Northern solar boom: Burnham’s power shift reshapes home energy

The Financial Times reports that Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is emerging as a important figure in UK banking and investment circles, with his devolution deals attracting private capital to the North. For homeowners, this shift matters more than Westminster power games, it is unlocking real money for solar panels, heat pumps, and insulation in regions long ignored by central government.

As reported by the Financial Times, Burnham’s ability to broker public-private partnerships is drawing banks into northern infrastructure. But the quiet revolution is happening on residential streets, where council-backed schemes are offering homeowners cheaper solar installs and faster grants than national programmes.

Who qualifies, and who doesn’t

Greater Manchester’s ‘Solar Together’ scheme, modelled on a London pilot, lets homeowners buy panels at bulk-discount prices, typically 20–30% below market rates. Two thousand households signed up in 2024 alone. The catch: it is only available in boroughs that opt in. Stockport and Salford are in; Wigan is still negotiating. Homeowners outside those areas can still claim the national Boiler Upgrade Scheme (heat pump grants of £7,500) or the Great British Insulation Scheme (loft and cavity wall grants up to £1,500), but wait times are longer.

What it costs a typical 3-bed semi

A standard 3.5 kWp solar array in the North West now costs around £5,500–£7,000 installed, according to Energy Saving Trust data. The bulk-buy scheme can shave £1,500 off that. Annual savings on a typical semi using 3,200 kWh of electricity: about £360 at current price cap rates (24.5p per kWh). Add a battery (£2,000–£3,000) and you can store daytime generation for evening use, pushing savings above £500 a year. Payback period: 8–12 years, but EPC rating jumps from D to C or even B.

The EPC imperative

From 2028, all new tenancies in England will require an EPC rating of C or above. In Greater Manchester, Burnham’s housing strategy already mandates C for social housing by 2030. Solar panels alone can lift a D-rated home to C; a heat pump plus insulation gets you to B. Landlords who ignore this face repair bills of £10,000+ when the ban hits. Better to act now, while grants cover up to 75% of costs.

Yet the FT article highlights a tension: banks are more willing to lend for new-build developments than for retrofitting existing homes. Burnham’s influence could change that, if he pushes lenders to offer ‘green mortgages’ with lower rates for EPC A or B properties. A few lenders, Nationwide, Barclays, already do, but uptake is low. Homeowners should ask their lender about green mortgage products when applying for solar or heat pump finance.

The bottom line: northern homeowners have a narrow window to lock in council-subsidised solar before the next general election reshuffles funding. Check your local authority’s website for bulk-buy schemes. If you are in Greater Manchester, apply before the next round closes in March 2025. If not, the national Boiler Upgrade Scheme remains open until 2028, but grant levels may fall after 2026.