The UK government has publicly defended a state-backed energy company against allegations of forced labour in its supply chain. The claim, reported by Politico, centres on a company that supplies solar panels and heat pumps to UK households. For the 1.2 million UK homeowners who installed solar panels last year, this is not a distant policy debate, it is a question about the ethics of the equipment on their roofs.
As Politico reported, the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has rejected claims that a company part-owned by the UK government uses forced labour in its solar panel manufacturing. The allegations, made by a campaign group, have not been proven. But the defence itself is notable: it signals that the government is aware of the reputational risk to its own net-zero programme.
Who qualifies, and who doesn’t
The company at the centre of the allegations is GB Energy, the state-backed clean power firm launched in 2024 with £8.3 billion of taxpayer money. GB Energy’s remit includes investing in solar and heat pump projects for UK homes. But its supply chain stretches to countries where forced labour is documented in solar panel production. The government says it has ‘solid due diligence’ in place. Yet no independent audit has been published.
For homeowners, the practical question is simple: does the solar panel or heat pump you are buying come from a factory that respects workers’ rights? The answer is not easy to find. Most UK installers do not disclose the origin of their panels. The Energy Saving Trust advises buyers to ask for certificates like the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) audit, but few do.
What it costs a typical 3-bed semi
The financial stakes are high. A typical 3-bed semi installing a 4 kW solar system with battery storage costs between £6,000 and £9,000, depending on the installer and panel quality. Heat pumps add another £7,000 to £13,000. These are not small sums. If a homeowner later discovers their panels were made with forced labour, the reputational cost could outweigh any energy savings.
But the government’s defence of GB Energy also has a practical dimension. If the allegations are false, the company could face a boycott based on unproven claims. If they are true, the government is defending a practice that contradicts its own Modern Slavery Act 2015. The Home Office estimates that 136,000 people in the UK are living in modern slavery, and that number includes those in supply chains for goods sold here. Solar panels are not exempt.
The catch: what this misses
Yet the focus on GB Energy misses a wider problem. The UK imports over 80% of its solar panels from China, where forced labour in Xinjiang is well-documented. The government’s own Solar Taskforce report in 2023 acknowledged the risk but offered no solution beyond ‘encouraging’ industry self-regulation. Meanwhile, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has warned that greenwashing claims are rising in the eco-home sector.
What this means for the typical homeowner: you cannot rely on government-backed brands alone. The GB Energy defence may be correct on the facts, but it does not guarantee that every panel in the supply chain is ethical. The only way to be sure is to ask your installer for a written declaration of the panel’s origin and any third-party audits. If they cannot provide one, consider another supplier.
What you should do, and by when
The government has not confirmed when it will publish the full supply chain audit for GB Energy. Homeowners planning a solar installation in the next 12 months should ask their installer for a written guarantee that panels are sourced from factories with no forced labour allegations. The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) provides a template for such requests. If you are applying for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant of £7,500 for a heat pump, check the manufacturer’s supply chain policy online before you buy.
Households on standard variable tariffs can apply for grants through gov.uk from 1 April 2025. But the ethical question remains: is a cheap panel worth the cost of a compromised conscience? The answer, for most UK homeowners, is no.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ask your installer for the manufacturer's Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) audit or a written declaration of the panel's origin. The Ethical Trading Initiative provides guidance on what to request. If the installer cannot provide this, consider another supplier.
No. The BUS grant of £7,500 for heat pumps does not currently include any ethical sourcing requirement. Homeowners must check the manufacturer's supply chain policy independently before applying.
