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Best SEG Rates UK 2026 — Live Smart Export Guarantee Comparison

Last reviewed · Next update on or before 26 May 2026

The Smart Export Guarantee is the mandatory scheme requiring electricity suppliers with 150,000+ domestic customers to pay you for surplus electricity from your solar panels. Rates are set competitively by suppliers, not regulated, so they differ wildly. This page tracks every UK SEG tariff with weekly updates.

We're independent — no installer affiliations and no commission from any supplier on this page. The "Bundling" column flags which rates require you to also be an import customer of the same supplier (and how to think about whether that's worth it).

Live UK SEG rates table (May 2026)

Supplier / TariffRate (p/kWh)TypeBundling required?Notes
Intelligent Octopus Flux up to 28.6p (peak) Variable Octopus import + compatible battery CLOSED to new customers since March 2026. Existing customers retained. Read more.
Good Energy Solar Savings Exclusive 25p Fixed Must install solar via Good Energy Best rate for new installs going through Good Energy's installer channel
EDF Export Exclusive 12m V2 24p Fixed 12 months Tied to EDF import Auto-rolls to lower rate at renewal — check terms
OVO Smart Solar Export 20p Fixed Solar + battery installed by OVO Locks you into OVO's install network
E.ON Next Export Premium 17.5p Fixed Tied to E.ON import Intermittently closed to new sign-ups
British Gas Export & Earn Plus 15.1p Fixed Requires BG import Highest non-bundled-to-installer rate. Best for households happy to switch import to BG.
Octopus Outgoing Fixed 12p (cut from 15p on 1 March 2026) Fixed None Best no-strings rate. Open to non-Octopus import customers. First Outgoing rate cut since 2022.
Octopus Outgoing Agile Variable (half-hourly, can hit 25p+ peak) Half-hourly variable None For households who can shift export to match wholesale spikes
British Gas Export & Earn Flex 6.4p Variable None Lower than Outgoing; only worth it if Outgoing is unavailable to you
ScottishPower SmartGen 6p Fixed None Best non-tied rate after Outgoing. Useful Scotland fallback.
Shell Energy / now Octopus Operations 2 3.5p Legacy None Migrated to Octopus Dec 2023 — existing customers should switch to Outgoing
SSE / Now OVO 1p Legacy floor None Statutory minimum rate (above zero); switch immediately if you're on this

Rates last verified 19 May 2026. Next update on or before 26 May 2026.

The bundling trap — read this before switching

Headline rates of 24–25p look better than Outgoing's 12p, but most are tied tariffs: you must also be an import customer of that supplier, and sometimes have your solar installed via their channel. Tied import rates are typically £80–£150/year more expensive than the cheapest available — which can completely cancel the export gain.

Worked example — Good Energy Solar Savings Exclusive (25p) vs Octopus Outgoing Fixed (12p)

A typical household exporting 2,500 kWh/year:

  • Good Energy: 2,500 × 25p = £625/year export income
  • Octopus: 2,500 × 12p = £300/year export income
  • Difference: £325/year more on Good Energy ✓

But to get the 25p, you must import from Good Energy. Good Energy's standard tariff sits ~£100–£150/year above Octopus's cheapest tariff for a typical 2,700 kWh/year electricity household. Net gain after the import cost difference: roughly £175–£225/year.

Add: clawback if you switch away within the first 12 months (typically forfeiting 6 months of export earnings).

Conclusion: the headline 25p is real, but it's worth maybe £200/year net, not £625. Always model combined import + export rates.

How to pick the right SEG tariff

If you don't want to switch your import supplier

Pick Octopus Outgoing Fixed (12p). It's the best non-tied rate available. You stay with your current import supplier; Octopus handles your export separately.

If your home electricity bill is small (small household, low usage)

The lower import bill means a tied tariff's "expensive import" penalty is smaller in absolute £ terms. British Gas Export & Earn Plus (15.1p) could net you slightly more than Outgoing.

If you're getting a new solar installation

Good Energy Solar Savings Exclusive (25p) requires you to install through Good Energy's installer network. Their pricing is competitive vs other quality installers — if you're getting a quote from them anyway, the 25p export rate is worth comparing in your full TCO calculation.

If you have an EV and a battery

Consider Octopus Outgoing Agile (variable half-hourly) paired with Intelligent Octopus Go for charging. Sophisticated battery scheduling can hit average export rates of 18–20p+ across the year by selling into wholesale peaks.

If you're already on Intelligent Flux

Stay on it. Existing customers are retained. Your rates are excellent.

