Reform UK is polling at 18 percent in some national surveys. That number alone should make every homeowner who has considered solar panels, an electric vehicle, or a heat pump sit up.
As reported by The i Paper, a Reform government would likely dismantle key net-zero policies that directly affect household energy choices. The party has not published a full manifesto, but its stated positions, scrap the 2030 petrol car ban, pause new wind farms, cut green levies, point in one direction: less state support for domestic decarbonisation, and more reliance on market forces.
Who qualifies, and who doesn’t
Reform UK’s energy policy, such as it is, centres on cutting what it calls ‘green crap’ from energy bills. That means scrapping the social and environmental levies that currently fund the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the Smart Export Guarantee, and the Renewable Heat Incentive’s legacy payments. For a homeowner installing solar panels today, the Smart Export Guarantee pays roughly 5-15p per kWh exported. If that goes, the payback period on a typical 4 kW system, currently around 12-15 years, could stretch to 18 years or more.
The catch is that Reform also promises to cut VAT on domestic energy to zero. That would reduce the standing charge and unit rate for everyone, but it would not replace the lost income for solar owners. The net effect: households that can afford the upfront cost of panels still benefit from reduced bills, but the incentive to generate surplus power disappears.
What it costs a typical 3-bed semi
Take a 3-bed semi in Milton Keynes with a 4 kW solar array and a 5 kWh battery. Under current rules, the household saves roughly £300 a year on bills and earns another £150 from exports. Total benefit: £450. If Reform scraps the export tariff and cuts green levies, the export income vanishes and the bill saving drops to about £250 because the levy reduction is small relative to wholesale costs. The household still saves money, but the upfront cost of £7,000-£9,000 takes two years longer to recover.
For electric vehicles, the picture is starker. Reform would repeal the 2030 ban and scrap the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which requires carmakers to sell a rising share of EVs. Without the mandate, manufacturers will likely slow EV production and keep petrol cars on sale longer. That means fewer second-hand EVs reaching the market, keeping prices higher for longer. The average used EV currently costs £22,000, about £4,000 more than a comparable petrol car. Without policy pressure, that gap may persist.
Yet the party also proposes cutting fuel duty for petrol and diesel, which would make running a conventional car cheaper relative to an EV. For homeowners who installed a charger on the assumption that fuel savings would offset the car’s higher price, that calculation shifts.
The EPC impact
Reform has signalled it would scrap the requirement for rented homes to achieve EPC band C by 2030. That rule currently forces landlords to install insulation, double glazing, or solar panels. If it goes, the rental sector’s retrofit pipeline dries up. For owner-occupiers, the EPC rating becomes less relevant for selling or letting, but the Energy Company Obligation, which funds free insulation for low-income households, would likely survive in some form, since it is funded through supplier levies that Reform says it will keep.
The bottom line: a Reform government would reduce the upfront support for solar and EVs, but also cut the running costs of all energy. Homeowners should not panic, but they should act. The current subsidy regime is unlikely to survive a change of government. Anyone considering solar panels or a heat pump should get quotes now and install before the next election, which must happen by January 2025. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which pays £7,500 for a heat pump, is currently open. It may not be for much longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Reform has not confirmed this, but its policy of scrapping 'green levies' would likely include the SEG, which is funded through supplier obligations. Without SEG, solar panel owners would not be paid for electricity they export to the grid.
Yes. Current subsidies and the Smart Export Guarantee are in place until at least 2025. Installing before a potential change of government locks in those benefits. The payback period is shorter under current rules, and the upfront cost will not fall if subsidies are cut.
