The original Feed-in Tariff (FIT) launched in April 2010 and closed to new applications on 31 March 2019. Pre-2019 installs continue to receive their original FIT rate for the remainder of the 20-year term, indexed annually to inflation. For any solar installed from 1 April 2019 onward the replacement mechanism is the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) — a regulated requirement on all licensed electricity suppliers with more than 150,000 customers to offer at least one export tariff.
2026 SEG rates run from a floor of around 4p–6p per kWh (legacy fixed offers from larger suppliers) up to 35p+ per kWh on the variable Octopus Flux peak window. The most common London signups in 2026 are Octopus Outgoing Fixed at 15p flat, EDF at 12p, Eon Next at 16.5p, and Octopus Flux variable (typically 25p–35p in the 16:00–19:00 evening peak window). Switching SEG provider is free and takes 21 days, regardless of who supplies your import electricity — you do not need to import and export with the same company.
SEG metering is half-hourly. A SMETS2 smart meter is mandatory — you cannot register for SEG on an older non-smart meter. The supplier reads your export volume directly through the DCC (Data Communications Company) every half-hour and credits your account monthly. There is no separate export meter to install on the customer side — the smart meter does the job. We confirm meter type on survey and coordinate the upgrade with your supplier where needed.
Why Electrician London
SEG signup support
We provide the MCS certificate, DNO confirmation and commissioning documents your supplier needs for SEG registration. Average signup time 21 days from application.
Smart meter checkpoint
SMETS2 meter confirmed before commissioning. Where you have an older SMETS1 or non-smart meter we coordinate the free supplier upgrade ahead of install.
Tariff comparison advice
Octopus Outgoing Fixed vs Flux vs Cosy Octopus, EDF, Eon Next, British Gas — we run the projection against your install size and consumption profile so you sign up to the right one.
Monitoring configuration
Manufacturer app (GivEnergy, Tesla, SolarEdge) configured at commission so you can see real-time export and reconcile against the supplier statement.
Typical annual SEG income — London
Modelled on a south-facing London install with a SMETS2 meter and standard household consumption profile. Battery-equipped homes self-consume more, so export volume drops while bill savings rise.
3 kWp solar, no battery — Octopus Outgoing Fixed 15p
~1,400 kWh exported per year
From £200
4 kWp solar, no battery — Octopus Outgoing Fixed 15p
~2,000 kWh exported per year — the London median
From £300
4 kWp solar + 9.5 kWh battery — Octopus Flux variable
Battery shifts export into the evening peak window
From £450
5 kWp solar + 9.5 kWh battery — Octopus Flux variable
Common 4-bed semi configuration
From £650
6 kWp solar + 13.5 kWh battery — Octopus Flux variable
Larger systems with active peak-window discharge
From £900
What's in the SEG handover pack
- MCS installation certificate
- DNO G98 or G99 commissioning confirmation
- Inverter make/model and serial numbers
- Battery make/model and serial numbers (if applicable)
- SMETS2 meter confirmation
- Pre-filled supplier signup form
- SEG tariff comparison projection
- Manufacturer app export-monitoring setup
- First-month statement reconciliation walkthrough
- 21-day signup tracking with your chosen supplier
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a smart meter for SEG?
Yes — a SMETS2 (second-generation smart meter) is mandatory for SEG. The supplier reads your export volume via the DCC every half-hour and credits the account monthly. SMETS1 meters can usually be upgraded remotely by the DCC; non-smart meters require a physical meter exchange, free of charge from your supplier. We confirm meter type on survey.
Which suppliers offer SEG and at what rate?
All licensed suppliers with more than 150,000 domestic customers must offer at least one SEG tariff. Current rates: Octopus Outgoing Fixed 15p flat, Octopus Outgoing Lite 8p flat, Octopus Flux variable (typically 25p–35p in the evening peak), EDF Export+ 12p, Eon Next Export Exclusive 16.5p, British Gas Export and Earn 6.4p, ScottishPower SmartGen 12.5p. Switching between SEG providers is free and takes 21 days.
Can I switch SEG providers?
Yes — freely, every 21 days, with no exit fee. The SEG tariff is decoupled from your import tariff: you can buy electricity from any supplier and export to a different one. Most London installs sign up with Octopus for both import and export to access Flux or Cosy, but split signups (e.g. import with Eon, export with Octopus) are valid.
Is SEG income taxable?
For most homeowners — no. HMRC treats SEG payments from a domestic solar installation as covered by the Renewables Tax Exemption (or, where output is genuinely small-scale and primarily for the owner’s own use, as not constituting a trade). SEG income remains tax-free for the vast majority of UK homeowners. Landlords receiving SEG income on rental property should treat it as property income and declare it on Self Assessment.
What if my electricity supplier does not offer SEG?
Suppliers with fewer than 150,000 customers are not legally required to offer SEG — though many do voluntarily. If yours does not, you switch the export side to a SEG-offering supplier (no exit fees, 21-day switch). You can keep your import on the original supplier. The two sides are independent.
Do I have to import and export with the same supplier?
No. The SEG export tariff is fully decoupled from the import tariff. The most common 2026 London split is import on Octopus Tracker or Cosy Octopus and export on Octopus Outgoing Fixed — but mixed-supplier setups (import with Eon Next, export with Octopus, or any other combination) are equally valid.
What counts as export?
Any solar generation that is not consumed by the home in the same half-hour settlement period and flows back through the meter. Self-consumption (solar charging your kettle, your battery, your EV) is not export and is not paid by SEG — but it saves the corresponding import volume at the much higher import rate. The two effects together are what makes solar economic.
How do I see my export data?
Three places. (1) Your supplier’s app or portal — half-hourly export data per day, week and month, with the SEG rate applied. (2) Your inverter manufacturer’s app (GivEnergy Cloud, Tesla Mobile, SolarEdge MySolarEdge) — real-time inverter-side export. (3) The Smart Energy Code In-Home Display (IHD) supplied with your smart meter — live import / export indication. We configure all three at commission.
Related services
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