1. Find out whether you already receive payments
Look at your electricity bills, emails and any paperwork left by the previous owner. You might already have an export tariff or an older Feed-in Tariff (FIT) arrangement. Do not cancel an existing arrangement until you understand what you have.
2. Understand the two different schemes
The Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme closed to new applicants in 2019, but qualifying existing installations may continue to receive payments under their terms. FIT generation payments and any export element are not the same thing as the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). The SEG is an export-payment scheme: eligible small generators are paid for electricity exported to the grid under a supplier’s tariff. You cannot be paid twice for the same exported units, so check the rules before switching.
3. Check who can receive the payments
If you bought a house with solar panels, ownership of the equipment and entitlement to any existing FIT payments may need to be transferred or documented. Ask your conveyancer, previous owner and relevant FIT licensee. If the panels are owned by a third party, check the agreement before assuming export payments belong to you.
4. Find your meter and export readings
Ask your electricity supplier whether your meter records export separately. Many SEG tariffs require suitable export metering, often a smart meter, and eligibility evidence. A smart-meter in-home display is not necessarily a record of your total solar generation. If you have an older FIT agreement, check its metering and export-payment arrangements before making changes.
5. Check whether you qualify for SEG
Suppliers set their own SEG tariff terms and may ask for evidence of installation certification (such as MCS or an accepted equivalent), export-meter details and other information. Eligibility and evidence requirements depend on your installation and supplier. Ask what documents are needed before paying anyone to obtain replacements.
6. Compare export tariffs properly
Look beyond the headline pence-per-kWh rate. Check whether a tariff requires you to import electricity from the same supplier, have particular equipment, accept a variable rate or meet other conditions. If you use a home battery, ask whether exports from stored grid electricity are eligible under that tariff. Compare the total effect on both your import bill and export income.
7. Apply, then check your first payment
Once you choose a suitable tariff, follow the supplier’s application process and keep copies of your agreement, meter readings and correspondence. Check when payments start and whether the first statement matches the exported units recorded. If you think something is wrong, contact the supplier first and keep a written record.
My solar export checklist
Do I need to buy a battery to get paid for exports?
No. A battery is not generally required simply to receive payments for eligible solar exports. Whether a battery improves your finances is a separate calculation involving installation cost, import tariffs, export rates and your actual electricity use.
Independent sources
General UK homeowner guidance, not a tariff recommendation. Supplier terms and scheme rules may change; check current official guidance and your contract before switching.