — mild, sunny, and close to the solar industry's heartland. If you're in the South West, the case is unambiguous.
Newcastle — 9.3 years
902 sun hours (North East). Drier than its latitude suggests thanks to the Pennine rain shadow. Beats Scotland despite being further north than Edinburgh.
How we calculate this
The same formula as our ROI calculator:
annual generation = 4 kW × regional sun hours
annual savings = self-consumed × 26.32p + exported × 13p
payback = £6,400 ÷ annual savings
Regional figures are PVGIS 5.2 net generation per kWp (European Commission) — system losses are already inside that number. Your actual figure depends on roof orientation, tilt and shading — a south-facing roof can beat the regional average by 15–20%.
Pick your region, adjust bill and system size — 20 seconds.
Open the ROI calculator →Frequently asked questions
Which UK region has the fastest solar payback?
The South West (Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth) at ~7.6 years for a typical 4 kW system, thanks to the highest sun hours in the country (1,113/year). South East and East of England follow at 7.8 and 8.1 years.
Is solar worth it in Scotland?
Yes — payback is ~10.0 years, which still leaves 15 years of pure profit within the 25-year panel warranty. Scotland's long summer days help. The bigger factor is your roof orientation and daytime usage, not your postcode.
Why is the difference between regions so small?
Because every kWh is worth the same 26.32p (self-consumed) or 13p (exported) regardless of where it's generated. A 24% difference in sunshine becomes roughly a 24% difference in annual savings — meaningful, but not the deal-breaker most people assume.
Does solar work in Manchester, Newcastle and the north?
Yes. Manchester (North West) pays back in ~8.9 years, Newcastle (North East) in ~9.3 years. Both are comfortably profitable. The North East actually beats Scotland because it's drier — despite being at a similar latitude.
Should I wait for panel efficiency to improve before buying?
No. Panel efficiency improves ~0.5%/year, but electricity prices have risen far faster. Every year you wait, you lose a full year of savings at today's high rates (26.32p). The 0% VAT window also closes 31 March 2027 — waiting could cost you £700–1,400 in extra VAT alone.