Smart Export Guarantee Rates Compared 2026 (UK)
Smart Export Guarantee rates aren't set by the government — suppliers set them, and they vary wildly. Here's how to read the 2026 market and pick a tariff that actually pays.
Check your eligibility freeHow Smart Export Guarantee rates actually work in 2026
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is the mechanism that pays you for surplus solar electricity you send to the grid. It replaced the old Feed-in Tariff for new installations, but it works very differently. With the Feed-in Tariff the government set the payment; with SEG, each licensed energy supplier sets its own rate. The only rule is that the rate must be above zero — there is no government-mandated floor or ceiling.
That single fact explains why smart export guarantee rates are all over the place. Larger licensed suppliers (broadly those with 150,000+ domestic customers) are required to offer at least one SEG tariff; smaller suppliers can choose to. Because each one prices independently, the gap between the worst and best-paying tariffs can be more than tenfold for exporting the exact same kilowatt-hour.
The practical takeaway: the SEG rate you're offered is a market decision, not a fixed entitlement. You are free to choose any SEG provider you qualify for — you do not have to take SEG from the supplier who sells you your imported electricity, though as we'll see, the highest-paying deals often expect you to.
Fixed vs variable SEG tariffs — and why the headline number can mislead
SEG tariffs fall into two broad camps, and confusing them is the most common mistake households make.
- Fixed-rate SEG: you're paid a flat amount per kWh exported (a single pence-per-unit figure) for the length of the contract. Predictable and easy to budget around.
- Variable / agile SEG: the rate tracks wholesale electricity prices and changes throughout the day. It can pay significantly more during high-demand evening peaks and very little (sometimes near zero) overnight or on sunny, low-demand afternoons.
Here's the catch with variable tariffs: solar exports peak around the middle of the day, which is often exactly when wholesale prices are lowest. So a headline agile rate that looks generous at 6pm may rarely apply to your actual export pattern. A fixed tariff that pays the same all day can quietly out-earn a flashier variable one for a typical household without a battery.
A battery changes this maths. If you can store midday surplus and export (or self-consume) during peak windows, a variable tariff suddenly becomes far more attractive. Match the tariff type to your kit, not to the biggest number in the advert.
What the 2026 SEG rate market looks like
Rates move constantly, so treat any specific figure as indicative rather than a quote. As a guide to the current spread:
| Tariff type | Typical 2026 range (indicative) | Best for |
| Low / entry fixed | around 1–4p per kWh | Convenience; often a default with no switching |
| Competitive fixed | around 5–12p per kWh | Most homes without a battery |
| Market-leading fixed | up to the mid-teens p per kWh | Households willing to bundle import + export |
| Variable / agile | tracks wholesale (can spike at peak) | Battery owners who can time exports |
The highest fixed rates almost always come with a condition: you usually have to buy your imported electricity from the same supplier, and sometimes have the panels installed or registered through them. A market-leading export rate paired with an expensive import tariff can leave you worse off overall, so always compare the combined import-and-export deal, not the export number in isolation.
Note too that some standout rates are only open to that supplier's own solar or battery customers — they're a loyalty perk, not an open-market offer.
Who qualifies — the eligibility rules behind the rate
Before any rate applies, your installation has to meet the SEG criteria. These are well-established and apply across Great Britain:
- Technology: solar PV (also wind, hydro, anaerobic digestion or micro-CHP) up to 5MW capacity — comfortably above any domestic system. Micro-CHP is capped lower.
- Certification: the installation must be MCS-certified (or equivalent) — using an accredited installer is what makes you eligible.
- Metering: you need a meter capable of providing half-hourly export readings — in practice a second-generation smart meter (SMETS2). Without accurate export data, the supplier can't pay you.
Geography matters too. SEG is a Great Britain scheme — it operates in England, Scotland and Wales. It is not a formal scheme in Northern Ireland, where payment for exported solar is arranged directly through supplier agreements rather than under SEG rules.
One more point worth knowing: in Scotland, support for installing solar PV itself typically comes as an interest-free loan through Home Energy Scotland rather than an outright grant — SEG then pays you for what you export once the system is running.
How to choose the right SEG tariff (a practical method)
Picking a SEG tariff is really about matching your export pattern to the right deal. Work through it in this order:
- 1. Know your export, not just your generation. A self-consuming household with a battery exports far less than a family out all day with no storage. The less you export, the less the headline rate matters and the more your import price dominates.
- 2. Compare the bundle. For the top fixed rates that require same-supplier import, add up a realistic year of import cost plus export income. The winner is the lowest net annual bill, not the highest export rate.
- 3. Match type to kit. No battery and a typical work-from-home or out-all-day pattern? A strong fixed rate usually wins. Have a battery and can shift exports to peak? A variable tariff can pull ahead.
- 4. Check the lock-in. Some SEG deals tie you to a fixed-term import contract. Confirm exit terms before committing.
- 5. Re-shop annually. SEG isn't 'set and forget'. Suppliers leapfrog each other; reviewing once a year is the easiest way to keep your rate competitive.
SEG payments are a genuine income stream, but for most homes they're the smaller part of solar's value — the bigger saving usually comes from the electricity you don't have to buy. Treat a good export rate as the bonus on top of self-consumption, not the main event.
Smart Export Guarantee Rates Compared 2026 (UK) — FAQs
What is a good Smart Export Guarantee rate in 2026?
There's no single 'right' figure because suppliers set their own rates, but as a rough guide a competitive fixed SEG tariff currently sits in the mid-single to low-double-digit pence per kWh, with the very best fixed deals reaching the mid-teens. The catch is that top rates usually require you to buy your imported electricity from the same supplier — so compare the combined import-plus-export deal, not the export number alone. Anything around 1–3p per kWh is an entry-level default you can almost certainly beat by switching.
Does the government set Smart Export Guarantee rates?
No. Under the Feed-in Tariff the government set the payment, but SEG works differently — each licensed energy supplier sets its own rate. The only legal requirement is that the rate must be greater than zero. That's why rates vary so widely between suppliers and why it pays to shop around rather than accept the first offer.
Should I choose a fixed or variable SEG tariff?
It depends on your kit. A fixed tariff pays the same per kWh all day and tends to suit homes without a battery, because solar exports peak at midday when wholesale (and therefore variable) prices are often lowest. A variable or 'agile' tariff can pay much more at peak times, which makes it attractive if you have a battery and can time your exports for the evening. Match the tariff type to whether you can shift when you export.
Can I get the Smart Export Guarantee in Northern Ireland?
SEG is a Great Britain scheme — it operates in England, Scotland and Wales. It is not a formal scheme in Northern Ireland. Households there can still be paid for exported solar electricity, but this is arranged directly through supplier agreements rather than under SEG rules, so the terms differ.
Do I need a smart meter to get paid SEG?
In practice, yes. To be paid you need a meter that can provide half-hourly export readings, which usually means a second-generation smart meter (SMETS2). Your installation also needs to be MCS-certified (or use an equivalent accredited route) and your system must be 5MW or under — comfortably above any home setup. Without accurate export data, a supplier has no basis on which to pay you.
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