Solar Panel Scam UK: Fake Online Deals & Grants

No checked UK scheme hands out free solar panels through a simple online form.

By Alex Bacsa · Published 2026-05-14 · Updated 2026-07-05 · 4 min read

What an online solar panel scam looks like

This scam is a social media advert or lead-generation website promising free or heavily subsidised solar panels through a vague "government scheme", asking you to submit your contact details before any real conversation happens. An example of the style: You may qualify for free solar panels under a new government initiative — enter your postcode to check eligibility. A related version pressures you into signing a finance or leasing agreement quickly, or contacts you later claiming an urgent paid warranty renewal is due.

Why these ads are convincing

Genuine UK schemes touching home energy and renewables do exist, including the Energy Company Obligation, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and the Smart Export Guarantee. That means a scheme-sounding name isn't automatically fake. What is unsupported is the idea that those schemes hand out free solar panels simply for filling in a quick online form.

Signs an online solar offer is a scam

• It claims to be a direct government grant covering free solar panels, with no specific scheme named or checkable.
• You're asked to submit contact details on a lead-generation form before any genuine conversation about your property.
• You're pushed to sign a finance or leasing agreement quickly, without time to get independent advice.
• You're contacted later claiming an urgent, paid warranty renewal is needed.
• The installer isn't MCS-certified, or won't confirm it when asked.

How the scam works step by step

First, an online advert or lead-generation site promises free or heavily subsidised solar panels tied to a vague scheme. Second, you submit your details, triggering a high-pressure sales call pushing a quick decision or a finance agreement. Third, you may be signed into an unsuitable or overpriced leasing arrangement, or simply have your details sold on to other installers and cold-callers. Later, a separate warranty-renewal scam may follow, using a similar sense of urgency.

How to check a solar offer safely

Check what a scheme genuinely covers directly on gov.uk or Ofgem's own pages, rather than trusting an advert's description of it.

• Confirm any installer is MCS-certified using the official MCS installer search.
• If you sign a contract away from a trader's business premises or at a distance, check the cancellation rights in your paperwork and don't let anyone rush you past them.
• This page covers online and advertised solar offers. If you've had an unsolicited phone call or doorstep visit instead, the cold-call/doorstep pattern needs separate checks.

If you've already signed an agreement or paid

If you're still within your cancellation window, you may be able to withdraw from the agreement; check the paperwork for the exact deadline and process. If you paid by card, contact your bank or card provider about a chargeback or, for a qualifying credit-card payment, a Section 75 claim. If you entered a finance agreement you're unhappy with, contact the finance provider directly to raise it.

How to report an online solar panel scam (UK)

Report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 if you're in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101.

Frequently asked questions

Reporting routes in this guide are checked against our verified canon of official UK sources — Action Fraud, the National Cyber Security Centre, and Citizens Advice — by an automated accuracy gate before publication. Fact-checked and updated by Alex Bacsa, Founder & Editor, on 2026-07-05. Read about how Beat the Scam writes guides.