Solar Panels for Care Homes

Why care homes use power all day

Many businesses empty out at 5pm. A care home is busy every day of the year, with staff on shift around the clock and much of the work done in daylight:

• Kitchens. Breakfast, lunch and tea, every day, often with electric ovens, dishwashers and cold storage
• Laundry. Washers and dryers running for much of the day
• Lifts, hoists and equipment. Lifts, beds, call systems, medical and office equipment
• Lighting and comfort. Communal areas lit and kept warm or cool, all year
• Weekends. Use barely drops, so weekend output is used rather than exported

That steady daytime demand is what makes solar pay: panel output replaces electricity the home would otherwise buy. Our guide to half-hourly data explains how to see the home's own pattern before a survey.

VAT: care homes count as residential

HMRC's Notice 708/6 lists what counts as residential accommodation for the energy-saving materials relief, which covers solar panels and, since February 2024, batteries (Notice 708/6):

A group with a care home and a separate head office pays the standard rate at the office. Ask the installer to price each building separately. More in VAT on solar panels.

Roofs and sites

• Purpose-built homes. Often have large pitched or flat roofs with few obstructions
• Converted older buildings. May have complex roofs, dormers and chimneys; extensions and outbuildings can be simpler
• Grounds and car parks. A ground array or a carport can work where the roof doesn't
• Listed or conservation area buildings. Need planning checks first

The survey checks the roof structure, shading, where the inverters and cables can go and the electricity supply. See planning permission, flat roof solar and solar carports.

Keeping residents comfortable during installation

Installation is building work in a place where people live. Agree in writing before anyone arrives:

• Working hours. Avoid mealtimes and quiet hours for noisy work
• Access and scaffolding. Routes that keep fire exits, gardens and ambulance access clear
• The switchover. A planned, short power-down at a time that suits the home, with care equipment covered
• Who is on site. Contractor sign-in and supervision in line with your safeguarding policy
• Paperwork. The construction health and safety requirements apply to the work

The handover file from the installer may form the health and safety file required under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (RC62, HSE). Tell your insurer before the work: see fire risk and insurance.

Batteries and resilience

A care home uses power through the evening and night too, so some homes look at a battery to store midday output. Two separate questions: whether a battery saves enough to pay for itself, and whether you want backup power in a cut. A grid-connected solar system is not a backup supply on its own. If resilience matters, ask the installer to design for it and keep your existing emergency arrangements. See commercial battery storage.

Paying for it

A care home business that buys the system can usually claim capital allowances. If capital is tight, a lease, a loan or a power purchase agreement spreads or removes the upfront cost: see paying for commercial solar. Great British Energy has funded some local projects through mayoral authorities, including rooftop solar on care homes on Merseyside, announced in July 2025 (GBE); check what your area offers.