How SEG actually works

The requirement

Under Ofgem rules (in force since 1 January 2020, replacing the closed-to-new-applicants Feed-in Tariff), electricity suppliers with more than 150,000 domestic customers are required to offer at least one export tariff at a rate greater than zero. Rates and terms are set by suppliers, not by Ofgem.

What's eligible

  • Solar PV up to 5 MW (residential is overwhelmingly <10 kW).
  • Other technologies: wind ≤5 MW, micro-CHP ≤50 kW, hydro ≤5 MW, anaerobic digestion ≤5 MW.
  • Installation must be by an MCS-certified installer using MCS-certified products.
  • You need a smart meter capable of half-hourly export readings (SMETS2, or migrated SMETS1).

What's NOT eligible

  • DIY installs (must be MCS-certified).
  • Solar without a smart meter capable of half-hourly export.
  • Existing Feed-in Tariff export holders — you'd lose FIT export payments by switching to SEG (though you can switch if the SEG rate is higher and you retain FIT generation payments).

How to apply

  1. Install your system with an MCS-certified installer.
  2. Receive your MCS certificate and your DNO's G98/G99 connection confirmation.
  3. Ensure your smart meter is in half-hourly export mode (ask your supplier — usually free).
  4. Apply to your chosen SEG licensee — most suppliers have a one-page online form requiring: MCS certificate number, MPAN, smart meter serial, installation date, system capacity (kWp), G98/G99 letter, proof of address.
  5. Approval typically takes 4–8 weeks. Payments usually quarterly or monthly.

The market is in a downward correction phase in 2026 after the very generous rates of 2022–2024.

Why rates are falling

  1. Wholesale electricity prices are lower than the 2022 crisis peak. Suppliers price SEG against their wholesale export value.
  2. UK solar capacity is rising fast — 21.6 GW installed end-2025 (+13% YoY), with 257k new installs in 2025. More export = more competition for grid space at sunny midday.
  3. Octopus's price-setting role. Octopus is now the UK's largest supplier (~24% market share). Their Outgoing Fixed rate cut from 15p to 12p in March 2026 pulled competitors' rates down.
  4. Intelligent Flux pause removed the headline anchor of 28.6p peak rates from the new-customer market.

What to watch for in the next 6 months

  • Octopus Outgoing Fixed may move again at the next contract refresh.
  • British Gas Export & Earn Plus 15.1p is currently the best non-installer-tied option; expect downward pressure if Outgoing moves.
  • New Octopus product to replace paused Flux — Octopus says "later in 2026" but no timeline.
  • Tied tariff bundling tightening — expect clawback clauses to extend from 12 months to 18–24 months.
  • The Q3 2026 price cap (announced 27 May) sets the import-side context. Higher cap = SEG rates may hold up.

Frequently asked questions

Can I switch SEG provider without switching import?

Yes. SEG and import contracts are separate. You can have Octopus Outgoing Fixed for export and any other supplier (British Gas, OVO, EDF) for import. Some tied SEG tariffs require both with the same supplier — see the table.

Do I need a smart meter?

Yes. SEG requires half-hourly export metering, which means SMETS2 (or enrolled SMETS1). If your meter isn't compatible, your supplier upgrades it free — takes ~2 weeks.

What's the minimum SEG rate?

The statutory floor is "greater than zero." In practice, the worst legitimate rates from licensed suppliers are 1p–3.5p. If you're on one of these, switch — Outgoing Fixed (12p) is a 4–12× improvement.

How is SEG taxed?

SEG income is not subject to income tax under the Microgeneration Tax Exemption — it's tax-free up to a generation threshold most households never approach. You don't declare SEG income on Self-Assessment.

Can I get SEG if I have a battery but no solar?

Generally no — SEG is for electricity generation, not storage. Standalone battery exports (charging from grid during cheap times, discharging during expensive times) typically aren't paid via SEG. Intelligent Octopus Flux did pay for battery exports, which is part of why it's been paused.

How is the export quantity measured?

By your smart meter's export register, half-hourly. Your supplier reads this remotely via the DCC. You can verify in your meter's display (export reading) or in your supplier's app.

Can I keep my Feed-in Tariff and add SEG?

You can keep FIT generation payments and switch your FIT export to SEG if the SEG rate is higher. You can't have both at the same time — it's one or the other for export. Most FIT export holders are on tariffs from the 2010s that are much lower than current SEG, so switching often makes sense.

Sources

Page changelog

  • 19 May 2026 — Initial publication. Reflects March 2026 Octopus Outgoing cut (15p→12p), Intelligent Flux pause, and current Big Six SEG tariff landscape.

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